VIC CRISIS CABINET

Our Neville joins Andrews’ COVID-19 squad

BELLARINE MP Lisa Neville will join Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ crisis cabinet as the state looks to implement tougher measures despite a slowing spread of coronavirus.

As the state’s death toll climbed by one to seven yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrew announced the formation of the eight-person cabinet.

It will operate until at least September 30 and be made up of Mr Andrews and State Government ministers James Merlino, Tim Pallas, Jacinta Allan, Jenny Mikakos, Jill Hennessy, Martin Pakula and Ms Neville.

While the spread of the disease in Victoria appears to be slowing, Mr Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton have again stressed there was no room for complacency.

The Premier expects he will eventually announce a move up from this week’s stage three lockdown restrictions. But there are no details yet on what stage four might involve.

“I think there will be a stage four. When I’m in a position and when I need to make those announcements I will,” he said.

Earlier yesterday, Professor Sutton confirmed a man in his 80s died while in intensive care on Thursday night, bringing the state’s toll to seven.

“We have another seven who are currently in intensive care at the moment so it is a serious situation,” he told Channel 7.

Another 49 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the state’s total to 1085.

Prof Sutton said there had been some flattening of the curve — the rate at which people are becoming infected — but more needed to be done.

“We have gone from doubling our numbers every three or four days to now doubling every seven days, so that’s an improvement,” he said. “But we don’t want to be doubling every seven days ongoing. We need to keep at it and continue to flatten that curve.”

Prof Sutton said the number of new cases was expected to reduce in line with the drop in international travellers but community transmission was the concern. At least 62 cases were acquired through community transmission, up from fewer than 30 a few days ago.

“It’s the physical distancing that we’re putting in place which is going to make a difference in that regard,” Prof Sutton told Nine’s Today Show.

“These people aren’t easy to identify. They could be on the streets now and many of them might have mild symptoms and so, therefore, not think that they’ve got coronavirus when in fact they do.”

Three of the seven COVID-19 deaths in Victoria had been patients at The Alfred hospital, the facility confirmed on Thursday.

This is Victoria’s first weekend since harsher social distancing laws were implemented and come with a ban on all but the most basic outdoor activities. All recreational activities beyond basic exercise are not allowed during the pandemic, with fishing, hunting, boating, camping and golf among the banned activities.

“No recreational fishing trip, no trip to the golf course is worth someone’s life,” Mr Andrews said.

AAP