Victoria records 148 new coronavirus cases and another eight deaths as pressure mounts for Dan Andrews to end the lockdown
- Victoria on Tuesday recorded 148 new cases of the virus and eight more deaths
- Toll is lowest in space of a day since August 15 when there were four fatalities
- Deadly respiratory virus has claimed 423 lives in Victoria since pandemic began
- Follows premier saying state of emergency will remain in place for 18 months
Victoria has recorded 148 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths as the pressure on Premier Daniel Andrews’ draconian stage four lockdown continues to increase.
The daily death toll figure is the lowest since August 15 – when there were just four fatalities.
Tuesday’s announcement by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services takes the number of deaths from the virus in the state to 423.
The premier will provide further details on cases and deaths confirmed in Victoria over the past 24 hours later in the day.
Victoria has recorded 148 new cases of COVID-19 and just eight deaths as the pressure on Daniel Andrews’ draconian stage four lockdown continues to increase. Pictured are masked pedestrians walking near Melbourne’s Tan on Monday
Mr Andrews said on Monday Victoria’s State of Emergency would be in place for 18 months and lockdown restrictions would be extended beyond September.
This is despite the state recording its lowest rise in COVID-19 infections in seven weeks with 116 new cases and 15 additional deaths on Monday.
Mr Andrews said the state could not afford to lower the restrictions, and would extend the State of Emergency to 18 months in September, giving the government the power to impose further lockdown restrictions.
‘It is not an unlimited extension, it is nothing more than a recognition that this virus won’t be over on September 30,’ the premier said.
‘I would love nothing more for there to be no need for any rules on September 14, but I don’t think that is the reality.’
Enraged former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett on Monday accused Mr Andrews of seizing ‘dictatorial powers’ after the decision extend Victoria’s state of emergency into next year.
Mr Kennett, who was Liberal premier between 1992 and 1999 and is widely credited for transforming the state’s economy, issued a blistering attack on the Labor incumbent and accused him of ‘destroying’ Victoria.
A police officer speaks to a man wearing a face mask on Chapel Street in Melbourne’s inner-city on Monday
A health worker performs COVID-19 testing at a drive-through clinic in Ballarat in regional Victoria on Friday
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was called a ‘megalomaniac’ after saying he would extend a month of tough lockdowns which reduced the daily new infection rate from more than 700 on July 30 down to 113 on Monday
‘The premier said today he may keep the state of emergency until we have a vaccine – we may never have a vaccine,’ Mr Kennett told Sky News.
‘Are we all going to be locked up at the whim of the premier? Without any checks and balances?
‘This is an act of a megalomaniac.’
More to come