Regional Victorian town calls for Stage 3 restrictions as coronavirus cases rise

There are at least 47 active coronavirus cases in the Colac area, and the region is calling on the state government to impose stricter restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.

Colac Mayor Jason Schram says he believes there are 55 COVID-19 cases in the area.

He criticised the state government for not coming to Colac’s aid more quickly.

“You’d think when little spot fires broke out they would’ve sent a fire truck down here straight away to prevent it becoming a new front,” Cr Schram told Neil Mitchell.

Today, Colac-Otway Shire councillors are requesting Stage 3 restrictions for the area.

“We’re going to ask for Stage 3 type of restrictions, not on the whole postcode or the whole shire, but certainly on public schools … close them,” Cr Schram said.

“80 per cent of our students aren’t attending anyway but the parents need some guidance, so they don’t feel like bad parents for not sending their kids to school.

“We’re also calling for Stage 3 restrictions to be on our three nursing homes here.

“We don’t have any cases that we know of in there, but we want to be proactive not reactive … and to stop it getting in there.”

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