Australia Corona Virus

Victoria records no new local COVID-19 cases for sixth day in a row

Source: ABC news

Victoria has recorded its sixth day of zero new local COVID-19 cases, as authorities weigh up further easing restrictions later this week.

The state processed 22,149 test results on Monday and detected two overseas-acquired cases in hotel quarantine.

There were 15,451 vaccine doses administered at state-run sites.

On Monday, the state’s Acting Chief Health Officer Dan O’Brien said the “risk radar” was focused on the people coming back into Victoria from outbreak-hit areas interstate.

Local government areas (LGAs) around Sydney remain red zones, along with the Queensland LGAs of City of Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast.

A number of other areas are classed as orange zones, including Perth, Townsville, the Gold Coast, Alice Springs, Greater Darwin, the ACT and LGAs across regional New South Wales.

Victorian COVID-19 test results received

Authorities are expected to make an announcement on Thursday about the next step out of restrictions imposed to deal with outbreaks of the Kappa and Delta variants.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants to see an easing of the rule requiring masks to be worn at indoor workplaces, but Dr O’Brien said they remained a useful “safety blanket” against transmission.

“They’re an intervention I know people don’t enjoy, but just to remind everyone, they work, and at the end of the day they allow us the other freedoms,” he said.

The public health advisory group met on Monday to discuss whether capacity at cinemas and theatres could be boosted.