Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley says he does not know if there will be an extension to the seven-day lockdown – warning the state is not in a position to “make that call” as the deadline nears.
“There is every prospect that things might get worse before they get better, and the aged care settings are quite troubling,” Mr Foley said.
“We are making significant inroads to our contact tracing, through our support from millions of Victorians who are following the rules and doing the right thing, that is helping all of our processes, but we are not yet in a position to make that call, as soon as we are we will certainly come out to share that with all of you.
“I can guarantee that as soon as a decision is made, Victorians, businesses, and the wider community will be brought into the confidence of that as quickly as possible.”
The week-long lockdown is expected to cost the state $1 billion.
Australia s Victoria state authorities said on Tuesday that it was still unclear whether a snap one-week lockdown to contain a fresh COVID-19 outbreak would end as planned on Thursday night, as the state grapples with a growing virus outbreak.
New South Wales has been put on high alert after an interstate traveller from Melbourne tested positive for Covid-19 one day after a 1,765km roadtrip through Jervis Bay and Goulburn.
Policymakers and health officials in Victoria discuss extending the state s lockdown to two weeks - as calls grow for NSW to toughen restriction after Melbourne roadtripper tests positive to Covid.
Australia s Victoria state calls for patience on end of COVID-19 lockdown
Nine new locally acquired COVID-19 cases were reported on Tuesday taking the total infections in the clusters to 54
Reuters
June 01, 2021
The Fearless Girl Statue looks at a Please Stay Home sign in an empty Federation Square on the first day of a five-day lockdown implemented in the state of Victoria in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Melbourne, Australia, February 13, 2021. REUTERS/Sandra Sanders
Australia s Victoria state authorities said on Tuesday that it was still unclear whether a snap one-week lockdown to contain a fresh COVID-19 outbreak would end as planned on Thursday night, as the state grapples with a growing virus outbreak.