9pm
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RESTRICTIONS will remain the same in central Victoria, despite a COVID-19 spike in Melbourne.
A Bendigo Health and a City of Greater Bendigo worker were both diagnosed with coronavirus this week.
Bendigo Health warned the community that community transmission in city had taken place.
A government spokesperson said restrictions still applied to regional Victorians to slow the spread of the virus.
Nearly 300 new coronavirus cases were announced in Victoria on Friday.
Thursday saw two new COVID-19 cases announced, with a third initially, that was later reclassified.
The government spokesperson said it was critical regional Victorians continued to follow the rules that applied to them, and maintain physical distancing and good hand hygiene.
"Regardless of where you live, until there is a vaccine, there is no such thing as "normal"," the spokesperson said.
"For every restriction that you break and all the health advice that you ignore - the consequence could be someone's life. Now more than ever, we need Victorians to play their part. Lives are counting on it."
6.30pm
BENDIGO Health has restricted non-essential visitors, after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
It was one of two new COVID-19 diagnoses in Greater Bendigo over the past few days.
A City of Greater Bendigo staff member has also tested positive for the virus.
288 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Victoria on Friday.
Restrictions will apply to visitors at Bendigo Health and its aged care facilities from 7am on Saturday.
Visitors will only be allowed on compassionate grounds, which will be at the discretion of the nurse manager of the relevant unit.
People should call the ward if they want to arrange a visit.
Aged care visitors will be restricted in the main building of facilities, but can visit residents through visiting pods.
4.45pm
VISITORS have been barred from St John of God's hospital in Bendigo, after a spike in COVID-19 cases in Melbourne.
Victoria recorded 288 new cases of the virus on Friday, following several days of triple digit increases.
St John of God has announced it will not accept visitors, with possible exceptions for patients who are children, receiving end of life care, who have a disability that requires carer support, and the partners of those receiving maternity care.
Bendigo Health has confirmed it will tighten visitor numbers at its hospital and aged care facilities.
It comes after a Bendigo Health worker, and a City of Greater Bendigo staff member, both tested positive for COVID-19.
St John of God warned visitors would be screened on entry. They will not be allowed to visit if they have travelled within 14 days of the planned visit, recently come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or are feeling unwell.
Earlier
VICTORIA Police will set up a checkpoint near Heathcote as part of their ongoing operation to monitor traffic in and out of Melbourne.
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton made the announcement at a press conference on Friday.
It comes after the state government announced 288 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed on Friday.
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Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said police had intercepted more than 5500 vehicles as part of Operation Sentinel.
He said more than 60 infringements had been issued in the past 24 hours.
The Bendigo Advertiser found no Victoria police checkpoints at the border between the locked down Mitchell Shire and the City of Greater Bendigo on Thursday morning, after the restrictions began.
The Department of Health and Human Services is yet to release a local government area breakdown of the location of the new cases.
On Friday morning, both Bendigo Health and the City of Greater Bendigo confirmed one staff member at each organisation had tested positive for COVID-19.
Victorians have been requested to wear masks outside their homes, where they cannot maintain social distancing.
Premier Daniel Andrews said this related principally those in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, but stated "all Victorians" when he made the request at a press conference on Friday.
Mr Andrews requested of all Victorians that they wear a mask when they were out of their home, and they could not maintain social distance.
Mr Andrews flagged this would be a feature of life for sometime, even after the current lockdown ended.
More to come
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