Victorian authorities label NSW outbreak a ‘catastrophe’ as state grapples with getting on top of latest outbreak

Victorian authorities have taken a swipe at NSW to justify sending their state into yet another lockdown.

Victorian health minister Martin Foley has taken a swipe at the Covid-19 “catastrophe” in NSW after sending his state into another lockdown.

Mr Foley argued Victoria would need a tough approach while high numbers continued to plague the neighbouring state.

NSW recorded 291 locally acquired Covid cases on Friday and Victoria is now dealing with the fallout of the virus “seeding” across the border.

In response to questions about Victoria being forced into a sixth lockdown, Mr Foley said restrictions would continue to play a huge part in controlling outbreaks.

“Nobody likes lockdowns but as we have now established – they work,” he said.

“At the moment we’re simply focused on getting ahead of this particular outbreak and avoiding the kind of catastrophe that Sydney and NSW are enduring at the moment.”

Victoria is in its first day of a week-long lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Reiterating comments from Premier Daniel Andrews, Mr Foley said lockdowns were still being driven by the low vaccination rates in Australia.

“Lockdowns are one of our major tools in our public health response,” he said.

“Until such time as we have the levels of 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccinations, they’ll continue to be a part of that tool kit. And we can’t rule out their future use.”

Authorities say lockdowns will be imminent while NSW continues to record high cases. Picture : NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Victoria reported six new locally acquired cases on Friday as the state woke to another lockdown.

The cases were all linked to previously reported clusters but were not in quarantine during their infectious period.

Six Victorians are in hospital, with two people on ventilation in ICU.

There are 84 exposure sites in Melbourne but more are expected to come through, including in regional Victoria.

The outbreak includes the Warringa Park School in Hoppers Crossing, which looks after some of the state’s most vulnerable children.

Mr Foley said Victoria was in a precarious position.

“It is in all of our hands to continue to work together to work with our public health teams, to get on top of and ahead of this particular outbreak,” Mr Foley said.

“We've been here before, we've driven down this Delta variant, we can do it again.”

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