Thousands of Victorians refuse testing despite hotspot lockdown

Melbourne: Authorities in Victoria will spend the weekend closely tracing new cases of coronavirus and send more postcodes into new lockdowns if the crisis cannot be contained.

The challenge to control the new outbreak in Melbourne has been amplified by fears of a super spreader and the growing number of people refusing to be tested.

Patrols will continue this weekend throughout the postcodes where 300,000 people have been forced into new lockdowns, as Premier Daniel Andrews warns more may face the same restrictions in the coming days.

“I know it is frustrating, I know it is very challenging, and people would prefer not to be in the circumstances we are in, I understand that,” Mr Andrews said.

“Many hours over the weekend will be spent analysing, considering, discussing back and forth what the status of other postcodes are and then we’ll have further announcements to make if we need to be based on what that data tells us.”

Victoria on Friday recorded 66 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 2368.

More than 10,000 people who have refused to be tested in Melbourne’s hotspot suburbs, including some who believe coronavirus is a conspiracy, tormenting authorities as they battle to control the outbreak.

Super-spreader suspected

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said a “super spreader” of the virus may be behind the spike in Victoria’s infections.

“There seems to be a single source of infection for many of the cases that have gone across the northern and western suburbs of Melbourne,” Ms Mikakos said.