Melbourne coronavirus crisis: Victoria records 64 new cases as residents brace for local lockdowns – after Scott Morrison demanded Dan Andrews shut down suburbs NOW
Victoria has reported 64 new cases of coronavirus as the state battles a second wave of the disease.
The number is down from the 75 reported on Monday and is the state’s sixth-worst figure since the pandemic began.
On Monday night Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke to Premier Daniel Andrews and urged him to shut down ‘hotspot’ suburbs before the outbreak gets worse.
The state’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the government was considering ‘anything required’ to stop the spread.
The curve in Victoria has skyrocketed over the past couple of weeks as coronavirus infections continue to grow from within the suburbs of Melbourne
Victoria has been carrying out a testing blitz in ten suburbs across Melbourne – and warned they could lock neighbourhoods down if COVID-19 infection rates keep rising. Pictured: The ten ‘hotspot’ suburbs
Mr Andrews has announced that 800 federal staff would soon be coming to Victoria to help deal with the outbreak.
Experts have declared Victoria is in a second wave of the virus.
‘I think this is clearly a second wave – the question is whether it is a ripple or the start of a tsunami,’ said Professor Hamish McCallum, an infectious diseases expert from Griffith University.
‘Victoria needs to stamp out these emerging spikes as quickly as possible. In addition to the increased testing, I think there is a case to lockdown the hotspot suburbs. This is surely likely to lead to Queensland in particular reassessing whether to open the borders to Victoria and New South Wales.’
The 75 cases reported on Monday was Victoria’s biggest increase since March 31, bringing the state’s total to 2,099 cases on Monday night, of which 288 were active.
Victorians began to strip supermarket shelves again last week amid fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections and pending lock down
Rules forcing patients to stay in their homes could be enforced more strictly with daily check-ups. Pictured: Community engagement teams are door knocking residents in coronavirus hotspots to provide additional information about the virus
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he would recommend ‘anything necessary’ to stop the spread after 75 new cases were reported on Monday. Pictured: Testing at Melbourne Showgrounds on Monday
Most of the new spike in infections came from community-based transmissions rather than from overseas travellers, with many new cases being transmitted from people going to work or social gatherings when sick.
In March, Victorians largely agreed with the social distancing restrictions implemented as the country looked abroad at places like Italy that were at the time being decimated by COVID-19.
Back then, Mr Andrews was applauded for his strong and powerful presence and tough stance against a national collective which at the time appeared a little complacent.
Victorians got fully behind the restrictions aimed at community isolation measures designed to keep the daily number of disease cases at a manageable level for medical providers – known as the ‘curve’.
The Victorian government is considering fresh lockdown measures as the state is swamped by a second wave of coronavirus
A Newspoll conducted for The Australian revealed on Tuesday a marked fall in voters’ trust for Mr Andrews.
The poll came as Victorians were told at least 30 per cent of people who went through hotel quarantine in the state refused to take a test – but were allowed to leave after 14 days anyway.
It was further revealed that security guards and cleaners at quarantine hotels had not been trained properly.
This may have led to a spread of cases from quarantined travellers to the workers and then to their families, with the spread increased by the cold weather when socially connected large families gathered in closed spaces for longer.
Mr Andrews has also come under fire for allowing 10,000 protesters to hit the streets of Melbourne just as restrictions were about to be eased three weeks ago.
Victorian Department of Health and Human Services officials have said that the current burst of cases does not stem from the Black Lives Matter rally but from more recent transmission.
Staff inside the Stamford Hotel in Melbourne are seen moving luggage for guests in quarantine last week. The Stamford has been a hot bed for COVID-19, with outbreaks linked back to security at the hotel
South Australia SCRAPS plan to open the state border on 20 July
South Australia has scrapped a plan to lift all its remaining border restrictions next month due to a spike in coronavirus cases in Victoria.
Premier Steven Marshall said the July 20 date to lift quarantine measures for Victoria, NSW and the ACT has been abandoned on the latest health advice.
He said the state, which has already opened its border to people from Queensland, the NT and WA, may move separately on NSW and the ACT but can’t set a date for Victoria in the current circumstances.
South Australia has scrapped a plan to lift all its remaining border restrictions next month due to a spike in coronavirus cases in Victoria. Pictured: Premier Steven Marshall
‘Our number one priority is the health, welfare and safety of all South Australians. At this stage we cannot lift that border (with Victoria) on the 20th July as we were hoping to do,’ the premier told reporters on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has banned Victorians from buying tickets to sports games in NSW.
‘Unfortunately Victorians aren’t welcome to purchase tickets given the rate of community transmission down there,’ she said.
‘I appreciate the cooperation all the codes have shown the New South Wales Government in ensuring that ticketses are not sold to Victorians.’
Ms Berejiklian also urged NSW residents not to invite Victorians living in ‘hotspot’ suburbs into their homes.