Covid cases creeps up

Two new active coronavirus have been reported in Casey City, according to the state’s latest health data.

The council’s area now stood at 58 cases – with two new infections recorded in the past 24 hours to 21 May.

Elsewhere in the southeast, Greater Dandenong and Cardinia recorded 16 confirmed cases respectively – however, both council areas had zero active cases.

State-wide, there have been 1581 cases. Of them, 1473 people have recovered.

Confirmed community transmissions stand at 168.

Ten Covid-19 patients are in hospital including five in intensive care. Eighteen Victorians have died of the virus.

There are four new cases since 20 May – three are household contacts linked to the Cedar Meats outbreak, taking the total number of cases in the outbreak to 106.

However, three cases have been removed from Victoria’s total, meaning the net increase was just one. Two were reclassified due to duplication and one case was transferred interstate.

There were no new cases related to outbreaks at aged care facilities. There were no further cases linked to the McDonald’s Fawkner outbreak, with the total number of cases in that outbreak remaining at 12.

“Today’s increase in cases illustrates once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against COVID-19 is far from over,” said Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton.

“Restrictions around some activities have now been eased in Victoria in recognition of the current low rate of community transmission of this virus.”