In the lead-up, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino encouraged students in hotspot areas to receive COVID tests before sitting the GAT, uncovering 33 cases.
ɪnðə lˈiːdˈʌp, vɪktˈoːɹiən ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən mˈɪnɪstɚ dʒˈeɪmz mɜːlˈiːnoʊ ɛŋkˈɜːɹɪdʒd stˈuːdənts ɪn hˈɑːtspɑːt ˈɛɹiəz tə ɹᵻsˈiːv kˈɑːvɪd tˈɛsts bᵻfˌoːɹ sˈɪɾɪŋ ðə dʒˌiːˌeɪtˈiː, ʌŋkˈʌvɚɹɪŋ θˈɜːɾi θɹˈiː kˈeɪsᵻz.