Victoria records 73 new local Covid-19 cases as lockdown extended

Brett Sutton has revealed a key figure that shows how Victoria is getting the latest outbreak under control compared with how it took off in NSW.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton has revealed how Victoria’s outbreak is “stabilising” compared with how the NSW outbreak took off last month.

Victoria has recorded more than 50 local cases on nine of the past 11 days, but Professor Sutton said the state’s number of days from when Victoria had 50 cumulative cases in July was “relatively flat compared to how it took off in NSW”.

But Professor Sutton acknowledged that Victoria was still in a very challenging position.

“We are hoping to see a trend, and maybe it’s stabilising over the last few days,” he said.

“With numbers not increasing exponentially, we are in a much better position than we may have been with exponential growth at the beginning of the outbreak.”

Professor Sutton said it was a tribute to Victorians following the rules and the fantastic work of contact tracers that case numbers looked like they were stabilising.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the government hoped the outbreak had plateaued.

“There’s every indication the measures are starting to kick in,” he said.

Victoria recorded 73 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases as infections continue to remain high despite the state’s sixth lockdown.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton said Victoria’s outbreak was starting to stabilise. NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

The state’s health department announced the new local cases, which included another 21 mystery infections, just before 8.30am on Monday.

The department said 52 of the 73 new cases could be linked to existing outbreaks. They did not say how many of the new cases were infectious in the community.

Of the 52 linked cases, nine were associated with the Shepparton outbreak, five with the MyCentre childcare in Broadmeadows, five with Al-Taqwa College, three with the Hobsons Bay cluster, two with Glenroy West Primary School, two with Sunshine Hospital emergency department and two with the Chemist Warehouse in Hoppers Crossing.

One case each was linked to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Kilda East, Barkly Square in Brunswick and CS Square in Caroline Springs, while 20 infections were contacts of previously announced mystery cases.

A whopping 92 locally acquired cases were recorded on Sunday, the highest daily increase since September 2 last year during Victoria’s deadly second wave.

The state now has more than 800 active cases – the last time it was higher was 347 days ago when there was 823 active cases on September 17 last year.

People commute on an empty street in Melbourne during lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

The rising cases despite tough lockdown measures have prompted Premier Daniel Andrews to extend the state’s sixth shutdown beyond the planned end this Thursday.

Mr Andrews said too many cases had been out in the community while they were sick, which meant the lockdown could not end on September 2.

But he said there was not yet any advice from the chief health officer as to what the next date would be for a possible end to the lockdown.

“As soon as we get advice and decisions are made, we will announce and give people as much notice as we can,” he said.

Professor Sutton gave regional Victoria some hope of an earlier easing of restrictions, however, claiming “I wouldn’t say it’s off the table I think we have to see how the virus is moving around”.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has extended the state’s sixth lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

There are now more than 930 exposure sites in multiple suburbs across metropolitan Melbourne and more than 16,800 people remain in isolation across the state.

There are now 805 active cases across the state, up from 778 on Sunday.

Professor Sutton said 170 of the 805 active cases were aged nine and under, 124 were aged between 10 and 19, and 167 were aged in their 20s.

No new cases were recorded in hotel quarantine on Monday.

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Originally published as Victoria records 73 new local Covid-19 cases as lockdown extended