Victoria has recorded seven new cases of COVID-19 today and no new deaths.
The city’s rolling average has now dropped below five, to 4.6. And the average for regional areas remains at 0.2.
Premier Daniel Andrews said of the seven new cases, six are linked to cases associated with the Northern metropolitan outbreak.
The remaining case is a healthcare worker.
He said more than 1000 test results needed to be processed first to ensure a cluster had not grown.
Health authorities are aiming to test thousands of residents this weekend in order to clamp down on two school clusters in the city’s north following seven new COVID-19 cases yesterday.
The hike in new cases of community transmission cast doubt on whether the Premier would go ahead with easing lockdown restrictions ahead of the original November 1 target.
Mr Andrews said the state was “still optimistic” some restrictions would be lifted today.
Today’s test results will determine which restrictions are eased.
One case was found in each of the suburbs of Banule, greater Dandenong, Maribyrnong and Wyndham.
Among the new cases is a student at East Preston Islamic College (EPIC) – the third case to be directly linked to the school so far – and another attends Croxton Specialist School in Northcote.
The Croxton School student is a member of a family of four who have all now tested positive for coronavirus, including a sibling who attends EPIC, but contact tracers have so far been unable to link that family to the other EPIC cases.
All students, parents and staff members from both schools are being urged to take a COVID-19 test immediately, regardless of symptoms, and remain isolated until receiving the results.
