Police descend on beach crowds as Victoria records new Covid cases
Victoria has reported 12 more cases of coronavirus and one death, taking the state's death toll to 806 since the start of the pandemic.
Health authorities on Sunday released the figures, which also show the 14-day rolling average of daily case diagnoses up to Saturday is 11.9 in Melbourne and 0.2 in regional Victoria.
Across Australia, 894 people have died from Covid.
With fine weather forecast in Melbourne, police will maintain a presence at beaches after a furious premier slammed "selfish" residents not wearing masks and failing to maintain social distance.
Patrols will continue at St Kilda Beach after large groups flouted restrictions in recent days, raising concerns that such behaviour could thwart the state's coronavirus recovery.
"No one has the right to break the rules and potentially put at risk everything that good, decent law-abiding Victorians have created, have built," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
"All of their sacrifice has to be worth something."
"Spending time at the beach without a mask, without social distancing now will just mean that you won't get to go to the beach for all of summer. It just doesn't make any sense."
Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services on Sunday posted a simple warning: "no matter what the weather is like, it is important that we follow public health advice".
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said disobeying restrictions was "an insult to everyone who's done it tough for months and months and months".
He and the premier have repeatedly urged the Melbourne population to remain disciplined, especially as warm, spring weather tempts people out of their homes.
A significant easing of restrictions may occur on October 19, but authorities are looking for the daily case average to drop to five.
Police continue to nab people who refuse to obey health directions.
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