Coronavirus cases in Victoria are nearing 700 as Victoria Police have been bestowed with the power to slug individuals and businesses with fines for flouting social distancing measures amid the pandemic.
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Victorian Premier Dan Andrews on Saturday said there were 685 COVID-19 cases in the state, up 111 on the previous day.
He said harsher measures would be established to stop people from gathering in large groups and leaving home unnecessarily.
Victoria Police would from Saturday be able to fine individuals up to $1652 and businesses $9913 for ignoring medical advice, including for failing to self- isolate where required.
Mr Andrews again implored Victorians to stay at home.
Victoria Police has already established a 500-strong squad to ensure COVID-19 containment and compliance with government orders.
"We're going beyond simply an infringement notice and a court-based process for the enforcement of these very important issues. We're moving to an on the spot fine system," Mr Andrews told reporters.
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Port Phillip City Council has clamped down on large groups accessing its beaches including the popular St Kilda Beach.
The council on Friday said in a statement its beaches must not be used as gathering places and visitors must maintain social distancing.
Dog walkers, swimmers and joggers will still be able to use beaches as normal, however strict social distancing rules are in place.
The beach restrictions come ahead of a sunny Saturday with Melbourne expected to reach 25 degrees.
Mr Andrews previously said he would not hesitate to close beaches if people continued to disregard the rules.
"The fact it's sunny, the fact it's school holidays ... this is no ordinary school holiday, this is no ordinary autumn day," Mr Andrews said.
"This will be the case for weeks to come."
The stage two measures come as it was revealed two Victorian men who on Thursday died of coronavirus were cancer patients in the Alfred Hospital's oncology ward.
The men were two of four diagnosed with the virus in the ward.
The two other coronavirus patients remain in hospital and are in a stable condition, an Alfred Hospital spokesman said.
Three staff members have since tested positive for coronavirus, with others now self-isolating.
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Mr Andrews put the heavy spike in COVID-19 case numbers in Victoria down to the continued return of Australians from overseas.
Those returnees will from midnight on Sunday be obliged to spend 14 days self- isolating in hotels, guarded by police.
"There's so many parts of the world where this is running rampant and I think every returned traveller is a significant risk," Mr Andrews said.
AAP