Daniel Andrews hints at restrictions easing on Sunday as Melbourne’s 14-day COVID-19 case average falls

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has given his strongest clue yet Melbourne could come out of lockdown earlier than expected.

There are hopes Melbourne will be freed from lockdown well ahead of its scheduled date in late October as daily COVID-19 cases numbers fall. Picture: Daniel Pockett/NCA NewsWire

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has hinted at the possibility of easing some lockdown restrictions as early as Sunday as the state recorded its lowest daily virus count in more than three months.

While confirming 11 new cases and two more deaths – the state’s lowest daily figure since June 16 – the Premier said the State Government was ready to make “significant” announcements on Sunday.

“We are poised to take some significant steps, albeit they are safe and steady steps on Sunday,” Mr Andrews told reporters on Monday morning.

“We are in that 30-50 band, and it looks like we are going to stay there. That is really very, very important.”

Melbourne’s 14-day average has dipped to 34.4, meaning the city could be on track to an easing of restrictions before the scheduled date in late October.

Metropolitan Melbourne must reach an average daily case rate of between 30 and 50 cases over the preceding fortnight to trigger an easing of lockdown measures from September 28.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says today is a ‘great day’ after Victoria recorded just 11 new cases. Picture: Wayne Taylor/NCA NewsWire

But the Premier was adamant key decisions would continue to be influenced by case numbers and scientific modelling.

“It is too early for us to be able to say where will we be in a fortnight, where will we be in a month. We are not opposed to doing revisions and updating, particularly when it is real numbers as opposed to even rigorous assumptions, but I go back to the central point – there is this lag issue,” Mr Andrews said.

“What you do today, the impacts of that, will not be clear for some weeks. That is the real difficulty here. The real difficulty.”

Following Monday’s numbers, Mr Andrews said “this is not just a good day. This is a great day”.

“We are seeing these numbers come down. This strategy is working. We – all of us have to stay the course, though, because if we were to open up right now, these numbers are still too high.”