Victoria's health boss Brett Sutton is urged to resign amid fears Melbourne will NEVER get out of lockdown because his five cases per day target is impossible

The man behind Melbourne's lockdown strategy is facing calls to resign after admitting he has no idea if his aims are achievable.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton does not want to end Melbourne's lockdown until there are fewer than five cases per day.

The city has regularly recorded between 10 and 15 cases over the past three weeks, raising fears that it will never get to five cases and restrictions will remain in place.

Friends are seen sunbaking in their COVIDSafe circles at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne

On Sunday Professor Sutton was asked by a reporter: 'Is there a chance we will never get to five and we might just have to live between 10 and 15 cases a day?' 

He replied: 'Who knows, no one's been to this point with a second wave anywhere in the world – we are treading new ground. I won't say in absolute terms, what the possibilities are.'

Professor Sutton then revealed his aim was to eliminate the virus, despite National Cabinet adopting a suppression strategy.

'We can't discount it might be extraordinarily difficult to drive it down to zero but I think it's possible,' he said.

'If we're the first in the world that can get to a point where we can completely snuff out a second wave then no-one will be happier than me.' 

Asked if restrictions should be relaxed even if five cases per day cannot be achieved, he said: 'Well, we are opening up anyway. We will always make those judgments about what opening we can do with the caseload that we have.'

Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to slightly relax the lockdown rules next week. 

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy, who was a minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments, said Professor Sutton should stand down for implementing an 'unachievable strategy.'

Victoria's state of emergency and state of disaster were extended by four weeks to 11.59pm on November 8. Pictured: Premier Daniel Andrews

'I actually think that following that statement he should have then added, and I now formally tender my resignation,' he told Sky News on Sunday night.

'He's designed this strategy, it was unachievable from the beginning.' 

Victorian Liberal MP James Newbury told Daily Mail Australia that the strategy needs to be changed.

'Daniel Andrews has screwed up and his Chief Health Officer has admitted that "no-one knows" if their strategy will work,' he said. 

'What total incompetence. What a monumental failure. It proves that Daniel Andrews needs to go back to the drawing board. We need a new strategy that works.'  

On Monday Victoria recorded 15 new cases of coronavirus and no deaths overnight as the pressure to end Melbourne's strict lockdown builds.

Victoria's state of emergency and state of disaster were extended by four weeks to 11.59pm on November 8.

Melbourne's crucial coronavirus case average has risen to 9.9, further dampening hopes of lockdown provisions being eased next week.  

Monday is the fifth straight day of double-digit infections for Victoria. 

Victoria has recorded 15 new cases of coronavirus and no deaths overnight as the pressure to end Melbourne 's strict lockdown builds (pictured, a COVID-19 pop-up clinic set up at Kilmore Soldiers Memorial Hall)

This is a slight increase on the 9.3 average recorded on Sunday after there were 12 new cases and one death. 

There were 11 mystery cases in Melbourne from September 26 to October 9 and none in regional Victoria.  

Mr Andrews again flagged on Sunday that Melbourne won't be ready to take a 'full step' to eased restrictions on October 19, but hinted restrictions on outdoor activities were likely to be relaxed. 

Locals are seen shopping for fresh food in the Queen Victoria Market over the weekend in Melboruen

The critical 14-day moving average has now increased to 9.9 in metropolitan Melbourne and 0.4 in regional Victoria (pictured, Melbourne residents enjoy the sun at St Kilda beach)

'It will be the stuff that people are really missing,' he said.

He also indicated businesses in regional Victoria were more likely to see relief than those in Melbourne.

'I think there'll be more economic things that can happen in regional Victoria because the numbers are low,' he said.

'Does that mean we're doubling, tripling, quadrupling the number of people that can go to a pub? No.

'But if we can take some further small and safe steps we will.'

Police patrol the aisles of the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne over the weekend

His government also announced new quarantine and business safety measures.

Close contacts who refuse a COVID-19 test on day 11 of quarantine will be forced to spend another 10 days in isolation, while regional Victorian businesses will have to take all reasonable steps to ensure patrons are not from Melbourne or face a $9,913 fine.

It follows a Melbourne man illegally dining at a Kilmore cafe, sparking a fresh outbreak in Mitchell Shire.

Both rule changes came into effect at 11.59pm on Sunday. 

What are the rules in Melbourne? 

From 5am on Monday 28 September, there is no longer a curfew in place for metropolitan Melbourne. You can leave home at any time for one of the four reasons.

You cannot travel more than 5km from your home for shopping or exercise. You can travel further than 5km from your home for permitted work, medical care, primary and secondary education, childcare and care or compassionate reasons. If you are a permitted worker you can exercise within 5km of your home or workplace (carrying your permitted worker permit) to exercise outdoors.

From 11:59pm on Sunday 27 September, you can exercise or socialise outdoors for up to two hours a day, which can be split across two sessions.

You can socialise with your household members or up to five people outdoors (including you) from a maximum of two households. You must be able to keep at least 1.5 metres distance between yourself and others when doing so.

You can leave home for four reasons, with limits:

shopping for food or other essential items

socialising or exercise (applies to outdoor exercise, and with your household or up to four other people outdoors, from a maximum of two households). This needs to be in a public outdoor place (for example a local park)

permitted work, primary and secondary education (when your school and year level are permitted)

caregiving, for compassionate reasons, or to seek medical treatment, also remain permitted reasons to leave home.