Victoria recorded 148 new COVID-19 cases and eight further deaths, taking the death tally to 438. The figures today followed 116 new cases yesterday, 209 on Sunday and 182 on Saturday.
Premier Daniel Andrews will give his regular update with more details about the COVID-19 cases.
Yesterday, the premier announced that the state government would seek to change laws so that Victoria’s state of emergency could be extended by another 12 months, going beyond the six-month limit which is due to end on 13 September.
New legislation would ensure that public health directions could still be enforced even after an 18-month state of emergency ends.
“Extending the State of Emergency is about ensuring that we can legally make the changes our health experts need to keep us safe,” Mr Andrews wrote on Twitter on Monday night.
Extending the State of Emergency is about ensuring that we can legally make the changes our health experts need to keep us safe.
This does not change how long our current lockdown will last, or increase the restrictions we face.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 24, 2020
“Getting back to normal won’t ever be an option if we can’t protect what we’ve already achieved,” he wrote.
READ MORE: Aged Care debacle: Saving lives and livelihoods – not profits
Outbreaks at nursing homes are of concern with all 15 of yesterday’s deaths linked to aged care facilities. There are 1,538 of active cases in the state concerning aged care facilities.
Healthcare workers are also in the front line of the crisis with 476 active cases linked to them.
