A mammoth effort is underway in Melbourne to supply thousands of housing commission residents with essential supplies, including baby formula, toiletries and food, after they were put into emergency coronavirus lockdown without warning yesterday.
Around 3000 residents across nine housing commission towers in Flemington and North Melbourne will be locked inside their homes for at least the next five days.
Health authorities warn that timeframe could be extended if people refuse testing.
No one is allowed to enter or exit the residences except for residents returning home, with over 500 Victorian police officers tasked with patrolling the corridors.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the unprecedented step late yesterday amid fears a coronavirus outbreak inside the high-rise towers could spread "like wildfire".
To date, 23 residents across the nine towers have tested positive to COVID-19.
Melbourne GP and health commentator Dr Vyom Sharma warned of the potential for the cluster to spark a major health emergency.
"For all we know, there could be hundreds of people infected there and if that infection transmits out into the community, we could have an unprecedented crisis in Victoria," he told the Weekend Today show this morning.
This morning, paramedics and social workers were among the emergency responders working to provide relief to the trapped residents.
A food truck was stationed outside one of the towers yesterday evening, providing food to those caught off guard without supplies.
Mr Andrews conceded yesterday the measures could be "traumatic" for the residents.
He said "every single resident" of the nine towers would be tested, except for those who had already been tested.
A fundraiser organised by the Victorian Trades Hall Council has already raised $136,000 to support the residents of two of the towers.
Minister for Housing Richard Wynne said yesterday the nine towers were home to some of the state's most vulnerable residents and did not rule out relief and hardship payments to support the residents.
"I want to reassure all of our public housing tenants who are affected by this is that we will put in place all of the measures that will be required to support them in the most practical way," Mr Wynne said.
"Whether it is in relation to medical support, whether it is in relation to mental health support, drug and alcohol support, obviously the most basic things around food and in that context."
In Flemington, the following buildings are affected by the lockdown: 12 Holland Court, 120 Racecourse Road, 126 Racecourse Road and 130 Racecourse Road are all subject.
In North Melbourne, the following sites are affected: 12 Sutton Street, North Melbourne, 33 Alfred Street in North Melbourne, 76 Canning Street in North Melbourne, 159 Melrose Street in North Melbourne and 9 Pampus Street in North Melbourne.
Two more Melbourne postcodes also became subject to stay-at-home orders overnight – postcodes 3031 and 3051, encompassing the suburbs of Flemington, Kensington and North Melbourne.
Residents in these suburbs are now only permitted to leave their homes to access essential supplies, provide care, exercise and work and study that cannot be done from home.
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