Rolling coverage: Victoria could be free of virus for months
Experts are quietly confident Victoria’s streak of no new cases could continue for much longer.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. Save and refresh this article page for updates all day. Get full digital access to trusted news from the Herald Sun and Leader for just $1 a week for the first 12 weeks
Victoria has recorded its 29th day of no new coronavirus cases or deaths.
There were 9403 people tested for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
It comes as the state’s COVID-free status could continue into the new year, experts say.
After reaching the milestone of 28 consecutive days of no new cases on Friday, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton is confident the state has no active transmission.
The 28-day streak is considered the benchmark for having eliminated COVID-19 from the community.
Professor Sutton wrote on Twitter that was “rightly worthy of celebration”.
But he cautioned: “We have to maintain alertness. Not fear, but a precautionary approach and readiness to respond.”
University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely said the chance of a new community case popping up got lower each day.
“Once we start doing the quarantine again it goes up a little bit. But I think the chance of us having another outbreak before New Year is quite small,” he said.
Professor Blakely, who helped provide modelling for the state government’s road map, said he was “pleasantly surprised” Victoria reached the 28-day mark.
“After we got to zero on the first day I really thought there’d be some more days with a handful of cases but the fact we stayed at zero for 28 days without having some hiccups is just extraordinary.”
University of South Australia epidemiologist and former World Health Organisation adviser Professor Adrian Esterman said there was “pretty much no chance” Victoria had any undetected community cases.
“The joker in the pack is the quarantine hotels, so until we sort them out there is simply no guarantee we won’t have another outbreak,” he said. International flights are due to return to Melbourne on December 7.
Professor Blakely said he was hopeful the hotel quarantine program would be improved but he warned it would not be 100 per cent risk-free.
“It’s not impossible it will sneak out again,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the 28-day milestone was something “all Victorians should be fundamentally proud of”.
“Public health experts have laid out a public health response, the success of which is undeniable and a great credit to the Victorian community,” he said.
Excited Victorians marked the occasion by getting out and about enjoying Friday’s warm weather.
David and Emi Anderson and their children Esan, 7, and Caia, 5, and grandma Noriko Tsuchiya, went out for lunch and a boat ride on the Yarra to celebrate.
“Compared to how it’s going in other places in the world obviously we are lucky and quiet thankful we have gone so far so well,” Mr Anderson said.
Mrs Anderson said she was excited to be able to celebrate Christmas normally next month and to say goodbye to home schooling.
Port Melbourne resident Bernadette Sait went into the city for lunch and said she was happy to visit her favourite bar.
“It’s so hard to see how many shops in the city are actually empty, let’s hope we’re all back in the city they can restart again.”
Hospitality worker Dejka Stanojkovic, who lost his job during the pandemic and was out in Southbank on Friday distributing resumes, said it was good to see the city come back to life.
“Now everybody is happy and everything is OK. life continues,” he said.
SA RECORDS TWO NEW CASES
South Australia has recorded two new COVID-19 infections linked to the state’s Parafield cluster.
Saturday’s figures brings the state’s total number of cases to 561 since the pandemic began.
The new cases, both of which have been isolating, bring the Parafield cluster to 33 cases.
There are now 19 active case across SA.
A permit is required to enter Victoria from South Australia unless an exemption applies.
To apply for a permit, visit Service Victoria’s website.
RULES DRAWN UP FOR QUARANTINE 2.0
UP to a dozen hotels are preparing for international travellers who will begin to arrive in Victoria when the rejigged quarantine scheme starts in December.
Workers who have close contact with returned travellers will be tested daily to try to avoid coronavirus leaching out into the community and sparking a third wave.
Passengers are due to start arriving on December 7.
The Herald Sun can reveal most hotels being prepared for quarantine are in the CBD. Some nearer the airport are expected to be “hot hotels” for COVID-positive patients.
Premier Daniel Andrews said hotel staff would be unable to work multiple jobs.
“There will be no second or third jobs,” he said, adding that details of a testing regime were being finalised.
“We will advance contact trace anyone who works in the system so we know who they are (and) who you can reasonably expect them to be in close contact with,” he said.
“We will try to minimise the crossover between our workforce and those who work, for instance, in aged care.”
- Matt Johnston , Kieran Rooney
Health boss who played key role in Victoria’s Covid response stands down
The Department of Health secretary who became a public figure making tough and controversial decisions during the pandemic will depart amid a leadership reshuffle.
Sutton dragged into legal fight on cancelled Robbie Williams gig
A war of words has broken out about former Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton’s involvement in the decision to pull the pin on Robbie Williams’ Grand Prix concert.