Coronavirus: Victoria records single largest day of community transmissions

Victoria has recorded a shocking new record increase in the spread of coronavirus. But are we really in the middle of a “second wave”?

Australia’s acting chief medical officer has downplayed fears of a “second wave” of coronavirus after Victoria recorded the single largest increase of community transmissions in 24 hours since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Another 20 cases with no identified source were diagnosed yesterday in the state, taking the total number of cases contracted through community transmission to 301.

It comes as 73 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Victoria overnight, with about 300,000 residents living in hot spots around Melbourne set to go into lockdown from midnight in an attempt to flatten the curve.

Addressing the media on Wednesday afternoon, Professor Paul Kelly said 87 new cases were confirmed in the country yesterday, with 14 of those in NSW.

Deputy chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Those 14 were found in returned travellers in quarantine who acquired it overseas.

“In Victoria, almost all of those associated with the hot spots in the north of Melbourne,” he said. “We have had no new deaths — 104, therefore, remains the total. And most people have recovered.

“So despite that increase over the last week or so in it Melbourne, we have less than 400 cases currently active in Australia.”

He said 18 were in hospital and three were in intensive care.

“So we are continuing to look a lot better when you consider the global situation of over 10 million cases continuing to rapidly rise in most countries. A lot of testing is being done, particularly in Victoria.”

COVID-19 testing in Fawkner today. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Asked if the outbreak in Victoria was serious enough to be labelled a “second wave”, Professor Kelly said the issue was still “localised” to the areas of concern in Melbourne.

“We can call it an outbreak … a group of clusters. It’s a bit academic. We’ve had an increase in cases but they’re almost all in a very defined geographic area,” he said.

“Most of the cases are continuing to be based on family clusters. As just mentioned, most of them have this single link back to quarantine failure in a particular couple of hotels in central Melbourne.

Commuters in masks around Southern Cross Station. Picture: Wayne Taylor

“So that leads me to think this is not a widespread issue at the moment … My view of a second wave would be much more widespread and a much larger number.”

Professor Kelly said there was “no evidence” the disease had spread from Black Lives Matter protesters but warned Australians against participating in any mass gathering, particularly in Melbourne.

“There’s very clear and strong restrictions on mass gatherings that are part of the process worked through,” he said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard warned earlier today that any Victorians trying to “slip across our border” face heavy penalties of an $11,000 fine or six months in jail.