Two weeks on from phase 3 constraints being reimposed in 36 Melbourne residential areas, professionals say the coming days will prove important in figuring out whether more stringent lockdown procedures are working.
Bottom line:
- Victoria sees stabilisation in case numbers, a fortnight after some suburbs sent out into lockdown
- Expert “assured” by figures, but potential of more restrictions loom
- Premier, Chief Health Officer call on Victorians to follow Stage 3 rules
After outbreaks in June, 10 “hotspot” postal code locations in Melbourne’s north and west were placed into lockdown for the second time, before the remainder of the metropolitan area and the Mitchell Shire were likewise subjected to the rules last Wednesday.
On July 1, Victoria was dealing with 370 active COVID-19 cases. By today, the variety of active cases had actually jumped to 2,138, fuelled by outbreaks linked to public real estate towers, a school, aged care centres and a number of workplaces.
On Thursday, the State Federal government revealed 317 new detections of COVID-19– the greatest day-to-day number to date. Four of the previous five days had in between 200 and 300 new cases.
Premier Daniel Andrews said today’s figures highlighted why the stat