Victoria records one death as states COVID-19 cases climb to record number for 2021

One Victorian with COVID-19 has died, as the state recorded 567 new coronavirus cases, a record for the year and an increase of 50 on the previous 24 hours.

The Department of Health said 50,915 test results came back in the 24 hours to midnight on Thursday.

People are seen walking and having picnics at Treasury Gardens on Sunday.Credit:Asanka Ratnayake

There are now 5,675 active cases in the state.

The figures come after Premier Daniel Andrews outlined a significantly slower and more cautious path out of COVID-19 lockdown than NSW, with only those who are fully vaccinated able to feel the benefit of easing restrictions and a timeline that stretches out to Christmas.

The Burnet Institute modelling on which the road map is based predicts up to 4000 infections per day, several thousand deaths and a hospital system stretched by new admissions at the end of December as freedoms increase.

Health Minister Martin Foley, Premier Daniel Andrews and Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton on Sunday announced the road map out of COVID-19 restrictions. Credit:Darrian Traynor

The road map was welcomed by health experts, but Victoria’s business lobby groups say they are bitterly disappointed at the pace of reopening, adding that shop workers are bracing for an upsurge in customer aggression if they have to exclude unvaccinated customers.

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) said it was “gutted” by Sunday’s announcement.

High-risk exposure sites grow in Melbourne’s north and regional Victoria

Health authorities released several new COVID-19 exposure sites overnight â€" most of them in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and country Victoria.

Keilor Primary School was listed as a tier-1 site with three different listings between 9am and 4.20pm on September 14, 15 and 16, meaning patrons who were there at that time should get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.

In Caroline Springs, in Melbourne’s west, the prep to year 12 school campus of the Australian International Academy was listed as tier 1 for September 14 and 16.

Mernda YMCA Early Learning Centre is also a tier 1 site, from 6.30am to 3.30pm on September 13. And in Brunswick, the Royal Stacks hamburger outlet has been designated tier 1 for September 10, 11 and 12.

There were more than a dozen tier 2 sites listed overnight, with contacts in this category directed to get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result.

They include a chemist, supermarket, veterinary surgery, service station and fish and chips outlet in Kyneton, in central Victoria.

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