This news comes Victoria has recorded 423 new coronavirus cases and two deaths.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews had announced that the city of greater Ballarat will enter lockdown tonight due to the increase in COVID cases in the area, while Shepparton will be able to join the rest of regional Victoria and emerge from lockdown from midnight tonight.
This news comes Victoria has recorded 423 new coronavirus cases and two deaths, as the number of total active infections in the state climbs above 4000. The health department on Wednesday confirmed 149 cases were linked to known outbreaks, with the source of the remaining 274 under investigation.
In the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, 54,649 tests were processed and 41,856 Victorians received a vaccine dose at a state-run hub, with the number of active cases in the state now 4038.
The new deaths – a man in his 40s from the Whittlesey area, and the second man in his 70s from Wyndham – bring the toll from the state’s current outbreak to eight.
The key takeaways
- Regional Victoria will emerge from lockdown from midnight tomorrow night
- Restrictions currently remain for Melbourne and Shepparton
- People will only be able to travel to Melbourne for a permitted reason and must follow Melbourne restrictions
It comes as Victorians may be given more freedoms from Friday, with an extra hour of exercise and an expanded travel limit on the table once 70 per cent of those eligible have received their first COVID-19 dose.
Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed the state’s roadmap out of lockdown will be released on Sunday.
The roadmap, outlining restrictions through to November, will rely on Burnet Institute modelling of vaccination and hospitalisation rates.
Read the Premier’s announcement here.
