Victoria has recorded 177 cases of coronavirus overnight — the first time the state has recorded a daily total below 200 in three days.
Key points:
- There are now 1,612 active cases in the state and 72 Victorians in hospital
- More cases have emerged in aged care facilities
- The Chief Health Officer said he couldn’t be confident things were heading in the right direction until there was a week of decreasing numbers
But the state’s Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, said today’s smaller number was no cause for complacency and the peak may still be yet to come.
Of the new cases, 151 are under investigation, 25 are linked to known outbreaks and one was detected in hotel quarantine.
Seventy-two Victorians with coronavirus are in hospital, 17 in intensive care.
Premier Daniel Andrews said there were now 1,612 active cases in the state.
He said the lockdown in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire would continue “as long as it needs to”.
“But it need not be there for a moment longer than absolutely necessary if everyone simply follows the rules and does the right thing,” he said.
Professor Sutton sa