MASK wearing and restrictions on gatherings will travel with Melburnians visiting regional Victoria from 6pm on Tuesday.
Victoria has recorded one new coronavirus case as health authorities race to contain a fresh outbreak in Melbourne ahead of the imposition of new restrictions.
The new restrictions for Greater Melbourne in force from 6pm Tuesday are:
– Limits of five people at private gatherings and 30 people in public, and
– Face masks must be worn indoors.
The restrictions will stay in place until at least June 4.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said while there were no restrictions preventing people from Melbourne visiting the regions, they would be required to wear masks and follow other gathering restrictions.
“For example, if you visit someone outside metropolitan Melbourne, they must have not more than five visitors at that house in that day,” he said.
“Victorians visiting regional Victoria from Melbourne will also need to wear a face mask when indoors, even when outside metropolitan Melbourne, unless an exemption applies.”
Acting Premier James Merlino said the new case was a man in his 60s linked to the City of Whittlesea infection, which now totals five infections.
The other four cases were confirmed on Monday afternoon.
Schools and workplaces will stay open and there are no changes to current density rules.
Mr Merlino confirmed genomic sequencing showed the Whittlesea outbreak was “closely related” to a man in nearby Wollert who tested positive earlier this month after returning from hotel quarantine in South Australia.
Health authorities have now identified 10 exposure sites as they race to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Testing sites serving the city’s north were straining to cope with demand as people heeded public health advice.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said the first Whittlesea man was carrying a high viral load and warned the community to brace for more possible cases.
All domestic borders remain open despite most states and territories issuing updated travel advice for recent Victorian arrivals.
The latest outbreak snapped Victoria’s 86-day streak without a locally acquired case.
Victoria has 14 active cases, with the rest in hotel quarantine, and 14,892 tests in the 24 hours to Tuesday.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the public was nervous after the government blundered on the supermarket exposure site and “seems to be making some pretty basic errors” on contact tracing.
“The last thing Victoria can afford is going back into lockdown,” he said.
