COVID-19 cases in both Geelong and the Surf Coast have halted in the past 24 hours as the rate of infection slows state-wide.
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Geelong remained at 56 today, after a rise of two yesterday, while Surf Coast cases have remained at nine since last Wednesday.
But the momentary pause came as Victoria recorded two more coronavirus deaths, including the youngest person to die from the disease in the state so far.
Yesterday a man in his 50s died in hospital and a woman in her 80s died at home, taking the Victorian coronavirus death toll to 10.
Coronavirus cases in Victoria reached 1158 today, up 23 from yesterday, as testing for the virus expanded, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The total number of cases includes 608 males and 550 females. Cases range in age from babies to their early nineties.
In Victoria 88 confirmed cases may have been acquired through community transmission with more than 57,000 tests conducted to date, according to the department.
Another 658 were acquired through overseas travel and 404 through contact with a known source, while another were under investigation, according to the department.
“Currently 45 people are in hospital – including 11 patients in intensive care – and 620 people have recovered,” the department said.
Of the 1158 cases, 940 occurred in Melbourne and 212 in regional Victoria, according to the department. A number of cases remain under investigation.
Today Victoria’s testing criteria broadened to include people whose employment and contact with the public could place them at higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus, the department announced.
The department said anyone displaying symptoms of COVID-19 – a fever or acute respiratory infection – would be tested for the disease if they fell into the following categories:
• Childcare and early childhood education workers,
• Primary or secondary school workers,
• Firefighters who are emergency medical responders, or
• People aged 65 and older.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the changes aimed to identify more cases from community transmission – acquired through an unknown source – while maintaining current suppression efforts.
“The number of community-acquired cases contracted from an unknown source are continuing to rise,” Professor Sutton said.
“The expansion of the testing criteria will allow us to get a clearer picture of how much the virus is circulating.
“These new criteria do not mean our stage 3 restrictions should be relaxed. The reverse is true, we must continue these actions to flatten the curve.”
Police can issue on-the-spot fines, including up to $1652 for individuals and up to $9913 for businesses who fail to comply with social distancing restrictions.
Under the State of Emergency people who fail to comply could also face a fine of up to $20,000 in court while companies could face fines of up to $100,000.
Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 hotline: 1800 675 398.
