"We need more time".
In news no Victorian wanted to hear, Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that Victoria’s lockdown will be extended beyond midnight Tuesday – although the premier is yet to confirm for how long.
While the entire state will remain confined past Tuesday, the next 24 hours will prove to be crucial as authorities make a call on the lockdown’s end date.
The key takeaways
- Victoria’s lockdown will be extended beyond midnight Tuesday
- Details are yet to be revealed
- Health chiefs and senior ministers will make the final call in the next 24 hours
This Twitter account tells you exactly what time the daily press conference will be.
The decision comes after Victoria had 13 more local coronavirus cases on Monday, including one announced on Sunday. All of Monday’s cases, including an infection in Mildura, in the state’s far north-west that was confirmed on Sunday, are linked to existing outbreaks. Other cases include one at a Melbourne pub where hundreds of people gathered to watch the Euro football final early last Monday which has sparked alarm among state health authorities.
All of the latest cases had spent at least some time in the community during their infectious period, prompting fears the virus might have spread further.
Mr Andrews also confirmed four more cases in Victoria after the state’s midnight deadline. They have all been in isolation while infectious and will be included in Tuesday’s numbers.
“I know this is not the news that people want to hear,” he said.
“This lockdown will be on for as long as it’s needed. It will be on for as long as needed. Not a moment longer.
“We can be clear that we will need more time – exactly how much more time, that advice is not with me. No decision has been made, because those decisions will be made based on advice,” he said.
“We know that if we had been open, we’d be just like Sydney with hundreds and hundreds of cases … lifting restrictions now would not be the right thing to do.”
The five-day shutdown – the state’s fifth lockdown since the pandemic started – was due to end at 11.59pm Tuesday.
Reported yesterday: 13 new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
– 14,758 vaccine doses were administered
– 54,839 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/j2r9Pz8Ynd— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 18, 2021
If you suspect you may have coronavirus (COVID-19) call the dedicated hotline 1800 675 398 – open 24 hours, 7 days – and get tested.
