The Aussie coronavirus hotspots that could go into lockdown
Victoria’s coronavirus hotspots have been revealed as the state of emergency was extended by four weeks.
On Sunday, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in Victoria.
It follows 25 reported on Saturday. In comparison – South Australia had none on Saturday while NSW only had a single case.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Saturday would not rule out locking down local government areas with a lot of cases and deferred a number of eased restrictions for three weeks including the maximum number of people allowed in pubs, cafes and places of worship.
The worst-hit spots include local government areas of Melbourne, which had 183 cases and 23 active; Brimbank in the northwest, which has nine active cases and 84 historically; and both Casey and Hume, which have seven and eight active cases respectively.
Stonnington was also listed with 96 but only two of its cases are active.
"I am not announcing any changes for those geographical areas right now. But I cannot rule that out," Mr Andrews said, adding the lockdown strategy had been discussed with the national cabinet.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville said on Sunday police would continue to monitor areas with higher rates of infection.
“The key focus, the strengthening of enforcement, will be particularly firstly in those hotspot areas as they are now, and potentially in the future,” she told reporters.
The virus caused the closure of a daycare centre and three Melbourne primary schools last week.
Such has been the angst felt in Victoria, the health minister on Sunday announced the extension of the state of emergency by four weeks.
It will now end on July 19.
Ms Mikakos said there were concerns by the spike in coronavirus cases in the state.
“It is still a very serious situation,” she said.
“We have had particular concerns around family gatherings and extended family members across many households visiting each other.”
Saturday’s 25 new cases were the most Victoria recorded in more than a month.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said while the state’s made “some great progress in slowing the spread of coronavirus” transmission is still being seen in households.
“We’ve had more than 100 new cases in the past seven days and the main cause for this increase has been through cases in families – where people have not followed our advice around physical distancing, hygiene and limiting the number of people you invite into your home,” he said on Saturday.
From midnight, Victorians will only be allowed five visitors into their homes.
More than half of the new Victorian cases since the end of April have come from family members spreading it to their relatives.
Mr Andrews has voiced his disappointment over people flouting the rules.
"It is unacceptable that families anywhere in our state can, just because they want this to be over, pretend that it is," the premier said.
He said a number of people who tested positive have ignored health advice and transmitted the virus.
The health minister added a Coburg family, in Melbourne’s north, was linked to 14 cases of coronavirus over “a number of households”.
Another outbreak in Keilor Downs has been spread across nine households now, Ms Mikakos said.
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