Victoria records seven coronavirus deaths since yesterday, marking the deadliest day for the state since the pandemic began, as 300 new COVID-19 infections are detected.

Victoria has recorded seven coronavirus deaths since yesterday, marking the deadliest day for the state since the pandemic began, as 300 new COVID-19 infections were detected.
Key points:

• The deaths take the state coronavirus death toll to 56 and the national tally to 140
• The Chief Health Officer says further restrictions are not needed at the moment
• People who “want to party” were among 101 fines issued yesterday, the Police Minister says

Two men and two women were aged in their 80s and two men and one woman were aged in their 90s.
The health department said five of the deaths were linked to aged care homes.
A growing number of coronavirus infections are now linked to nearly 40 aged care facilities across Victoria in what the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called “a most worrying and difficult time”.
Six deaths is a new single-day record in Victoria, and comes after a record-high of five deaths was announced yesterday.
Seven deaths were recorded nationally on April 7, the highest daily national toll.
It brings the national coronavirus death toll to 139, and the state toll to 55.
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Of the 300 new cases, just 51 were connected to known outbreaks and 249 were under investigation.
Premier Daniel Andrews said while the cases announced today were lower than the 403 announced on Thursday, no-one should be “trying to provide definitive commentary that we’ve turned corners or we’re at a peak or any of that”.
There are now 206 Victorians with COVID-19 in hospital, including 41 in intensive care, and there have been warnings young people will not be spared by the virus.
Amid concerns about the system being overwhelmed by the number of cases, hundreds of Defence personnel have been called in to help with contact-tracing efforts.
St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner is now connected to more than 70 coronavirus infections.(ABC News: Rudy De Santis)
‘Significant stresses’ on aged care workforce
Workers have been brought into Victorian aged care facilities from interstate as part of the Commonwealth’s coordination of the sector’s response to COVID-19.
At least 447 active cases in the state have been linked to aged care, with at least 50 residents being transferred to hospital due to outbreaks.
Many aged care workers are in isolation after being exposed to or contracting the virus.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the ‘relative’ stability of coronavirus numbers is positive news.
Federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck told ABC Radio Melbourne more than 400 staff had been brought in to Victorian homes in the past few weeks.
But the AMA is calling for the Federal Government to intervene and further coordinate the response, with president Tony Bartone saying there were now “significant stresses” on the workforce.
“This is a sector that was already under the pump before COVID-19 came around, and certainly COVID-19 has really stretched all available workforce resources,” he said.
Dr Bartone said it was “a most worrying and difficult time” as case numbers rose and more deaths were recorded at aged care facilities.
“COVID-19 has really ratcheted up the urgency and the need and the risk to those residents like never before, and we’re seeing the outcomes of that now,” he said.
“That’s why I’m concerned. That’s why I’m worried.”
No immediate plans for a stage four lockdown
Mr Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton again confirmed there were no immediate plans to move to tougher “stage four” restrictions, despite recent calls from the Australian Medical Association.
Professor Sutton said mandatory face coverings “may well be a game changer” and he wanted to see how numbers track in coming weeks.
Wearing face coverings is now mandatory for most people in lockdown zones.(ABC News: Simon Winter, file photo)
“Masks are our stage four, in a way,” he said, adding that health authorities were focussing on areas where transmission was occurring.
“A broad sweep of a shutdown of industry carries with it its own harms.
“It’s not to say that [stage four] is not on the table if that’s what is required, but the epidemiology is telling us that that is not the case.”
Mr Andrews said the restrictions imposed on Metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire had already had an impact.
“What we do know for a fact is that if we had not gone to these stage three stay-at-home restrictions, we would not be reporting 300 cases per day, we would be reporting thousands of cases per day,” he said.
Fines issued for refusing to wear masks
Police issued 101 fines yesterday for breaches of coronavirus restrictions, including a $9,913 fine issued to a gym owner in Hume who continued operating.
Facts about face masks
“It’s people who decide they still want to party, people who have decided they want to continue to go to brothels, people who have decided that the gym can continue to operate,” Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
“And of course people who have decided to go into unrestricted areas.”
Police have pledged to use leniency for the first seven days of a mandatory mask rule for Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, but issued 16 fines for failing to wear a face covering.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the breaches included a man who refused to wear a mask even after one was provided to him by police and another man who said coronavirus was a conspiracy theory.
Pregnancy rules clarified after confusion
Amid the growing number of coronavirus cases in the state, Victoria yesterday tightened restrictions on visitation to hospitals and aged care settings.
For most patients and residents there can now only be one visitor, for one hour, once a day.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos yesterday said people giving birth could only be accompanied by a support person or partner for the duration of the birth and the subsequent two hours.
However, after confusion, the rules were today clarified to confirm partners or one support person can stay by the side of the mother and child for any period of time.
“If a support person or partner stays continuously [after the birth] there is no limit in the time that that person can stay,” Professor Sutton said.
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