Health Minister Martin Foley has unleashed on a man who is now hospitalised with Covid-19 after attending Melbourne's wild protests this week.
The Minister was asked what was known about the infected protester during Victoria's daily press conference on Friday.
'This one person ... will be treated with the same level of high care and commitment to recovery that any Victorians who enters our public health system is entitled to,' he said.
'It’s real and it can put you in hospital, it can affect your family, it can affect your community, it can affect you. The best thing you can do is not protest against it, not deny it’s real.
The Department of Health confirmed the demonstrator was among those at Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance where dramatic scenes played out on Wednesday.
Victoria's Health Minister Martin Foley (pictured) has unleashed on a Melbourne protestor hospitalised with Covid-19
While there is a very low chance Covid can spread outside, transmission can occur when an infected person is in close proximity to others - especially without masks - for an extended period of time.
Panic has now gripped the state's health system with fears there could be a flurry of new cases to follow after hundreds descended on the war memorial yesterday and about 2000 marched throughout the CBD on Tuesday.
'Public health investigations are under way,' the department said in a statement.
'We are urging protestors to get tested should they experience Covid-like symptoms, no matter how mild.'
A man infected with Covid-19 attended Melbourne 's wild protests this week
The protester is now being treated in hospital (pictured, a nurse treats a Covid patient in a Sydney ICU)
A large mob also stormed the head office of the CFMEU on Monday with construction workers furious over mandatory coronavirus vaccine requirements on job sites.
The worrying development comes as Victoria recorded its highest number of daily cases since the the pandemic began with 766 new infections and four deaths.
Thursday also marked another grim milestone with Melbourne shattering the world record for the longest accumulative time under stay-at-home orders with a staggering 235 days.
The city has suffered through six lockdowns recording a death toll of over 900 people.
Victoria is desperately trying to vaccinate its population against the respiratory virus with the jab rate climbing to 45.2 per cent on Wednesday.
To boost inoculations further a decree was made by Premier Daniel Andrews that all teachers and early childhood workers must be double-dosed by November 29.
Construction workers furious over mandatory coronavirus vaccine requirements on job sites protested at Melbourne's war memorial (pictured on Wednesday)
Protesters march through the streets of Melbourne with one holding Australia's maritime flag - a symbol often adopted by conspiracy theorists in the 'sovereign citizens movement'
The issue of Covid vaccination mandates has caused division in some industries, particularly the building sector where workers have taken to the streets clashing with police.
Chanting 'every day' from the shrine, hundreds of mostly men without masks, some still wearing high-visibility clothing like in days earlier, had marched through the city to the war memorial.
Heavily armed police surrounded the shrine, with officers slowly moving in on the mob making arrests.
The stand-off lasted more than three hours as police tried to negotiate with protesters to peacefully exit via St Kilda Road.
By 4:30pm, some of the crowd dispersed but dozens remained behind and became rowdy before police fired rubber bullets.
A flare was thrown in retaliation as the riot squad cleared the crowd and took control of the site, which was left strewn with broken bottles and rubbish.
Victoria Police arrested 215 protesters throughout the day while two officers suffered head injuries, and one was taken to hospital with chest pains.
Tap handles, golf balls, batteries and bottles were thrown at them from the shrine.
