The man, aged in his 50s, visited the winery — prior to his diagnosis — on Tuesday, March 3, between 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm after returning to Australia on United Airlines flight UA60 on Saturday, February 29.
It’s unclear whether the man contracted the virus on the flight or while overseas, as he was not unwell on the flight but had mild symptoms the day after he arrived in Australia.
Wine by Sam discovered that the man — who is now recovering in isolation at home — visited the winery via a Seven News story.
Cellar door manager Bruce Johnstone said although the winery was confident there was no threat to guests, the business decided to close its doors as a precautionary measure.
“We are collecting information from the Victorian health authorities to understand how we proceed,” Mr Johnstone said.
“We have reviewed all security footage and pinpointed locations and staff members who made contact with the visitor.
“This has allowed us to activate our strict health and safety policies and take all precautions,” he said.
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said visitors to the winery should be aware of the signs and symptoms of coronavirus.
“For the virus to spread, extended close personal contact is required,” Prof Sutton said.
“But visitors to these locations should be aware of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
“Close personal contact is at least 15 minutes face-to-face or more than 2 hours in the same room,” he said.
Mr Johnstone said the closure was extremely disappointing for the winery as it was its busiest time of year.
“We are harvesting for our 2020 vintage collection,” he said.
Although no winery staff members are currently experiencing any symptoms, they will all be tested for the virus.
The winery will advise of any updates via its Facebook page.
The department is continuing to work through the flight manifest of the man's United Airlines flight to identify and contact all close contacts.
His diagnosis brings Victoria's number of coronavirus cases to 15.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has set up a hotline for public information on COVID-19 and can be reached by calling 1800 675 398.For more information visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/novelcoronavirus
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