11.45am
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A NEW COVID-19 infection in a Mildura man was diagnosed within the last few hours, meaning the case was additional to the 16 announced on Sunday morning.
COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said the man in his 30s was at the Carlton Geelong AFL game on July 10, in level two of the Melbourne Cricket Club reserve.
Mr Weimar said he did not yet have details about whether the man stopped when travelling between Melbourne and Mildura, but health officials would be continuing to interview him.
The main route between Melbourne and Mildura, the Calder Highway, runs past Bendigo and through much of central Victoria.
Other news:
Mr Weimar said the man was part of a household group of three individuals who had travelled for the match. He said the man had presented at the Mildura hospital emergency room late on Saturday night.
Mr Weimar said there were four key exposure sites where authorities had seen significant community transmission during the outbreak: the Melbourne Cricket Ground, AAMI Park, Ms Frankie's restaurant in Cremorne and Young and Jackson in Melbourne's centre.
He urged anyone who had been to any site, particularly the Wallabies game at AAMI park, to come forward for COVID-19 testing.
Mr Weimar said other exposure sites had sparked transmission, but these were generally more closed sites.
He said testing was being extended to the student body at Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Trinity Grammar, after most staff had been tested and largely returned negative results.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton warned the Wallabies versus France match at AAMI stadium, and the Euro finals soccer match screened at the Crafty Squire in Melbourne's centre, were concerning settings.
Professor Sutton said anyone who entered the Wallabies, France match through gate seven, between 7.56 and 8.13pm must immediately isolate, get tested and quarantined.
He said anyone who sat in aisles 20-23 must get tested and isolate until they received a negative test result, unless they received information from the Department of Health they were close contacts.
Professor Sutton said anyone who'd been at the Crafty Squire between 3 and 8am for the Euro finals match must get tested and quarantine for 14 days. He said these people should call the department on 1300 651 160.
"These steps will protect you, they'll protect your loved ones, and the whole community, and may be really critical in helping us getting ahead of this as soon as possible," he said.
Professor Sutton told the community the next 24 to 48 hours remained critical, urging people to check in with QR codes everywhere and get tested with any symptoms.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the entire state would remain in lockdown until 11.59pm in Tuesday, unless he received public health advice otherwise.
"There is one in Mildura, and that's about as far away from Melbourne as you can get, and still be within our state. It just goes to make the point ...that a problem anywhere is potentially a problem everywhere," Mr Andrews said.
"If there's a problem in Melbourne, there's every reason to believe that we have to have a very conservative approach to parts of regional Victoria.
"I know it's incredibly frustrating for people who are a long way from Melbourne, but this virus can reach you, as we see with this Mildura case."
A full list of testing sites is available on the Department of Health website, as is a full list of COVID-19 exposure sites.
11.15am
REGIONAL Victoria will remain in lockdown after a COVID-19 case was reported in Mildura.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday it was not the day to announce parts of regional Victoria would be released early from the state's snap five-day lockdown.
When announcing the lockdown on Thursday Mr Andrews had suggested parts of regional Victoria would possibly be released from lockdown earlier, if the outbreak tracked the right way.
Victoria reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 from community transmission in the 24 hours to Sunday, all linked to existing outbreaks.
In his Sunday press conference Mr Andrews said it was still too soon to know if the state would be released from lockdown as planned on Tuesday night.
He said Mildura, in far north western Victoria, had reported a positive COVID-19 case.
"It is I'm afraid not the day for us to be announcing parts of regional Victoria being let out of this lockdown, or operating under different rules," Mr Andrews said.
"We take no joy from the fact that there was a case in Mildura today
"That just confirms I think for all of us ... that this moves quick. A problem anywhere, becomes a problem everywhere unless you've got rules on that are hard and fast."
Mr Andrews thanked every Victorian isolating after visiting exposure sites.
"You're playing a really important part in keeping the rest of us safe," Mr Andrews said.
"The sacrifices you're making, the contributions your making, is about avoiding lockdowns in every part of our country."
Mr Andrews continued to urge anyone with any symptoms to come forward for COVID-19 testing.
Earlier
SIXTEEN new community COVID-19 cases have been reported in Victoria from the previous 24 hours, as the state enters its third day of a snap lockdown.
It's a small drop from Saturday, when the state reported 19 new cases, 18 of which had been infectious in the community.
Sunday's figure brings the outbreak's total to 59. All new cases are linked to the current outbreaks.
Two new COVID-19 cases were reported in hotel quarantine.
Victorians have been warned the state's lockdown may last longer than the initially-announced five days, depending on case numbers and exposure sites.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said on Saturday that Victorians needed to ready themselves for what might emerge on Sunday and Monday.
Victorians have been urged to check COVID-19 exposure sites, with authorities saying it was the most important thing they could do.
The Department of Health now lists more than 200 exposure sites, including several on Phillip Island, and the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas.
Exposure sites are also scattered throughout Melbourne, stretching into regional Victorian areas such as Ballan and the Bacchus Marsh College bus interchange.
On Saturday about 10,000 close primary contacts of positive cases were in isolation.
A total 53,283 COVID-19 tests were received in the 24 hours to midnight.
A total of 16,751 vaccine doses were administered.
A full list of exposure sites is available on the Department of Health website.
With AAP.
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