Coronavirus Victoria: Daily cases jump back above 100, 15 more deaths
Victoria’s daily coronavirus infections have jumped back above 100 on Thursday despite reassurances this week from health authorities the state is on track in its exit out of restrictions.
The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed a further 113 new cases and 15 more deaths.
It follows 90 cases and six deaths on Wednesday.
It is the first time daily infections have been triple digits in four days and the second day in a row the number has risen from the day before.
Victoria’s death toll now stands at 591, while there have been 678 deaths from COVID-19 nationally.
There was 17.098 tests processed in the previous 24 hours, somewhat alleviating concerns testing rates were dropping off.
“[Testing] is important, central, in fact, to opening up, because it is at the heart of understanding and having the clearest picture about how much virus is out there, chains of transmission and how the virus is behaving,” Premier Daniel Andrews reiterated.
The state is eagerly awaiting Mr Andrew’s roadmap announcement on Sunday to see how the state will navigate its way out of current restrictions.
A leaked document obtained by the Herald Sun, which the state government has said is out-of-date, shows that Stage 4 restrictions could run for a further two weeks after its initial six-week course ends on September 13.
On Thursday, Mr Andrews once again refrained from discussing a future exit strategy, however said the leaked document was incorrect.
When prompted on whether Stage 4 will continue beyond September 13, he said it was possible.
“I can't rule out that we have to continue rules. I simply can't. Everything is on the table,’ Mr Andrews said.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra said the leaked draft looked nothing like the one business and industry groups had been working on with the government.
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