Victoria records nine new cases of coronavirus overnight and no deaths as Dan Andrews threatens to extend restrictions after heatwave bad behaviour
Victoria recorded nine new coronavirus infections and no deaths overnight as Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded for residents to 'stay the course'.
The 14-day rolling average of COVID-19 infections dropped to 11.6 for metropolitan Melbourne on Monday, while regional Victoria rose from 0.2 to 0.3.
Mr Andrews implored residents to continue following 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.
Victoria reported nine new coronavirus infetions on Monday. Pictured: Police patrol at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne during hot weather on Saturday
Three women sunbathe in their COVIDSafe bubbles at St Kilda on Saturday
'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.
Mr Andrews warned he could be forced to extend the 5km travel bubble for metropolitan Melbourne if residents continue to hit the beach.
'I can't put a timeline on it but those rules serve a really important purpose and they'll be in place for as long as that purpose is relevant and proportionate — the benefit is relevant and proportionate — to the challenge we face,' he said.
'There will be a time when that (5km rule) can come off, but exactly when that is — or it might be extended — when that is we can't be certain now.'
Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded for residents to 'stay the course'. Pictured: Police speak to residents in Melbourne on Saturday
'We are so, so close. Let's not any of us do anything that might undermine the very positive numbers,' Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday
There have been 13 mystery cases in Melbourne between September 19 and October 2.
Melbourne needs a 14-day average of fewer than five cases as well as less than five mystery cases for restrictions to further ease on October 19.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Sunday said there were three new mystery cases in postcodes 3145, 3023 and 3019 and urged anyone in the areas with symptoms to get tested.
He said a single case of unknown origin might represent 10 or 15 true cases in the community.
'It's really a call to arms ... anyone in those postcodes should be aware that there's transmission in those postcodes,' he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said he was 'as confident as you can be' that the state's 14-day average would drop to fewer than five daily cases in a fortnight.
'Regional Victoria is in a different place today than they were three or four weeks ago. And hopefully on 18 or 19 October, so just in a couple of weeks' time, metro Melbourne will be in a different place than they are right now,' he said.
The state's death toll sits at 806.
Two women rollerblade at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne on Saturday