MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) – Victoria state, which is Australia’s coronavirus hotspot, witnessed only a single new case of the infection on Saturday, the lowest daily new count since June and there were no fatalities. This prompted the top health official of the state to say the figures are “one-der-ful”.
The state capital of Melbourne, which has been the epicentre of the outbreak of infection in the country, is in its third month of a strict lockdown and state premier Daniel Andrews is expected to update his plans to ease curbs across Victoria on Sunday.
“We live in hope,” said Brett Sutton, Victoria’s chief health officer. When the figures were released, he tweeted “One. One-der-ful.”
Meanwhile, he is facing immense pressure from the federal authorities to reopen the state and Health Minister Greg Hunt tweeted on Saturday that it was time to ease curbs.
“The epidemiological conditions for a Covid Safe reopening of hospitality, movement & family reunions among others, have now been firmly met,” Hunt said.
But Andrews, who belongs to the Labour Party, said he would not bow to pressure.
“No one should be suggesting that .. (we) are keeping the restrictions on any longer than they need to be,” Andrews said. “We aren’t going to risk everything that Victorians have sacrificed.”
According to state officials, the curbs would be eased only when the average for daily new infection falls below five over a two-week window. On Saturday, the 14-day day rolling case average was 8.1, down from 8.7 in the previous day.
