35 new cases, six deaths as Victoria gets first taste of freedom
Residents from the City of Casey have been urged to get tested if they have coronavirus symptoms, after more than a quarter of Monday’s cases came from the area. It comes as playgrounds reopened and Melburnians were allowed an extra hour of exercise, with restrictions eased slightly overnight.
Victoria
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Victoria has recorded 35 new cases of coronavirus — the lowest daily increase since 33 cases were recorded on June 25.
Six people have died overnight, including a man in his 70s, a man and woman in their 80s and three men and one woman in their 90s.
Seven deaths were originally reported, but one was removed due to duplication, Premier Daniel Andrews said.
And more than a quarter of new cases have come from the southeastern Melbourne suburbs of Hallam and Narre Warren, with Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton urging residents to get tested if they experience coronavirus symptoms.
Nine of Monday’s cases were found in those suburbs, with Prof Sutton saying there was certainly community transmission in the City of Casey.
“We haven’t linked all of the households definitively. They might be linked by a workplace that hasn’t been identified,” he said.
“They might be linked by going to a single setting that hasn’t been identified. It is a call out to everyone in that local government area and those suburbs in particular to come forward for testing.
“There will be other cases out there that we need to identify and testing is the opportunity to snuff this out.”
Currently, 122 Victorians are in hospital, with 12 in intensive care and seven of those 12 on ventilators.
Just 8937 tests have been processed in the past 24 hours, but most of these are Saturday’s results and believed to have fallen in part due to poor weather.
There are also 1075 active cases, including 513 in aged care, 176 healthcare workers, 10 in disability facilities and six new mystery cases.
Regional Victoria has not recorded any new cases, with 47 active cases total.
“The metro 14-day rolling average to September 11 is 54.4 cases; in regional Victoria, it has dipped below four and it is now 3.9,” Mr Andrews said.
“That is a fantastic outcome. That is proof positive that this is not a theoretical exercise, it is a strategy that is working.
“And to see regional Victoria down to 3.9 cases, it means they are on the cusp of taking the next step … there are a few more days to get through.”
Prof Sutton said Victoria’s 14-day average is set to drop below 50 by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, two men who travelled more than 5km from home to buy burgers are among the latest batch of Victorians to be fined for breaking lockdown rules.
Victoria Police issued 346 fines in the past 24 hours — at least 176 of which were handed to protesters at the Queen Victoria Market protest.
Meanwhile, 46 people were fined for breaching curfew, 25 for not wearing a face covering and 23 at checkpoints.
BOOST FOR COVID-SAFE OUTDOOR DINING
A new $290 million support package will provide relief for sole traders and prepare Victorian businesses for increased level of outdoor dining.
Mr Andrews announced a funding boost that will provide $87.5 million to council and businesses outside of the CBD.
The money will be provided to allow for safe outdoor dining, with hospitality businesses allowed to open out on to the street once restrictions are significantly eased.
This includes $58 million for businesses to buy umbrellas, outdoor furniture and other essentials to cater for this change.
Another $29.5 million will help councils quickly alter their permit system and how they are enforced.
“We have to get it right and there will be further details about exactly how far apart tables need to be, some of the perspex screens between tables — things that have been a feature of what other cities have done, other cities that have been able to get their hospitality sector as close to normal as possible without necessarily seeing those settings drive additional coronavirus cases,” Mr Andrews said.
A separate fund of $100 million will be put aside to reshape the CBD, with more than 16,500 businesses registered in the municipality.
The government will also provide $30 million to help create public events and activities to lure people back into the CBD.
Sole traders will finally be given a lifeline with a $100 million Sole Trader Support Fund.
Grants of $3000 will be available for sectors that continue to be heavily impacted by restrictions.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the City of Melbourne was contributing $50 million to the fund.
“This fund will provide support for businesses to trade safely and help encourage customers back into the city once restrictions ease,” she said.
“Funding to help local businesses become more COVID safe or expand their trade outdoors will be available as part of this package.”
Ms Capp said the funding will also be used to tailor events to reactivate the city safely and provide a boost for hospitality and retail businesses.
TOO SOON TO MAKE CALL ON SUMMER OF SPORT
When asked about the Boxing Day Test and Australian Open, Mr Andrews said it was too soon to say if crowds would be allowed at the MCG and Melbourne Park.
“It is too early to determine whether they will have crowds. It is too early for us to determine how big any crowd might be. That is our aim,” he said.
“We are having detailed discussions with cricket authorities, the MCC, the whole AO team, talking to them about what their event looks like.
“There are other events that aren’t as famous as that, but there are lots of other events that would normally occur over summer and we have to work through each of those, event by event and venue by venue.
“It is hard for us to predict where virus numbers will be, what risks do we have to deal with in just a few weeks’ time, let alone months.”
But the Premier said those big events would be different to years past, flagging that international stars would have to be quarantined.
“I don’t think it will be a Boxing Day Test like it normally is, nor will the Australian Open be exactly the same as it normally is.
Don’t read any more into that than for instance, teams and players coming from overseas and coaches and officials will all have to quarantine.
“It won’t be an ordinary summer from that point of view. We will get as many people we can get there, provided it is safe. As important as the events are economically and for a sense of normality for people — the Australian Open tennis is a really big event for us but we don’t want one event to necessarily set us back and cause us a problem.”
HOW VICTORIA’S SECOND WAVE COMPARES
Mr Andrews drew comparisons with other countries experiencing a second wave of coronavirus, saying Victoria went from its peak of 725 cases down into the 30s in the span of five weeks.
