By Luke Voogt
Geelong has two new COVID-19 cases as Victoria again recorded its largest daily increase since the pandemic began.
Greater Geelong had two active cases, 70 in total since the pandemic began, as of midnight yesterday, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The increase comes after active Geelong cases initially dropped back to zero at the weekend, according to the department.
Across Victoria 164 new cases brought the state total to 2824 as of midnight yesterday, including 772 currently active.
The rise eclipses the previous highest daily increase of 124 set on Sunday.
The department recorded 191 new cases in total yesterday but reclassified 27 – largely due to duplication, it said.
In Victoria 22 people have died from coronavirus so far, while 438 cases have been acquired through unknown transmission.
Within Victoria, 37 new cases are linked to outbreaks and 154 are still under investigation. None were detected in a returned travellers in hotel quarantine yesterday, the department said.
Currently 35 people with coronavirus are in hospital, including nine patients in intensive care, while 2028 people have recovered.
Of the total 2824 cases, 2469 occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and 261 in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Government has announced the closure of the New South Wales border beginning at 11.59pm tonight.
The government has prohibited anyone from leaving or entering nine public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The towers will remain in total lockdown dependent on the success of tracking and testing measures, the department said.
The government has also locked down postcodes 3031, 3051, 3012, 3021, 3032, 3038, 3042, 3046, 3047, 3055, 3060 and 3064 until July 29.
Residents can only leave these postcodes and non-residents can only enter them for food and supplies, medical care and caregiving, exercise and study or work.
Of the new cases which have already been linked to outbreaks, the breakdown includes:
• Thirteen cases relating to the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers, with the total now 69.
• Twelve new cases linked to the Al-Taqwa College outbreak, with the total now 90.
• Four new cases have been linked to the Northern Hospital in Epping, with the total now nine. This is made up of eight staff and one household contact.
• One case linked to Aitken Hill Primary School in Craigieburn, with the total now 10. The case is a household contact of a confirmed case.
• The remaining new cases are linked to existing family clusters in Truganina, Patterson Lakes/Lysterfield, Fawkner and Sunshine West.
