Victoria has recorded zero new local coronavirus cases on Thursday, though Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Daniel O’Brien said new infectious variants of COVID-19 had proved difficult to control.

Victoria had “managed amazingly” to get a major outbreak under control, he said, but did not know what would happen with the Delta variant. The new Delta and Kappa variants of the virus pose a risk to people entering a room as long as 20 minutes after the departure of the infected person.

“So, therefore you need a layer of defence,” Associate Professor O’Brien said.

Reported yesterday: 0 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas.
– 19,219 vaccine doses were administered
– 29,149 test results were received.
More later: https://t.co/2vKbgKHFvv#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/KeJkCLErbP

— Victorian Department of Health (@VicGovDH) June 30, 2021

 

Mask wearing, testing and QR check-in codes were deemed important.

READ MORE: Easing of Victorian restrictions but mass vaccination is the only real way out

On Tuesday, Victoria noted one locally acquired case – the close contact of another positive case who had spent their entire infectious period in quarantine.

Despite the drop in cases, restrictions in Victoria will not ease as planned on 1 July as a result of the rest of the country battling a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley said the state would pause its relaxing of measures for another seven days as a precaution based on health advice and the heightened risk as a result of four other states and territories battling outbreaks.

“We are not increasing restrictions, as other states around the Australian mainland are, but what we are doing is holding them where they are,” Mr Foley said.

READ MORE: Dr Vasso Apostolopoulos on Moderna COVID vaccine and n the efficacy and need for multiple vaccines

Around Australia

COVID-19 cases jumped overnight around Australia with South Australia recording five new locally acquired cases for the first time in 200 days, while new cases were also recorded in NSW, Perth and Queensland yesterday.

Four cities went into lockdown as the Federal government opened up AstraZeneca vaccinations to Australians under the age of 40, with the lack of consultation concerning this being widely condemned.