“It is something every Victorian, regardless of whether you’re in the regions, the suburbs or the centre of Melbourne — everyone is playing their part and should be proud and pleased to see that the trend is with us … Particularly if you just spare a moment to think about what is happening in other parts of the world where the trend is working against them.
“The trend is making lockdowns for a second, third time much more likely. They are matters for those countries and those parts of the world but France, with 10,000 cases in a day, Israel just announced no more than 500m from your home.
“They have had many thousands of cases in recent days. That is a three-week lockdown. Spain, the United Kingdom — the list goes on where there are many parts of the world that are coming into winter, which will be a unique challenge as we have experienced.
“What’s more, their case numbers are at such a high level that they are in exactly the place we don’t want to be in as part of a third wave … I think France has more than 2000 people in hospital, close to 500 people on a machine to help them breathe and (the Reff) number is towards two. That means every inspected person is infecting nearly 10 other people.
“No-one is pleased about that. It is an opportunity to reflect on the fact that this can get away from you quickly. If you were to open up at a level that is higher than the experts tell us is safe, you won’t be open for very long.”
Prof Sutton also reiterated that infections could rapidly blow out.
“I know how keen everyone is to get to a different place but you only need small numbers,” he said.
“I don’t want anyone looking at the daily numbers by postcode and saying: ‘There are no cases in my postcode, what is the issue here?’
“I am sure someone in Wuhan in January said: ‘We have only got 100 cases, why is the city being locked down?’ We can’t have short-term memories on this.”
TASTE OF FREEDOM FOR THE STATE
Playgrounds opened for eager Melbourne kids and regional Victorians can have small public gatherings as the state gets its first taste of freedom.
The gradual easing of restrictions will on Monday also allow people in the city to exercise for two hours a day, which can be split into two sessions.
The curfew will now start at 9pm.
But the State of Emergency and State of Disaster were extended, in a reminder Melbourne’s lockdown is far from over.
Regional Victoria has now moved to the second step of the government’s coronavirus road map, meaning people can leave home without a reason.
Public gatherings of up to five people from a maximum two households outdoors are allowed.
Outdoor pools and playgrounds in regional Victoria will also open.
Religious services in regional areas can be conducted outside with a maximum of five people plus a faith leader.
Premier Daniel Andrews in more good news flagged regional case numbers were so low further easing could happen later this week — meaning pubs, cafes and retail stores could soon open.
The average number of cases diagnosed in the last fortnight in regional Victoria on Sunday hit 4.1, down from 4.3 a day earlier.
“Regional Victoria will take one step today, and they will potentially, around the middle of the week, reach those thresholds of less than five cases, a 14-day average,” Mr Andrews said.
“Every Melburnian should look with hope and positivity to what is happening in regional Victoria as not a theoretical exercise.”
Sunshine mother of two Chrissie Davies said she would be heading straight for the swings with her family. “My five-year-old son in particular has so much energy, so it’ll be great for him to get outside and play,” Ms Davies said.
Hampton local Joanne Davies said the singles bubble, which will allow people living alone and single parents to have one nominated visitor, would make a huge difference to her mental and emotional health.
But she said it should have been in place from the start of the lockdown — just as similar measures for people with intimate partners.
Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville said the decision to extend the State of Disaster was not made lightly.
WHAT’S CHANGED
MELBOURNE
● Stage 4 extended for two weeks
● Curfew 9pm-5am, up from 8pm
● Exercise doubled to two hours a day, maximum two sessions
● Single “social bubbles”, allowing one nominated visitor if living alone/single parent
● Public outdoor gatherings of two people or a household for up to two hours
● Playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment reopened
● Libraries open for contactless click and collect
REGIONAL
● Public gatherings up to five people from maximum of two households outdoors
● Single “social bubbles”, allowing one nominated visitor if living alone/single parent
● Outdoor pools and playgrounds reopen
●Religious services can be conducted outside with a maximum five people, plus a faith leader
RALLY ORGANISER CHARGED
The organiser of Sunday’s anti-lockdown rally that caused chaos at Queen Victoria Market will face court after being charged by police.
A spokeswoman for Victoria Police confirmed that the 44-year-old Burwood East man, who was arrested along with 73 other protesters at the rally, has been charged with incitement.
Police seized “computer items” during a search of the man’s home.
He has been released on bail and is set to appear at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on February 2, 2021.
In a day of chaos, police arrested 74 people and issued at least 176 fines at a second day of anti-lockdown demonstrations after protesters gathered at Queen Victoria Market.
Up to 250 people are believed to have attended the rally, which saw protesters in a tense face-off with police at the market.
Read the full story here.
PUSH FOR URGENT HELP FOR CBD
A “businesses and jobs emergency” should be declared in the City of Melbourne due to the pandemic crisis, says a councillor.
Philip Le Liu said the inner city’s $104 billion economy had been hit harder than other cities by shutdowns, and needed urgent help from state and federal governments.
Mr Le Liu wants the council to declare the financial emergency, with it previously announcing a “climate emergency” as part of a co-ordinated local government campaign.
“Melbourne’s central city economy is usually home to almost 500,000 jobs,” his motion said.
“With ongoing restrictions to control the pandemic, business operators and workers struggle for survival.”
Mr Le Liu, a Liberal Party member, is running for re-election next month on the ticket of nightclub king Nick Russian, who is a lord mayoral candidate, and psychologist Michael Burge, a deputy mayor candidate.
Mr Le Liu’s motion, to be considered at a council meeting on Tuesday, urged Premier Daniel Andrews to also declare a businesses and jobs emergency while increasing financial support for City of Melbourne businesses.
It also calls for payroll tax relief when businesses reopen in a COVID-normal environment.
— John Masanauskas
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