The State of Emergency will be maintained within Victoria until 11:59pm on 21 June, as indicated by health minister Jenny Mikakos during a press conference early on Sunday.

This measure will ensure that people continue to follow all health protocols and the state is able to respond swiftly to any new cases as they rise, with pandemic measures being eased even more from the start of the month for all cafes, restaurants and clubs.

“Victorians will no doubt welcome the further easing of restrictions from tomorrow, but our coronavirus fight is far from over. Keeping the State of Emergency in place will ensure we have the tools we need to keep Victorians safe,” pointed out Mrs. Mikakos.

“This is the biggest public health challenge we’ve faced in our lifetimes, and we need all Victorians to keep doing their bit by continuing to follow the directions of the Chief Health Officer and working from home if they can.”

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Victoria remains the state with the greatest testing rate in the country, as over 500,000 citizens have been submitted to a COVID-19 examination.

However, it also remains the state with the most reported daily cases, as a further four people tested positive on Sunday morning, with a total of 13 belonging to the same household.

An extended State of Emergency gives greater authority to medical officers in order to shut down certain areas or prevent movement by people, should they deem there to be a risk towards public health.

Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton expressed his gratitude towards the community for their exemplary behaviour throughout the pandemic ordeal: “Victorians have done a great job sticking to the coronavirus restrictions – their actions have saved countless lives. We know restrictions can be frustrating, but they are working. It’s vital we continue to follow these directions to keep our community transmission numbers low and protect more Victorians.”