A worker wearing mask cleans the tram station in CBD of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Oct. 19, 2020. After more than three months of lockdown, metropolitan Melbourne moved from second step to third step of restrictions, and regional Victoria continues in third step with further easing of restrictions from midnight of Oct. 27. The whole state recorded zero new COVID-19 infection and virus-related death for a second day in a row on Oct. 27.Photo:Xinhua

A second hotel quarantine worker in Australia's Victoria state was tested positive for the highly infectious COVID-19 strain that was found in Britain, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Tuesday.

Andrews said genomic testing results on Tuesday morning confirmed the woman who worked at Holiday Inn at the Melbourne Airport had the more contagious variant of the virus.

Eight primary close contacts and 136 work close contacts are currently isolating and waiting for their test results.

Despite the challenges, Victoria recorded zero new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. One hotel quarantine case has been transferred to the hospital in intensive care.

"Zero new cases either in hotel quarantine or in the community. That's very pleasing given the challenges we've had in recent days," Andrews said.

"There were some 12,816 test results received over the last 24 hours and we thank each and every one of those more than 12,000 people for attending and getting tested."

Meanwhile, the neighboring state of New South Wales (NSW) recorded two new cases in hotel quarantine with further investigations into the source of infection for a returned overseas traveler who tested positive to COVID-19 after being released from hotel quarantine.

The person from the Wollongong area returned two negative tests during the quarantine period at the Sofitel Wentworth but tested positive in a recently enhanced day-16 follow-up test.

All of the case's 10 close contacts have now tested negative to COVID-19.

However, NSW Health said Tuesday anyone who attended two previously announced venues in Wollongong on specific dates and times is now considered a close contact and should immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.