A new COVID-19 case has been confirmed in Moorabool as the state's crisis deepens.
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Health department figures released on Sunday afternoon show Moorabool, which has flatlined for months, has one active case and is up to four infections since the pandemic began.
Neighbouring areas - such as Wyndham (Werribee) (288), Brimbank (255) and Melton (109) - have surged in cases during the past week.
Moorabool mayor David Edwards told The Courier earlier this week the potential for COVID-19 was always a very real concern with a large population of people commuting in and out - either to Ballarat or Melbourne.
Ballarat has gone another day without a positive COVID-19 case despite almost 31,000 tests being conducted across the state on Saturday.
The city has not had a confirmed case of COVID-19 since mid-May.
The health department has reduced Golden Plains' figures back to one after an active case was announced on Saturday. This often happens for Local Government Areas and can put be put down to range of factors including error or reclassification.
Hepburn remains on two cases since the pandemic began.
The new case in Moorabool comes on the eve of thousands of school students returning to face-to-face learning on Monday.
Another 273 cases have been recorded across Victoria, including a Coles worker at Woodend, bringing the total to 3799 since the pandemic began earlier this year. Thirty-four cases were reclassified - largely due to duplication.
There are now 1484 active cases in the state, which had a record 288 infections on Friday.
Within Victoria, 22 of the new cases are linked to outbreaks, 25 were identified through routine testing and 226 are under investigation. No new cases have been detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
There has been one death reported since yesterday, with a man in his 70s passing away in hospital overnight. To date, 24 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.
In Victoria at the current time:
- 562 cases may indicate community transmission
- 1484 cases are currently active in Victoria
- 57 cases of coronavirus are in hospital, including 16 in intensive care
- 2289 people have recovered from the virus
- Of the total cases, 3415 cases are from metropolitan Melbourne, while 288 are from regional Victoria
- Total cases include 2017 men and 1772 women
- More than 1,125,400 tests have been processed
Public housing outbreaks:
- 237 cases are residents of various public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington. Investigations are continuing into how these cases are linked.
- 28 cases are residents of various public housing towers in Carlton. Investigations are continuing into how these cases are linked.
Other outbreaks:
- Four cases have been linked to LaManna Supermarket Essendon
- Two cases have been linked to Linfox Distribution Centre Truganina
- Six cases have been linked to Cenvic Construction Riverina Apartments in Footscray
- 11 cases have been linked to Somerville Meats
- Four cases have been linked to JBS Abattoir in Brooklyn
- Two cases have been linked to Box Hill Hospital
- 11 cases have been linked to Brunswick Private Hospital
- Eight cases have been linked to the Alfred Hospital
- 11 cases have been linked to Menarock Life Aged Care Facility.
- 12 cases have been linked to Glendale Aged Care Facility in Werribee.
As interviews are undertaken throughout the day, these outbreak totals are likely to change as the public health team identify links between cases and identified outbreaks.
Stage 3 "Stay at Home" restrictions are in force across metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire.
"These restrictions have become necessary because of the sharp increase in cases," said Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton
"If you live in these areas, there are only four reasons to leave your home: shopping for food and essential items; care and caregiving; daily exercise; and work and study - if you can't do it from home.
"Restaurants and cafes are now takeaway and delivery services only, and beauty and personal services are closed. Entertainment and cultural venues are also closed. Community sport may not occur.
"This Stay at Home direction applies to your principal place of residence - which means you need to stay home and not use a holiday home.
"These are tough measures, but this virus is not selective - it will impact anyone it encounters, and personal contact is the clear source of its transmission. We need everyone to do their part and ensure it is stopped in its tracks."
