Victoria has recorded 507 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and one further death ahead of the unveiling of a roadmap out of lockdown.
Key points:
- It is unclear how many of the new infections are linked to known cases
- Victoria will stay in some form of lockdown until more of the population has had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
- Senior ministers and health officials are meeting to finalise the details of the roadmap
It takes the number of active cases in the state to 5,262, with the vast majority of those acquired in the community.
They were detected from 58,619 test results processed on Saturday.
The health department has not provided details about how many of the new infections are linked to known outbreaks, as contact tracers work to stay on top of the Delta outbreak.
Authorities yesterday admitted the contact tracing system was "under pressure" but denied it was overwhelmed amid an overhaul to the way positive cases are contacted.
There were 43,441 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in state-run sites.
Earlier federal data shows at least 71.2 per cent of Victorians had one dose, and 43.5 per cent were fully vaccinated.
With infections expected to keep rising and pressure mounting on the state's healthcare system, Melbourne will stay in some form of lockdown until more of the population has had both doses.
A roadmap, underpinned by Burnet Institute modelling, will be released by Premier Daniel Andrews later today.
Senior ministers and health officials met late into the night to finalise the details, with more meetings underway this morning.
The rapid spread of the Delta variant across the state means the previous goal of COVID-zero has been abandoned.
Unlike the roadmap out of 2020's extended second lockdown, which relied on driving case numbers down to zero, this plan will assume the virus will not be eradicated across the state.
The government has committed to stick to the National Cabinet plan for reopening, which sees greater freedoms when 70 per cent of the population aged 16 and older is double dosed, and even more at the 80 per cent mark.
The Doherty Institute, which provided modelling for the national plan, has recently told leaders that "medium" public health measures should remain in place in areas of concern until the 80 per cent target was reached.
Those measures include stay-at-home orders, closed schools or a graduated return to classrooms, strict density limits on retail and hospitality venues and closed indoor recreational venues.
The Victorian branches of the Australian Medical Association and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation have called for the current restriction levels to remain in place until two weeks after the 80 per cent threshold is reached.
It comes a day after anti-lockdown protests in inner Melbourne turned violent, with more than 230 of the demonstrators arrested and 10 police officers injured.
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Victoria records 507 new local COVID cases and one death ahead of lockdown roadmap release - ABC News
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