Premier Daniel Andrews has warned Victorians to obey lockdown restrictions, saying the state is in danger of becoming like Sydney “in a week” if COVID-19 cases continue spiralling.
Fifty-seven new coronavirus cases have been detected in the state today, including 30 people who were infectious in the community.
Thirteen of today’s new cases have been linked to Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, 13 to a Broadmeadows youth centre, four to the Newport Football Club, two to the Elite Sports Performance gym in Spotswood and two to an Altona North household.
The new cases also include a Point Cook resident associated with the Schnitz restaurant in Pacific Werribee and an airline cabin crew member who lives in Tullamarine.
There are now 349 active cases of the virus in Victoria.
Mr Andrews described today as “a bad day” for the state.
“We are right on the edge of this getting away from us,” he said.
“We cannot have a weekend like we had last week.
“The rules are only as good as how people follow them.”
Mr Andrews said 15 Victorians are in hospital with the virus, including six people in intensive care and one on a ventilator.
“These numbers will not remain as low as that if this gets away from us,” he said.
He said that if the case numbers keep growing, hundreds or thousands of people would need to be hospitalised.
Mr Andrews said he realised “it is incredibly difficult” for people to continue being in lockdown “but so is having thousands in hospital”.
“Just look at what’s happening in Sydney, we do not want that here,” he said.
Mr Andrews did not rule out introducing further restrictions into the future.
