3pm
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There has been no change to active coronavirus cases in central Victoria in the past 24 hours.
Macedon Ranges (two) has the only two active cases in the region.
Greater Bendigo has not had an active case since Friday.
Mount Alexander, Campaspe, Loddon, Central Goldfields, Buloke and Gannawarra all have no active cases.
Victoria premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday morning there had been no new COVID-19 cases in regional Victoria in the past 24 hours.
There are now nine active coronavirus cases in regional Victoria.
At his daily briefing on Sunday, Mr Andrews said travel between regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne would continue to be limited despite changes to Melbourne's COVID-19 restrictions including a removal of the curfew.
When asked if a regional household could be in a social bubble with a metropolitan household, Mr Andrews simply said, "no".
"I don't think it is safe at this point," he said. "We are trying to limit the movement back and forth as much as we possibly can.
"If that can change at a point of time earlier than (three weeks) then we will look at it.
"It is a broad policy to stop people moving from metropolitan Melbourne, were the virus is at a higher level, to regional Victoria where it is getting down half a case a day."
Mr Andrews said NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian's comments about expanding the border bubble were encouraging but there were no intentions to open it up fully to regional Victorians.
"I was please to see Premier Berejiklian made comments around a bigger bubble and more freedom of movement with more of region Victoria and southern NSW," he said.
"We can get to place where there is greater movement between regional Victoria, NSW and South Australia (but for now) the best thing we, as a state, can do is get numbers low and keep them low."
Mr Andrews was also question on the classifications of dance schools after saying primary school children in metropolitan Melbourne would return to school from October 12.
Dance schools are classified as indoor fitness businesses but are lobbying to be able to re-open sooner.
"We are still looking at that matter," he said.
"I know the public health team is looking at the issue. It started with professional dancers as matter of work.
"I don't know if it has been settled. It's not about the fact (the dance industry) has been vocal, it's about working through it methodically and (identifying) what risk does that pose?"
1.45pm
The recovery roadmap has been updated in lieu of the announcements made by Mr Andrews this afternoon.
The Premier will review the changes announced today on October 19, saying three weeks would indicate how successful they have been.
"The fact we are ahead of schedule (shows) this is working," he said.
"I can announce we are no longer held to the dates for third and last steps, which were the end of October and November.
"On modelling and data analysis...we believe we can take the next step, all things being equal, on October 19."
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"We can cannot take that step earlier (because) the decisions made today, the impacts of those will not known for at least two to three weeks."
Mr Andrews said the strategy Victorians are following is designed to get the state to COVID-normal by Christmas.
"We no longer (look at changes) in terms of dates, we are talking in terms of case numbers," he said.
"We are at least a week ahead schedule but we must wait and see how things unfold over the next three weeks.
"This is a strategy designed to get us to COVID-normal by Christmas."
1.15pm
There have been no additional COVID-19 cases in regional Victoria since yesterday.
At his daily press briefing, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said there are nine active cases in regional Victoria.
Across the state there are 399 active cases.
"It is the first time we have had less than 400 active cases in the state since June 30," Mr Andrews said.
"It is one measure among many of the amazing performance of the Victorian community.
"Only if we get numbers low can we hope to keep numbers low."
A more detailed breakdown of cases by local government area will be released by DHHS this afternoon.
Mr Andrews also announced a number of changes to restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne residents.
He said the recovery roadmap can be updated with the case numbers showing Melbourne was ahead of its schedule.
"The target today was to get to a rolling 14-day average of between 30 and 50. The fact we are at 22.1 cases over the 14-day period means this strategy is working.
"It's more than working. We are ahead of schedule and have made more progress that we hoped to make at this point in time.
"Today we are taking safe and steady steps. (I recognise) it is not everything Melbourne will want."
The most major changes for Melburnians was the removal the curfew from 5am on Monday, September 28.
But Mr Andrews flagged an almost $5000 fine for people conducting any unlawful outdoor or indoor gatherings.
"Victoria Police will speak tomorrow in clearer terms," he said. "But no one has the right to put everything Victoria has done at risk by going around potentially spreading the virus from one family to another."
Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton said he and his public health team supported the decision to lift Melbourne's curfew.
"We're at a point now where the epidemiology is different, the demographic of cases are different," he said.
"We always said the aged care industry would be a stubborn tale and that remains the case.
"A not insignificant number of daily cases are in aged care, a curfew doesn't add to that transmission risk.
"We are getting to one, two or three community cases a day. A curfew won't be a proper measure to have in place going forward."
Other changes for metropolitan Melbourne, from 11.59pm on Sunday, September 27, will include:
- 127,000 people from various industries being able to return to work.
- VCE and VCAL students will return to school from October while Prep to Grade 6 students, along with special school students, will got back on October 12.
- Childcare will be open to all children with the five kilometre limit no applying.
- Outdoor public gatherings of a household or a limit of five people from no more than two households are permitted.
- The limit on one person from one household going to the supermarket no more than once a day is lifted.
- Care facilities and hospitals well allow patients one visitor per day for two hours. Patients under the age of 18 will be allowed two parents or carers to visit with no time limit.
- Faith gatherings of five people and one leader are permitted outdoors.
- Weddings can have five people including the couple, two witness and a celebrant.
- Outdoor exercise without access to a facility, within five kilometres of home, is permitted. Facilities such as tennis, bowls and golf clubs will remain closed. Outdoor exercise is also permitted within five kilometres of your workplace. Workers who are exercising must carry their work permit.
9.15am
Victoria has recorded 16 new coronavirus cases overnight along with 2 deaths.
The state's total number of cases is now 20,145. The number of lives lost to COVID-19 is now at 784.
In regional Victoria, the rolling 14-day average of new cases is 0.6. It is 22.1 in metropolitan Melbourne.
The total number of cases from an unknown source in the last 14 days is 31 for metropolitan Melbourne and zero for regional Victoria.
Greater Bendigo has no active cases according to yesterday's Department of Health and Human Services data.
Macedon Ranges - which has two active cases - is the only local government area with active cases.
The new cases come as Melbourne residents wait for Victorian premier Daniel Andrews' daily briefing where he is expected to announce changes to restrictions.
Yesterday, Mr Andrews flagged there would be alterations to the restrictions with numbers continuing to drop.
"In order to take the next step (in Melbourne) we are targeting an average of 30 to 50 cases (over 14 days)," Mr Andrews said on Saturday.
"I will be back here tomorrow and will make announcements that are proof positive this strategy is working.
"Ultimately, it is about getting numbers down, perhaps a little faster than what we thought. It's a credit to every Victorian following the rules."
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