Three of the deaths were connected to aged care homes. There are 201 people in hospital with COVID-19, four less than on Wednesday, and 40 in intensive care.
The reimposed lockdown for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire came into effect on Thursday, July 9 - slightly more than two weeks ago.
Health authorities have said it would take two weeks or more for the effects of the strict measures to take hold due to the virus’ incubation period and time lag from receiving test results.
Melbourne's new must-have attire: face masks.Credit:Eddie Jim
Of the new cases, 13 are people in regional Victoria.
“On a number of occasions (we have) talked about the prospect of easing restrictions in regional Victoria at an appropriate time. We simply won't have that option available to us unless we continue to see those numbers, lower,” Mr Andrews said.
Premier said key metric moving in a positive direction
Mr Andrews revealed a key metric of the intensity of the virus’ spread had dropped.
He said the reproduction (R) rate had recently dropped to about one, meaning each infected person, on average, was infecting one other person.
He said Victorians doing the little things right, like isolating when needed, and gradual improvements in the government’s public health response, would contribute to driving the R number below one and stifling the spread.
“If the [R number], so the number of people that a positive case infects, stays at one, then we will see stable numbers, but we will not see falling numbers,” he said. “If, however ... only every second person is infected … then we will see our numbers come down ... again and again.
''That's what we have to get to.”
Premier pleads to young people to follow rules
Mr Andrews appealed to young people - who have made up more than a quarter of all infections so far this month - to follow lockdown rules.
He stressed that while he did not want to lay blame at the feet of younger people, there was growing evidence of healthy, younger people suffering serious illness, or death, from COVID-19.
About 25 per cent of all positive cases since the beginning of July have been people in their 20s, according to the state government, compared with 6 per cent who were aged in their 60s.
“To people who are younger, if you want to get past these restrictions, if you want to get through this … The only thing to do is to get tested if you're sick and to isolate while you're waiting for a test.
“Wear a mask when going out for one of the four reasons … It's pretty simple.”
New limits on expectant mothers, partners in hospital
Visiting restrictions will be tightened in Victorian aged care homes and hospitals as case numbers continue to rise among healthcare workers, aged care staff and residents.
New rules will also apply to expectant mothers and their partners or support people.
An expectant mother will be able to have her partner or support person with her for the labour and birth. After the birth, however, the woman's partner or support person will only be allowed to stay with her for two hours.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos says visitors to hospitals and aged care homes will be limited.Credit:Luis Ascui
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announced visitations will be limited to one person for one hour per day at aged care homes and hospitals.
Exceptions are parents with children in hospital and visitors of patients in palliative care.
Ms Mikakos said the changes were "designed to strike the balance between compassion ... and putting the safety of those residents and patients first".
New $300 payment for casual workers to isolate after tests
Workers without sick leave will be entitled to a $300 government payment allowing them to stay home from work after they get tested without being financially worse off.
On Wednesday, Mr Andrews revealed the majority of Victorians were not isolating after being tested, a problem driven largely by casual workers without paid leave entitlements.
“I'm announcing that via the coronavirus hotline, a payment of $300 will be available to anybody who has taken a test, and then needs to isolate … [who] is in work, but does not have sick leave they can fall back on,” he said. “This will be as quick a process as we can possibly make it. It'll be a relatively simple and easy process.
''It essentially requires you, for instance, to provide a payslip."
If a payslip cannot be provided, a statutory declaration will suffice, he said. If a person tests positive and needs to quarantine for two weeks, they will be eligible for the government’s $1500 hardship payment.
Paul is a reporter for The Age.
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2020-07-23 01:16:00Z
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