Hundreds of passengers who flew from Sydney to Melbourne are ordered to quarantine IMMEDIATELY amid fears they were exposed to two international travellers who breached COVID rules
Passengers on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne have been told to self-isolate immediately after two German travellers failed to quarantine in New South Wales.
The Victorian Department of Health issued the warning to those on board the Virgin flight VA 838, which left Sydney at midday on Saturday and landed in Melbourne at 1.25pm.
Travellers have been told to 'quarantine at home immediately' and call the DHHS for further information.
The two foreigners are now isolating in Victoria and it's not known whether or not they had contracted coronavirus.
Authorities are yet to reveal how the pair were able to dodge the mandatory quarantine after arriving in Sydney on Saturday.
Passengers that were on a Virgin flight from Sydney to Melbourne have been warned by health authorities to self-isolate immediately. Pictured: Shoppers walk along a busy Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne on November 27
The two foreigners are now isolating in Victoria and it's not known whether or not they had contracted coronavirus (Pictured: Passengers are seen boarding a Jetstar flight to Sydney at Melbourne Airport in Melbourne, Monday, November 23)
'A comprehensive public health response is under way, including testing and full contact tracing,' DHHS said in the statement.
'Anyone who has been at the Melbourne Airport domestic terminal on Saturday afternoon is advised to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and to seek testing if symptoms develop.'
Passengers and crew on board have been advised to call the health department on 1300 651 160.
The warning comes after Victoria celebrated its 36th day without any new infections.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told a parliamentary inquiry it is safe for the state to move to a 'COVID normal' level of restrictions on Sunday.
'It's to be determined this weekend, but we will move to a phase where there is an even more limited use of masks in public,' he told the parliament's public accounts and estimates committee on Friday.
'But the recommendation for mask-wearing still exists around Australia, even in places where it hasn't been mandated at all.'
According to the Herald Sun, some pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to effectively double their capacity with the changes.
Revellers will also be allowed to stand and drink when in outside sections of venues.
The cap on attendees at religious gatherings is also expected to be scratched ahead of Christmas and will instead be replaced with the one person per two square metre rule.
Professor Sutton said authorities were still working through details ahead of Premier Daniel Andrew's Sunday press conference, but confirmed advice around masks, which currently must be worn in indoor settings, will change. Pictured: A woman wears a face mask at Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall
On Monday five international flights from Colombo, Doha, Hong Kong and Singapore will land at Melbourne Airport as the state's revamped hotel quarantine program restarts.
International flights were diverted from Victoria in June after security guards at two quarantine hotels contracted COVID-19.
The outbreaks sparked the state's second wave, which resulted in more than 18,000 infections and 800 deaths.
The government announced on Friday it will introduce legislation to charge for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The fees will be set at $3000 per adult, $1000 for each additional adult in a room and $500 for children aged between three and 18 years. There will be no charge for children under three.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told a parliamentary inquiry it is safe for the state to move to a 'COVID normal' level of restrictions on Sunday