'Concerning': Regional testing push after rise in 'mystery cases'
Victoria has recorded 278 new coronavirus cases in the past day, marking a significant decline in daily infections, but concerns are increasing about "mystery cases" emerging outside Melbourne.
A further eight people were killed by the virus in the past day. It comes after six consecutive days of double-digit COVID-19 deaths
The state's daily case increase is less than half the record high of 725 new cases recorded last week and the first time the day's tally has fallen below 300 in more than a fortnight.
"If you look at the trend over the last seven days or so, these stage four restrictions, as challenging, as heartbreaking [and] as painful as they are, they are working," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
"We are not getting in any way ahead of ourselves and we would caution against any Victorian thinking that we aren't in the midst of a real marathon. This is an endurance race and we need to stay the course on this."
However, health authorities are increasingly concerned about the emergence of "mystery cases" – those without a known source of infection – in regional Victoria.
New testing sites will be opened in regional areas in response to a recent spike in cases in Victoria's largest regional cities outside Melbourne – Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.
Mr Andrews said there were questions that "simply can't be answered" about cases of unknown community transmission in those three cities.
There were 492 active cases in regional Victoria on Thursday, which is under a stage three lockdown, compared to 7155 active cases in Melbourne.
"We have seen some significant growth of cases in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. And that is of obvious concern to us," Mr Andrews said.
"It's very important that we keep case numbers low. This is all about encouraging anybody with any symptoms in Bendigo, in Ballarat, or in the Geelong region, to come forward and get tested."
The Victorian government will increase the payment to people required to self-isolate following a coronavirus test from $300 to $450.
Government takes control of three nursing homes
Meanwhile, the Premier announced the state government has assumed control of three aged care facilities in Melbourne's west.
Hospital staff are now operating Glenlyn Aged Care, Florence Aged Care and Klyna Aged Care.
"They've essentially taken those three facilities over so that vulnerable residents can get the care they need," Mr Andrews said.
Outside St Basil's aged care home, the site of one of Victoria's deadliest coronavirus outbreaks. Credit:Scott McNaughton
"We've essentially assumed responsibility, taken over those facilities for the purposes of the highest-quality care and to deal with challenging circumstances in each of those three."
Mr Andrews said residents would not be transferred en masse to hospitals, despite requests from aged care operators, including one which had ordered 100 ambulances.
"We did ... have early on in this aged care crisis, a particular provider who rang and ordered 100 ambulances, as if that was something that would be in any way feasible," he said.
"We don't have a system that is designed to deliver the easiest outcome for the private operator. We have a system that is designed to provide the best care for the resident."
Victoria by the numbers
Health authorities have identified 107 additional mystery cases in the metropolitan Melbourne area, bringing the total number of active cases without a known source to 3068.
One woman in her 50s, two men in their 70s, two women and two men in their 80s and one man in his 90s died in the past day. Four of the latest deaths are connected to aged care outbreaks.
There are 664 Victorians battling the virus in hospital, including 37 fighting for their lives in intensive care, 25 of whom are on a ventilator.
The number of healthcare workers currently infected with COVID-19 has increased to 1140, while there are 2018 active cases linked to outbreaks across 125 aged care facilities. There are a total of 7856 active cases across Victoria.
More to come.
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