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Victoria planning sixth Covid lockdown after case spike

Victorian authorities are expected to send the state into a sixth lockdown after eight new local Covid cases emerged.

Six cases were reported this morning, while an additional two were announced just hours later and will be included in Friday's numbers.

Victoria health officials met on Thursday afternoon and an announcement is expected at 4.15pm (AEST). A one-week lockdown is likely and it is expected to start at 8pm.

The last lockdown, the state's fifth, ended less than two weeks ago.

Covid testing in Victoria. Source: AAP
Eight new locally acquired Covid cases have been identified in Victoria. Source: AAP

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed there will be a series of meetings on Thursday afternoon, after a morning of meetings.

"What I can indicate obviously is that the government's priority is to avoid what's going on in Sydney," he told reporters at parliament.

"There's only one real way to deal with Delta outbreaks, but it's too early for us to say what will happen in relation to these cases."

Victoria Health Minister Martin Foley said authorities had "nothing to say" regarding the lockdown at the press conference.

"We get public health advice. We consider all the evidence and material as it comes to hand," he said.

Mr Foley added the public health team will make a risk assessment and alert the public when a decision has been made.

The two new cases announced late on Thursday are close contacts of the Al-Taqwa College teacher and her husband, who tested positive on Wednesday.

The teacher and her husband were included in Thursday's numbers. The source of infection is unknown, as is another man in the Maribyrnong council.

The other three cases announced on Thursday morning are linked to the Moonee Valley testing site cluster.

With AAP

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