All Melbourne suburbs with active coronavirus cases

Victoria’s latest Covid outbreak has quickly spread to Melbourne’s outer southeast and west as contact tracers move faster than ever.

Victoria’s contact tracers have been forced to move faster than ever as they attempt to bring the state’s latest Covid outbreak under control.

The latest cluster that sent Victoria into a record fourth lockdown has spread so quickly across Melbourne that Acting Premier James Merlino said contact tracers had been working faster than they ever had before in a 24-hour period.

The outbreak started in the Whittlesea local government area on Monday when four people tested positive, but it has quickly spread to Melbourne’s outer southeast, western and inner suburbs in just five days.

There are now positive coronavirus cases in at least 11 council areas as authorities rush to add more testing sites and extend the hours of others.

The total number of cases in the outbreak has risen to 26, with the highest number residing in Whittlesea with 12.

Melbourne CBD on the eve of lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Multiple positive cases have also been recorded in the Hume, Darebin, Casey and Stonnington local government areas, with infections also detected in Melton, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Port Phillip, Boroondara and Kingston.

One of the Covid cases remains in hospital but was moved out of intensive care on Thursday night.

Mr Merlino said on Thursday that authorities were experiencing first-hand how quick and contagious the Indian variant was moving across the state.

Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino said it was the fastest contact tracers had ever moved. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“Our contact tracers are identifying and locking down the first ring, second ring and third ring within 24 hours – they have never done that before,” he said.

“That’s the fastest our contact tracers have ever moved within a 24-hour period, identifying and locking down first, second, and third rings of cases.

“But despite working as fast as this, and my thanks to all of our contact tracers, this variant is moving faster still.”

Mr Merlino said the time between catching the virus and passing it on “is tighter than ever”.

Victorians can now only leave their home for one of five reasons for at least the next seven days.

More than 120 venues have also been listed as Covid public exposure sites.

Victorian LGAs with positive cases:

• Whittlesea 12 active cases, 3 new cases in past 24 hours
• Hume 2, 2 new
• Darebin 2, 0 new
• Melton 1, 1 new
• Maribyrnong 1, 1 new
• Melbourne 1, 1 new
• Port Phillip 1, 1 new
• Stonnington 2, 1 new
• Boroondara 1, 0 new
• Kingston 1, 1 new
• Casey 2, 2 new

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