IMPORTANT UPDATE: COVID-19

Dear customers and stakeholders,

Please be advised an employee of Melbourne Seafood Centre (MSF Centre) tenant, Mclaughlin Consolidated Fishermen Ltd (MCF), has tested positive for COVID-19.

It is important to note that the employee had not returned to work following exposure to an inconclusive case, and had begun self-isolation before they returned the positive test. The employee’s last day at work was Thursday, July 16.

In accordance with COVID-19 protocols, MSF Centre immediately activated our response procedures and are communicating with customers, suppliers and employees to notify them of the case. The health and wellbeing of all our stakeholders is, as always, our highest priority. We are working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services on this matter and following their recommendations.

All close contacts of the employee have been notified, and as an extra safety measure have been instructed to self-isolate and be tested for the virus. At this stage no other positive cases have been identified, and all tests have returned negative, with one outstanding result due later today.

In addition, MSF Centre has proactively undertaken a deep clean of the MCF tenancy and the associated common areas. This is in addition to our daily cleaning procedures and our standard COVID-19 safety measures including: frequent hand sanitisation, temperature checks, compulsory face masks and social distancing.
MSF Centre will remain open and we have not been instructed to close. Our stringent COVID-19 hygiene and safety procedures will remain in place.

There is no threat of contamination of seafood products exiting the MSF Centre. Researchers with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concluded there is no evidence to suggest SARS-CoV-2 can infect aquatic food animals and that these animals do not play a role in spreading COVID-19 to humans. It remains important people continue to maintain hygiene levels to minimise the possibility for cross-surface contamination.

Regards,

Barbara Konstas, CEO, Melbourne Seafood Centre