Growth in coronavirus cases leave Melbourne WAY above the average needed to ease lockdown – with just two weeks to go to reach Daniel Andrews' ambitious target
Victoria has recorded 15 new coronavirus cases and one more death, reducing hopes that lockdown measures will ease further on October 19.
The figures in the 24 hours up to Tuesday's announcement brought Victoria's 14-day rolling average to 10.9 and the number of mystery cases, those with no known source, to 13 in the past two weeks.
The Andrews government had set an ambitious target of a rolling two-week average of just five cases if lockdown was to be eased by October 19.
If not, the city will stay with its current restrictions - meaning bars, restaurants and other non-essential businesses still cannot fully open - and residents will still only be able to travel 5km from home.
Two masked women walk along St Kilda beach in Melbourne on Saturday. Victoria recorded 15 new coronavirus cases and one more death on Tuesday, plunging hopes that lockdown will ease further on October 19
Regional Victoria already moved from the second to the third step of removing restrictions on September 15 but Melbourne can only do so if the targets are met.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he unsure whether Melburnians will be able to meet the ambitious targets.
'My gut feeling is it will be a line ball. It's not certain one way or the other,' he told reporters on Monday.
Victoria Police patrolled St Kilda Beach on the weekend. For Melbourne to come out of lockdown, both the two-week rolling average and number of mystery cases need to drop below five on October 19
Melbourne moved to the second step of easing restrictions on September 28.
According to Victoria’s road map for reopening, there needs to be at least three weeks between different stages.
This means the earliest Melbourne can move to the third step is October 19 - but only if the below-five targets are met.
Whether Victoria will make an exception to the targets after three months of lockdown remains to be seen.
Women at St Kilda Beach on Saturday. The earliest Melbourne can move to stage three is October 19 - but only if the below-five targets are met
Victoria recorded nine new coronavirus infections and no deaths on Monday.
Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded for residents to 'stay the course' and continue to follow the rules, after large groups at beaches and parks flouted coronavirus restrictions in recent days.
'We are so, so close. Let's not any of us do anything that might undermine the very positive numbers,' he told reporters on Sunday
'Once we get them low, we can keep them low and we can open up again.
'If we don't do anything silly or anything selfish right now.'
Police patrolled St Kilda Beach after large groups gathered on Friday, raising concerns that such behaviour could trigger another outbreak.
Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded for residents to 'stay the course' by continuing to follow the rules after large groups at beaches and parks flouted coronavirus restrictions in recent days