Victoria records 22 new coronavirus cases

Victoria has recorded another 22 cases of coronavirus, raising fears the outbreak will extend Melbourne’s sixth lockdown for months.

Health chiefs have told Melburnians they face another extended period under strict stay-at-home orders if mystery cases from the current outbreak continue to rise.

Of the new locally-acquired cases, 17 are linked to known outbreaks and 14 have been in isolation throughout their infectious period.

They were diagnosed form 29,986 tests, and 9,880 vaccine doses were administered on Sunday.

Residents in Sydney and Melbourne could remain in lockdown for weeks as daily infections continue to rise. Pictured are Melburnians enjoying the winter sunshine over the weekend

Melbourne’s usually bustling CBD was deserted on the weekend as the state recorded 25 new cases on Sunday, including five mystery infections not linked to existing clusters

Victorian health officials are on high alert after five of the 25 new cases recorded on Sunday were mystery infections not linked to existing clusters. 

Another five of Monday’s cases were unlinked mystery cases. 

‘Our concern today is that we’ve done a really good job with the communities around the schools, around the shopping centres out west, around the footy club, a number of other community groups,’ Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said.

‘Those numbers are pretty stable, and they’re all contained. That’s why this is a real tipping point.

‘There are a number of mystery cases and those numbers continue to grow and that is really challenging. These numbers are too high.’ 

Mr Weimar also expressed concern that the spread of the virus was also being accelerated by parents hosting sleepovers for their children – with almost half of all Covid-19 cases aged under 19.

‘We have essentially 83 people under the age of 19 testing positive to Covid, that is almost half of the outbreak. It’s not happening by accident, it is happening because people are getting together.’

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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) hasn’t ruled out prolonging Melbourne’s lockdown

A year after Melbourne spent 115 days under draconian restrictions, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has hinted the city could remain in lockdown for many more months to avoid a similar crisis to that seen in Sydney.

‘The choice really is between where we are now and hundreds and then thousands of cases,’ he said.

‘I’m determined to make sure that it doesn’t happen here. I know no one’s enjoying this. 

‘But what’s worse than this is, well, being locked up till the end of October, or indeed the end of November because that’s how long it may well take to get 80 per cent of people through the vaccination program.’

He said it was too soon to decide whether restrictions would be lifted in Melbourne as planned on Thursday, added that he’s concerned about the current figures.  

‘I have always tried to be as frank as possible, whether from this podium or in the work that I do, I am not here to do anything other than to be frank,’ Mr Andrews said.

‘I do think these numbers are too high. I am not going to make an announcement today. Today is Sunday. I do not know what our position will be on Thursday.’ 

Premier Daniel Andrews has hinted Melbourne (pictured) could remain in lockdown until November to avoid the current crisis in Sydney

Mr Andrews believes NSW’s path out of lockdown will be through vaccination and that there was ‘no way they’re going to get to zero cases’.

‘Nothing else they’re doing is working… This is where they’re at now, they’re going to have to vaccinate their way out of this,’ Mr Andrews said.

CommSec chief economist Craig James remains hopeful Australia can avoid another recession, despite the nation’s two biggest cities being in lockdown.

He estimated a 2.7 per cent slide in economic growth in the September quarter, followed by growth of 1.9 per cent in the December quarter.

‘It is quite remarkable that, when you have a look at the retail spending figures for the past 12 months, which was characterised by lockdowns and degrees of ­enforcement and mobility and the like, we had a record year in terms of retail spending,’ Mr James told The Australian.

‘It means we will come out the other side … and … we will rebound from this quite quickly.’

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