For the third day running, Melbourne has had zero new cases of COVID-19, the first time between 4-6 March.
The city’s 14-day average dipped below two and an end is in sight for compulsory face masks should the state hit its target.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said masks were still required while there was still community transition occurring. “What we shouldn’t be complacent about is thinking that if we’ve got a few days with no cases that there’s never a requirement for masks,” Dr Sutton said, adding that masks are important for “those potential transmission events when we don’t know that there’s something out there.”
Dr Sutton hinted Victoria might be open to increasing the numbers allowed to gather when the next stage of rules is.”
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According to the Victorian government’s road map, there need to be 14 days with no new cases as a last step to COVID Normal and that would come after 14 days with no new cases.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on the weekend said Australia remained ‘on track’ to have all its internal borders open by Christmas, allowing Victorians and those from Sydney to travel freely.
