Four new COVID-19 cases linked to Victorian abattoir
The COVID-19 outbreak at Cedar Meats is Victoria's worst.
Victoria’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen again, with with four of the ten new cases linked to an outbreak at the Cedar Meats facility.
The news comes as Victorians wait to learn what freedoms will return after the weekend.
Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to make an announcement on lifting restrictions on Monday, but has been careful to say the pandemic is not over.
Victoria’s coronavirus tally is a 1477, with just over 100 of those being active cases.
“Let’s not give everything back, let’s not throw away all the progress we have made by letting our frustration get the better of us,” Mr Andrews said Friday.
The current restrictions remain in place until then – and I trust everyone will keep doing the right thing over the weekend.
We’ve come so far and Victorians have given so much.
Now is not the time to throw it all away because our frustrations got the better of us.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) May 8, 2020
He will announce changes on Monday – the day the state of emergency lifts – but warned social distancing rules would remain at the end of May.
He is considering the national “menu” of changes available to states after Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled a three-step plan to reopen Australian society and the economy.
Under stage one of the plan agreed by national cabinet, cafes, restaurants and shops are permitted to reopen, with public gatherings of up to 10 people allowed.
Police Minister Lisa Neville has urged organisers to cancel two protests planned for Sunday in the city, as they are breaches of the lockdown rules.
-with AAP