Illegal Halloween party in Wanniassa linked to 33 COVID-19 cases in Canberra - ABC News

An illegal house party held in Canberra's south over Halloween and attended largely by ACT school students has become a COVID-19 super-spreader event.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said that 33 of the ACT's COVID-19 cases could be linked to the party, held at a private residence in Wanniassa on October 30.

"ACT Health advised yesterday that 33 cases have now been linked to an event and that is a matter for ACT Policing in terms of the investigation around that event," she told ABC Radio Canberra this morning.

"Anecdotal reports [are] of a very large house party that clearly would have been in breach of COVID-19 rules.

"I understand from ACT Policing that one person has received an infringement notice in relation to that event, and that police investigations around that are still ongoing."

At the time, the territory's COVID-19 restrictions dictated house gatherings of 10 people or less.

ACT Policing confirmed they became aware of the party after being called to a report of an assault at a residence in Wanniassa about 11:40pm on Saturday, October 30. 

Upon arrival, police said they observed "a large number of teenagers" at the residence, before closing the event and sending the partygoers home.

One person was taken into protective custody due to intoxication.

"The home owner, as the adult responsible for the residence, who was present at the gathering, has been issued with a Criminal Infringement Notice for non-compliance with ACT Public Health Directions and fined $1,000," an ACT Policing spokesperson said.

"Police investigations have continued into the incident, with a view to identifying those present, and other possible offences."

Last week, both the junior and senior campuses at the Wanniassa School were listed as COVID-19 exposure sites, with exposures also occurring at Erindale College, Canberra Girls Grammar and St Clare's College — all schools in Canberra's south.

It is unknown which schools are linked to the Halloween party cluster.

Dr Kerryn Coleman said students were picking up the virus outside of school.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

Earlier this week, the ACT's Chief Health Officer, Kerryn Coleman, said many students were catching COVID-19 outside of school settings. 

"With many young people that have contracted the virus, [they are] doing so at gathering outside of school and then attending school while infectious," she said.

Dr Coleman said that cases were likely to continue to be seen in school-aged students until vaccinations could be rolled out through that age group. 

"As we have discussed before, an easing of social restrictions and a return to on-campus learning, combined with the fact that the population under 12 years of age remains ineligible for vaccination at this point in time, means that we have to expect that cases will occur in this group of people."

Overnight, Mawson Primary School and Alfred Deakin High School were added to the list of schools exposed to COVID-19 cases.

There are now 16 schools across the ACT listed as exposure sites.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTExLTExL2NhbmJlcnJhLWNvdmlkMTktY2FzZXMtbGlua2VkLXRvLWlsbGVnYWwtaGFsbG93ZWVuLXBhcnR5LzEwMDYxMTQ5MNIBAA?oc=5

2021-11-10 23:49:58Z
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