Covid 19 coronavirus: Australia closes 12 McDonald's restaurants

Delivery driver was asymptomatic and unaware of contracting the virus before visiting 12 McDonald's outlets. Photo / Bevan Conley, file

Twelve Australian McDonald's restaurants have been closed for deep cleaning after a delivery truck driver contracted coronavirus.

It comes after seven new cases of the virus were recorded in Victoria on Sunday and one new case in NSW.

A previously dismissed test in Western Australia was confirmed as positive.

Australia has recorded a total 7049 cases of Covid-19, with 3075 in New South Wales, 1554 in Victoria, 1054 in Queensland, 439 in South Australia, 557 in Western Australia, 226 in Tasmania, 107 in the Australian Capital Territory and 30 in the Northern Territory. The death toll stands at 98.

The fast-food outlet has shutdown 12 restaurants for deep cleaning after a truck driver tested positive for coronavirus.

The external service provider had made deliveries to the restaurants and interacted with a small number of employees.

A spokesperson for the company said the driver was asymptomatic and unaware they had contracted Covid-19.

They said the restaurants had been closed in an "abundance of caution".

"The Department of Health has identified the truck driver as a workplace close contact of the previously announced Craigieburn Covid-19 case," they said.

"McDonald's Australia has taken this significant action in the best interests of the health and safety of our employees and our customers.

"We will open each of the restaurants following completion of the deep clean and pending the availability of replacement crew."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Potential close contacts and employees who worked shifts during and after the truck drivers' delivery have been told not to return to work for 14 days and advised to be tested.

No other employees have tested positive so far.

Here's the full list of restaurants that have been closed: Melton East, Laverton North, Yallambie, Taylors Lakes, Campbellfield, Sunbury, Hoppers Crossing, Riverdale Village, Sandown, Calder Highway Northbound/Outbound, Calder Highway Southbound/Inbound and BP Rockbank Service Centre Outbound.

Meanwhile, an abattoir at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak will reopen today despite recording new cases.

Two of Victoria's seven cases announced yesterday came from Cedar Meats.

The number of cases linked to the business has reached 100, made up of 64 workers and 34 close contacts.

While the factory will reopen, the processing of animals won't happen yet.

"Cedar Meats is restarting its cold storage facility," the company said.

"Restarting the cold storage facility has been planned with the advice and support of the public health team at the Department of Health and Human Services."

In New South Wales, Premier Gladys Berejikilan has conceded "mistakes have been made" when during the state's response to the Covid-19 crisis.

However, when it comes to the decision to disembark 700 passengers from the Ruby Princess cruise ship who would later go on to test positive for coronavirus, the Premier said the Federal Government had to share the blame.

Premier Gladys Berejikilan says Federal authorities will have to shoulder some of the blame for allowing the Ruby Princess to disembark in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images

Talking to Lisa Wilkinson on tonight's Sunday Project, Berejiklian also said she found it difficult to sleep at night due to the "life and death" decisions she and her team have had to make.

NSW has recorded 3075 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 47 lives lost – both figures are Australia's highest when it comes to the pandemic.