Here we go again: Victoria to enter five-day lockdown from midnight

The Victorian government has announced that the entire state will enter a snap lockdown for five days from midnight tonight.

The decision is in response to the growing COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria, with the total number of cases now at 18, with two more revealed this afternoon. These new cases are in addition to the two recorded this morning.

Three of the four new cases announced today are understood to have caught the virus while attending an AFL game at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

“We have 75 exposure sites, 1,500 primary close contacts and 5,000 secondary close contacts and 5,000 secondary close contacts,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said at a press conference this afternoon.

“I want to assure all Victorians that our contact tracers and public health experts, all the team are moving faster than they ever have, doing a brilliant job.

“I am very proud of them and grateful. As fast as they are moving, they are keeping pace with this virus, not getting in front. Unless we get in front, we won’t drive these numbers down stop they will ultimately get away from us.”

Andrews said the lockdown will be similar or identical to the one Victoria went through a couple of weeks ago.

“If you are authorised to work then, you will be authorised to work now. If you were close then, you will be closed now,” he said.

“It is essentially a repeat of the successful strategy from a couple of weeks ago.

“That was successful then and this will be successful now.”

More to come.