Mystery cases rise by 100 as Victoria records 331 new infections, 19 more deaths

With Victorians enduring their second harsh lockdown, Premier Daniel Andrews says there are early indicators the strategy is working.

Premier Daniel Andrews has assured Victorians there are signs the stage four lockdown is working, with movement across the city rapidly decreasing.

He said Melbourne’s transport network usage had reduced by 90 per cent since last week.

“That data bears out that the strategy is working,” he said.

“We’ve got to keep seeing these numbers come down and community transmission at a much lower level.

“All experts remain convinced and very confident as we adjust into the early parts of the second week of stage four that we’ll continue to see numbers coming down – exactly how long that takes only time will tell.”

Premier Daniel Andrews says there has been a ‘massive reduction’ in movement across Melbourne. Picture: Wayne Taylor/NCA NewsWire

Fourteen of Victoria’s 19 deaths on Tuesday are connected to the state’s plagued aged-care facilities, with 55 Victorians succumbing to coronavirus in the past three days.

The equal-record daily total takes the state’s death toll to 246.

A woman in her 50s, a man in his 70s, six women and four men in their 80s, four women and three men in their 90s died in the past 24 hours.

A total of 650 Victorians are in hospital, with 47 in intensive care and 24 hooked up onto ventilators.

There are 2903 mystery cases, an increase of about 100 since yesterday, where the primary source of all of those infections cannot be traced.

Victoria has recorded 331 new infections.

With healthcare workers making up 1185 of the state’s 7880 active cases and reports doctors and nurses are not receiving enough PPE, Mr Andrews said hard work was being put into addressing those needs.

“We’re getting reports across board that health staff are confident they’ve got the PPE they need … It’s a big system and a devolved system and we’re trying to make sure there’s as much consistency as possible,” he said.

“The last report I got late last night was that a power of work has gone into double and triple checking that supply chains are open and orders are being processed as soon as possible.”

It comes after damning survey results from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians found 20 per cent of doctors in public hospitals were forced to provide their own PPE.

“It’s not good enough that one in five have limited access to surgical masks. It’s remarkable that some are resorting to sourcing their own PPE,” RACP president Professor John Wilson said on Monday.

“This is a troubling warning sign of what may be coming for our medical workforce.”

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