By Luke Voogt
Geelong and the Surf Coast have recorded no new cases of COVID-19, according to the latest figures.
Greater Geelong’s last confirmed COVID-19 case was on June 9 while the Surf Coast Shire has not had a new confirmed case since April 10.
But an increase of 33 cases state-wide on Wednesday, the largest in two months, prompted Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today to announce a testing blitz in 10 Melbourne suburbs.
The 33 new cases included 10 returned travellers, nine linked to outbreaks, six from routine testing and eight still under investigation, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said it was the ninth consecutive day the state had recorded double-digit case growth with a concerning number of transmissions in households and families.
The increase brought the total number of cases state-wide to 1917, with seven people in hospital, including two in intensive care.
Twenty Victorians have died after contracting COVID-19, according to the department.
Mr Andrews today announced a suburban “blitz” that would aim to complete 100,000 tests across 10 Melbourne hotspots to zero in on community transmission.
The blitz would target Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham, he said.
Mr Andrews said 800 health workers would aim to test 10,000 people a day in those 10 suburbs.
Of the total 1917 cases, 1602 have occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and 241 in regional Victoria, including 1021 men and 896 women.
More than 716,000 tests have been processed to date.
