By Luke Voogt
Geelong and the Surf Coast now have no “active” confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Confirmed greater Geelong coronavirus cases have remained on 63 since midnight on April 21, while Surf Coast cases have remained on 10 since April 10, according to the department.
The result comes as the state total increased by 14 to 1454, including 62 cases linked to an outbreak at Cedar Meats processing facility in Brooklyn.
The spike showed that “our battle against COVID-19 is far from over” despite Victorians “flattening the curve”, Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said.
The 1454 cases state-wide included 770 males and 684 females, with cases ranging from infants to people in their 90s.
Eighteen Victorians, aged from their 50s to 90s, have died after contracting coronavirus.
Currently, eight people are in hospital, including six patients in intensive care, and 1322 people have recovered.
In Victoria 153 confirmed cases may have been acquired through community transmission with almost 176,500 Victorians tested so far, according to the department.
Of the 1454 cases, 1196 occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and 219 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation.
Professor Sutton encouraged Victorians to join in “a major testing blitz across the state” continuing next week.
“The main aim of this increase in testing is to improve access and actively search for cases, allowing us to gain a better picture of this virus and make informed decisions for Victoria,” he said.
