No deaths, no new cases in Victoria for third straight day

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. Photo: Getty
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. Photo: Getty
Victoria has recorded zero new cases of coronavirus and no deaths for a third day in a row.

The figures, confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services on Monday, bring Melbourne's 14-day average down to 1.9 cases.

Only one mystery case has been recorded in the fortnight to October 30.

The state's virus death toll remains at 819 and the national figure 907.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton predicts active cases will fall to a few dozen by next week.

Active cases ballooned above 7000 in mid-August as the state desperately tried to rein in its rampant second wave.

That figure has been whittled down to just 61 following consecutive days without recording a single new infection or death on Saturday and Sunday.

Professor Sutton expects active cases to tumble further, suggesting it could fall to "a couple of dozen" by next week.

"You'll see 10 or more come off each day and we'll get down to very few active cases," he told reporters on Sunday.

Prof Sutton hinted another strong week of data could result in cap limits and density quotas for some industries being raised higher than initially outlined.

More restrictions are due to ease in Melbourne next Sunday, including the scrapping of the so-called "ring of steel" dividing the city from the regions and the 25km travel limit.

Although the encouraging case numbers won't mean that date is brought forward, Prof Sutton said authorities would mull over changes that go beyond those previously announced.

"What allowances come on November 8 will absolutely be informed by what this week looks like," he said.

"Some of the details might change. We can always make consideration of what caps might be in certain settings, what density quotients might be in those settings.

"And some of the specific industries that might come on board in terms of being able to operate."

Ireland is leaning on the advice of Prof Sutton for its Melbourne-style lockdown, hoping to learn from the city's success.

He cited the worsening situation in Europe as a reason for Victorians to reflect on their hard-won gains.

Comments

So they haven't found any cases for 3 days, that's what that means. Come back when they have 28 days with no community transmission. Aussie media was crowing about how they have crushed the virus and how the world was watching their success, and then NSW announces a new case in the community.
Don't trust the Aussies to succeed, they are great at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Wait for them to prove that they have eliminated it.

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