Victoria will bring back tougher coronavirus restrictions, limiting gatherings in homes to five people from Monday, in a bid to address a recent increase in case numbers.
Key points:
- Victoria recorded 25 new coronavirus cases overnight, including 14 linked to existing outbreaks and one returned traveller in hotel quarantine
- Plans to increase the number of patrons in restaurants, libraries and places of worship are being delayed, meaning the 20-person limit will remain until at least July 12
- Gyms and cinemas can still reopen again on Monday but they will be limited to 20 patrons
Premier Daniel Andrews said today's case numbers were the highest they had been in two months, with 25 new cases identified overnight.
Of those, just one was a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, while 14 were linked to existing outbreaks, six were discovered in routine testing and four are under investigation.
It comes as the AFL confirmed Essendon player Conor McKenna tested positive for coronavirus on Friday night, forcing the postponement of the Bombers' game against Melbourne tomorrow.
Mr Andrews has also deferred plans to allow more patrons in restaurants, and flagged the possibility of even tougher lockdowns being introduced in the hardest hit areas over the coming days.
He said that according to the Government's experts the numbers were being driven by families having big get-togethers and not following the advice around distancing and hygiene.
"Since April … half of all of our new cases have come from family-to-family transmission," Mr Andrews said.
"Unless we can break this cycle … then we are going to see more and more of these cases."
Mr Andrews said there had been instances of people gathering in large numbers at the homes of family and friends, even though they had been told to self-isolate.
"We have even had people who had tested positive and have been told to go home and isolate and instead they have gone to work, instead they have gone and visited loved ones in large numbers," he said.
The changes will come into place from 11:59pm on Sunday and will limit the number of visitors allowed in a home to five.
People will still be able to meet in groups of up to 10 people outdoors.
The Victorian Government will also delay planned changes to restrictions on businesses and community facilities.
Restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community centres, libraries, museums and places of worship will maintain their 20-person limits until at least July 12.
The Government had been set to increase patron limits inside those venues to 50 people from Monday but that has now been delayed by at least three weeks.
"Three weeks of course being the full lifecycle of this virus where we think that we get the best and clearest picture of exactly what's going on out in the community," Mr Andrews said.
Businesses that were set to open for the first time on Monday, including gyms, cinemas, theatres and TABs can still do so, but with a maximum of 20 people.
Community sport for children and non-contact competition for adults will proceed as planned.
Ski season and accommodation facilities with communal spaces will also open, but with increased screening and safeguards in place.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Government accepted that Victoria had acted on the medical advice given a clear rise in case numbers.
"They are now implementing the agreed plan of testing, tracing and where necessary localised responses," Mr Hunt said.
"It is an absolutely clear reminder that this is not over, that the disease is still out there and that while we are making progress, social distancing and avoiding mass gatherings such as protests are even more important."
Hardship fund announced for workers without sick leave
Mr Andrews announced the Government would establish a Hardship Fund for people who cannot go to work because they have tested positive to coronavirus or are told to self-isolate because they are a close contact of someone who has.
They will be eligible for a $1,500 payment if they do not have access to paid leave.
"It is, I think, clear that there are some people in the community that perhaps don't have access to sick leave, for instance," Mr Andrews said.
"Their employment may well be tenuous.
"They're wrong to make that judgement but I can appreciate that that is a judgement that is being made."
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said examples from overseas had shown "fatigue does set in" and people get "fed up" with restrictions.
He said the virus had not yet gotten away from authorities in Victoria, despite it being the fourth day in a row with a double digit rise in cases.
"We can turn it around," he said.
Professor Sutton said he had been in emergency meetings in the response to the recent increase in cases and the decision was made to act fast.
"But we can get on top of it and we must get on top of it because this virus doubles every week."
Seven of the new cases were linked to the family cluster at Keilor Downs which includes a teacher at Albanvale Primary School and three of the new cases were linked to the Stamford Plaza outbreak.
There was one case each at Lifeview Willow Wood aged care in Cranbourne, Royal Freemasons Springtime aged care in Sydenham, the H&M store in Northland, and the Coburg family outbreak.
Routine testing uncovered a teacher at Springvale Primary School in Caroline Springs and a student at Camberwell Grammar, meaning both schools will be closed for cleaning and contact tracing.
Victoria flags possible return to lockdowns in hard-hit suburbs
Mr Andrews said he would not rule out the possibility of hotspots — either suburbs or local government areas — becoming the subject of strict lockdowns.
"It may be the case in the days ahead ... where we have seen the data tells us a very clear story that there are extra cases and the highest number of cases, we may need to, for instance, reinstitute the stay at home except for the four reasons," he said.
"We all remember that time, it was deeply frustrating but it was very effective.
"We may need to go back to that setting in given geographical areas."
The four reasons included shopping for food and supplies, care and caregiving, exercise, and study or work if it could not be done from home.
The local government areas with the highest number of new coronavirus cases since June include include Hume (17), Brimbank (10), Casey (7) and Darebin, Moreland and Cardinia (all 6).
Mr Andrews also said the reverse could happen in regional communities with no community transmission.
"We will — if and when it is safe — reopen those communities perhaps with a different set of rules," he said.
"We may well seek to open those communities up a little faster than would otherwise have been the case."
The Premier said the Government was waiting on more data to come through before making a decision on that, particularly with just one week left in the school term.
"We of course have the school holidays coming up and there will be a lot of movement around our state," he said.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA2LTIwL3ZpY3RvcmlhLWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLW51bWJlcnMtaW5jcmVhc2UtYWdhaW4td2l0aC1tb3JlLW5ldy1jYXNlcy8xMjM3NjMxNtIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjM3NjMxNg?oc=5
2020-06-20 07:39:25Z
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