Victoria recorded 403 new COVID-19 cases overnight on Thursday, a drop from 484 the day before and 428 infections last Friday, but still trailing behind as the third worst day for the state since the pandemic began.

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the virus has claimed five more lives at a press conference with Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos.

Ms Mikakos said four children are in hospitals with the virus across the state

“We have children in our hospitals at the present time, four children,” she said.

Premier Andrews said that nobody is immune to the virus. “There are a lot of young people who have died of this in other parts of the world. There are a lot of otherwise healthy people who are not in the last moments of their life, they’re not in the last chapter they lost, they are much younger, they are otherwise healthy, and they become ill,” he said.

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As of 11.59pm on Wednesday, face masks have become compulsory in Melbourne, the first city to enforce mask-wearing in public.

Unfortunately, almost nine in 10 Victorians who tested positive to COVID-19 from 7-21 July continued to leave their homes as symptoms developed. Even after tests, 54 per cent still left their homes while waiting for their results.

Premier Andrews announced a new hardship payment of $300 for anybody who has been tested for COVID-19 and needs to remain off-work to self isolate while waiting for results. He hopes that the payment will help people make better choices.

Medical professionals have appeared grim regarding the figures. Australian Medical Association President Tony Bartone told the Today show that “residents in aged care facilities are just a heartbeat away from calamity”. He added that the current conditions are “unsustainable and we are just going to see the numbers continue to rise”.

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Victoria’s cases by local government areas

Wyndham 370 Hume 308 Brimbank 289 Melbourne 272 Moonee Valley 212 Moreland 191 Whittlesea 166 Banyule 130 Yarra 119 Melton 119 Casey 103 Maribyrnong 95 Darebin 88 Hobsons Bay 65 Whitehorse 48 Greater Dandenong 44 Boroondara 43 Manningham 39 Stonnington 38 Monash 37 Port Phillip 34 Kingston 26 Greater Geelong 18 Cardinia 18 Glen Eira 18 Bayside 15 Knox 14 Mitchell 14 Maroondah 13 Frankston 12 Mornington Peninsula 11 Greater Shepparton 2