By Luke Voogt
Geelong has recorded no new cases of COVID-19 with regional Victoria now averaging 4.9 new cases per day over the past fortnight.
The figures mean regional Victoria has already met one trigger point needed to move to the third step of state government’s reopening roadmap – an average of five or fewer new cases daily over a fortnight.
If enacted, the third step will allow regional Victorian residents to have five visitors over, leave home without restrictions and gather in public in groups of up to 10.
The step will also allow restaurants and other hospitality venues to reopen, predominantly with an outdoor seated service only.
The Independent has sought a response from the Department of Health and Human Services on if regional Victoria has met the other trigger point: no cases with unknown transmission for a fortnight.
Geelong’s active cases remained level on 16 in the 24 hours to 11.59pm yesterday, with 360 cases in total since the pandemic began, according to the department.
Colac Otway Shire’s cases also remained level, on 25, while Surf Coast has one active case and Golden Plains Shire has none.
Victoria recorded 55 new cases yesterday with 14 reclassified, largely due to duplication, increasing the total cases by 41 to 19,615.
Of the new cases 31 are linked to outbreaks or complex cases and 24 are under investigation.
Active cases dropped by 85 from 1781 on Sunday to 1696 as of 11.59pm yesterday.
Of the total active cases, 863 relate to aged care facilities, while 1580 reside in metropolitan Melbourne and 82 in regional Victoria.
Another eight Victorians have died after contracting coronavirus, including six linked to aged care outbreaks, bringing the state’s death toll to 683.
The deaths include two men aged in their 60s, two men aged in their 80s and three men and one woman aged in their 90s.
Currently 238 people are in hospital after contracting COVID-19 including 22 in intensive care, while 17,175 people have recovered.
A total of 2,412,092 test results have been received by DHHS so far.
