Horror day as Victoria records 288 new coronavirus cases - The Age

"It was always going to get worse before it got better," Premier Daniel Andrews said.

The Premier said the state carried out 37,588 tests on Thursday. "That is the biggest single day of testing that has been done and by some considerable margin," he said.

Mr Andrews also formally advised residents in the Melbourne and Mitchell Shire lockdown zone to wear face masks outside their homes.

"We are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Australia's acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly also advised Melburnians to wear face masks when they go to get tested for coronavirus, or go to a public place where physical distancing cannot be guaranteed, like a supermarket.

"I think it is very clear now that there is a community transmission issue in Melbourne," he said.

"This increase in cases – particularly locally acquired cases, particularly those that are not related to known clusters – are a concern.

"The overarching advice is people should stay at home unless they need to go out. What has not changed is if people have symptoms and they need to go for a test ... they should wear a mask. Where physical distancing cannot be guaranteed, [people] should also wear a mask in Melbourne and Mitchell shire."

Professor Kelly said it could take "four incubation periods" to know whether the surge in Melbourne was under control.

"It will take a couple of incubation periods – even four incubation periods – to know when that is under control, hence the six-week lockdown," he said.

Cases spread outside Melbourne

Despite Melbourne's second lockdown designed to protect regional Victoria, coronavirus cases are spreading outside the city's boundary, with a childcare centre in Ocean Grove shut down and a Bendigo council staff member testing positive.

The Boorai Centre in Ocean Grove has been closed for deep cleaning after a child who attended on July 2 tested positive for the virus. The centre will not reopen until the Department of Health and Human Services deems it safe.

Geelong Council said the child did not display any symptoms, or appear unwell. "Families with children who were scheduled to attend the centre [on Friday] were last night informed of the closure. City staff were also contacted and will not be attending the centre," the council said.

By Thursday, Geelong had a total of six active cases. Unlike the Mornington Peninsula on the other side of the bay, Geelong is not included in Melbourne's lockdown zone.

A council worker in Bendigo has also contracted the virus, taking the town's tally of active cases to four.

"The city’s workplaces where this staff member has been have been cleaned thoroughly," the council's chief executive Craig Niemann said. "The city has taken all measures to support the staff member and we wish them a speedy recovery."

Meanwhile, a Woolworths store in Melbourne’s south-west was closed for urgent cleaning on Thursday night after a worker tested positive for coronavirus.

The store in Pacific Werribee shopping centre in Hoppers Crossing was closed at 8pm for deep cleaning.

The staff member did not present symptoms while they worked at the store on Saturday, July 4. Woolworths became aware of the case on Thursday, July 9.

The worker is now in isolation and the supermarket has reopened, but is advising any customers who shopped at the store on Saturday, July 4, to immediately contact the health department if they feel unwell.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMieWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWFnZS5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvdmljdG9yaWEvaG9ycm9yLWRheS1hcy12aWN0b3JpYS1yZWNvcmRzLTI4OC1uZXctY29yb25hdmlydXMtY2FzZXMtMjAyMDA3MTAtcDU1YXdqLmh0bWzSAXlodHRwczovL2FtcC50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL3ZpY3RvcmlhL2hvcnJvci1kYXktYXMtdmljdG9yaWEtcmVjb3Jkcy0yODgtbmV3LWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWNhc2VzLTIwMjAwNzEwLXA1NWF3ai5odG1s?oc=5

2020-07-10 03:57:00Z
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