Victoria recorded just two new cases of coronavirus overnight but the state government has no plans to let students return to school before the end of term two.
A total of 1351 coronavirus cases have now been recorded in Victoria and 1279 people have recovered. There are 23 people in hospital with 11 of them receiving treatment in intensive care. Seventeen people have died.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday morning. Credit:Jason South
Premier Daniel Andrews says the numbers "look stable" but is standing firm on his government’s insistence on remote learning, saying on Tuesday morning that parents should assume the rules will remain in place for the rest of term two, which is due to end on June 26.
“If we get evidence to say those policy settings should change then we will give people as much notice as we possibly can,” he said.
Tensions have increased between Victoria and the federal government over the decision to keep schools closed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said social distancing requirements did not apply to classrooms as other states began welcoming students back to school.
“The notion that just because some people in Canberra say so that we can just flick a switch and all the schools will be open, I just don’t think that would happen,” Mr Andrews said.
Three infectious disease experts have told The Age they believed schools were safe for students.
But Mr Andrews said the advice from Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton had not indicated that schools should reopen early.
He argued the “science was not settled” on transmission and the government wanted to act with caution.
The Premier said schools may reopen if the government received new medical advice indicating it was time to bring students back.
Mr Andrews said there had been seven cases in Victoria traced back to schools. Asked about the differences of opinion with the federal government, Mr Andrews said the Prime Minister had agreed to let states make their own decisions about when to resume classroom learning.
“We do acknowledge that we are asking a lot of Victorians but the strategy is working and that is exactly the place we want it to be,” he said.
“These numbers are stable. These numbers are exactly the sort of numbers we wanted to see. But it is fragile and it can change very quickly.”
The government has sought to ramp up testing, including in some workplaces, as part of its plan to test 100,000 people in the coming fortnight.
Two new testing centres have been added, bringing the total number to 45.
Mr Andrews said Victoria had the capacity to test up to 12,000 people a day. He urged people even with mild symptoms to come forward for testing.
Despite the coronavirus crisis the government's major building projects are continuing and on Tuesday it confirmed a two-month closure on the Frankston train line as it removes multiple level crossings.
An artist's impression of the new Mentone station.Credit:Level Crossing Removal Project
The government insisted that social distancing rules would remain in place on the worksites across the line.
Buses will replace trains between Moorabbin and Mordialloc from May 23 to July 27 to remove crossings at Park and Charman roads in Cheltenham and Balcombe Road in Mentone.
A new station will open at Mentone in early August and Cheltenham shortly after.
Five more level crossings will also be removed at Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach further along the Frankston line with three new stations to be rebuilt.
Benjamin is a state political reporter
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2020-04-28 02:35:41Z
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