Huge spike as Victoria records 1438 new Covid cases, Premier Dan Andrews blames rule breakers

Dan Andrews has made a bold declaration about Victoria’s roadmap out of Covid-19 restrictions as daily case numbers climb.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has declared the state’s road map out of lockdown is on track despite record levels of new cases.

Victoria recorded 1438 locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Thursday as health authorities warned the state had not yet reached the peak of its outbreak.

The state notched up another daily cases record, comfortably surpassing 950 infections the previous day.

Health officials have warned that cases will keep rising.

But Mr Andrews said Victoria was “not turning back”.

“We aren’t turning back,” he said on Thursday.

“We are finding a way to push through and get this place open, we’ve got to do it.

“This is a plan to open up.”

“We are pushing through and we are going to go through these difficult gateways. Getting vaccinated is incredibly important.”

However, Mr Andrews also suggested he had never ruled out revising the roadmap.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said many cases were avoidable. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

The Premier said he couldn’t give an answer when asked what might delay the roadmap out of lockdown, which would result in the stay-at-home orders ending when the state reached 70 per cent fully vaccinated.

That is predicted to occur around October 26.

“There is no crystal ball with this. That is why I’m appealing to people. Why would you act this weekend to be locked down longer?” he said.

“It’s not sustainable for people to act like we’ve hit 70 per cent double dosed when we’ve yet to hit 50 per cent, so going and visiting friends potentially puts everything at risk.”

Victoria also announced five new deaths on Thursday morning, along with the record number of new cases.

It takes the death toll of the outbreak to 41 and the number of Victorians who have lost their lives to Covid-19 to 861.

Mr Andrews said blamed people breaking the rules for a staggering spike in coronavirus cases.

The Premier said many of the cases were “completely avoidable”.

Premier Daniel Andrews maintained lockdown will end once Victoria is 70 per cent fully vaccinated. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

“Actual interviews tell us that many hundreds of people, perhaps thousands of people, have made some choices that meant they’re spending time, not in their own home but in someone else’s home,” he said.

“And that’s how we know this virus spreads, that’s how this virus gets across the community.

“I’m not trying to blame anyone, I’m simply trying to explain because a lot of people were scratching their head so they how could it have gone up by so much so fast.

“We can’t change what’s gone on in the last week or so. We can all of us try and make the best choices possible for ourselves, for our loved ones, and indeed for nurses who are they’re caring for patients.”

Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said 50 per cent of the increase in numbers was down to social gatherings last weekend.

“The contact tracers tell us that there have been significant numbers of social gatherings on Friday and Saturday, over a long weekend – grand final parties, other social gatherings, barbecues, backyard visits,” he said.

People exercise along St Kilda Foreshore enjoying the sun. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

“A third of our cases are due directly to those different types of social gatherings, as people have dropped their guard and decided now it’s the grand final weekend, it’s the long weekend, we deserve a bit of a pay back.

“That has now translated into the additional 500 cases from what we expected to see today.”

Mr Weimar said traffic data also showed an increase in mobility, with the most activity on Victoria’s roads of any lockdown weekend since the end of July.

He said six out of 10 cases announced on Thursday were from new households.

“We’re seeing a shift in the age profile, so in today’s cases, 55 per cent are men,” Mr Weimar said.

“Fifty-five per cent of the cases are in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

“If this trend is continued, if we see similar case numbers over the coming days.

“If we are seeing continued spread, it will have grave implications for our nurses, ambulance workers, for our hospitals and for people who need care, whether they need care for coronavirus, or other purposes.

“This outbreak still remains within our hands. We still have so much left to play for. And I think today highlights the consequence of hundreds of people dropping their guard.”

Despite the alarming increase, acting chief health officer Ben Cowie warned Victorians on Wednesday that daily case figures would continue to rise and had not yet peaked.

In the past 10 days alone, the state has risen from 5614 active cases to 11,018 on Thursday, an average increase of 540 active cases a day.

Acting chief health officer Ben Cowie warned Victorians daily case figures had not peaked. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“We know from both modelling and experience in NSW our case numbers will continue to climb,” he said.

“But it is absolutely with in our power to slow the spread and to prevent thousands of cases and hundreds of people from becoming seriously ill and some people losing their lives.

“We can do that by following the public health directions, social distancing and getting vaccinated. Vaccinations remain our best weapon to fight back against this deadly virus.”

Chief health officer Brett Sutton had also previously warned that daily infections would climb above 1000.

“We haven’t peaked unfortunately, the risk of it getting to 1000 is real,” Professor Sutton said last week.

The outbreak continues to hit younger Victorians the hardest with 83 per cent of all active cases aged under 50, while almost a quarter of cases are people in their 20s.

No new cases were recorded in hotel quarantine on Thursday. More than 27,000 primary close contacts remain in isolation in Victoria.

There are now 11,018 active cases in the state.

[e-mail]