Victoria’s lockdown extended as state records 13 local COVID-19 cases

Victoria’s lockdown will not end as scheduled at 11.59pm on Tuesday.

Announcing the extension, Premier Daniel Andrews said he can’t say “exactly what rules and what timeframe will apply beyond midnight tomorrow night”.

“As soon as I can confirm for Victorians how much longer and for what circumstances, I will do that.”

Health officials will use learnings from interviews today, and testing results, to determine the course the state takes.

“All of those things will be taken into account and we will make a decision that is in the interest of all Victorians,” Mr Andrews said.

It comes after Victoria recorded 13 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

The cases are:

• A Mildura man, who was reported yesterday and one of his household contacts
• Four cases who dined at Ms Frankie’s
• Two Trinity Grammar students
• One social contact of the Phillip Island case
• One case linked to AAMI Park during the Wallabies v France game
• One case linked to Young and Jackson
• One case linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar (was in isolation during infectious period)
• One person who attended the Euro final at the Crafty Squire

There are 15,800 primary close contacts who are isolation.

The exposure area at AAMI Park during the Wallabies v France game has been expanded.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says there are concerns the virus spread through a “pinch point” at the entrance to the venue.

Sections 81 to 91 of the ground have now been declared Tier 2 areas during the Wallabies versus France Test match last Tuesday.

Dozens of new COVID-19 exposure sites were identified across the state last night.

New sites have been added in Abbotsford, Fitzroy, Richmond, South Melbourne, Melbourne, Docklands, Doncaster East, Heidelberg, Hawthorn East, Churchill Island, Cremorne, Calder Park, Mildura, Ravenswood, Wycheproof, Brighton East, Pakenham, Cowes and Oakleigh South.

A total of 278 exposure sites are now on the Department of Health’s list.

SEE THE FULL LIST OF EXPOSURE SITES HERE

The new locally-acquired cases are all linked to the current outbreaks.

— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 18, 2021

Image: Darrian Traynor / Getty