Victoria suffers 75 new cases of coronavirus in 24 hours

Victoria has recorded 75 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the state government announced today. 

Only one case is a traveller in hotel quarantine, 14 are linked to known outbreaks and 37 were picked up through a testing blitz of ten ‘hotspot’ Melbourne suburbs.

Twenty-three of the cases are still being investigated amid fears the state is suffering a second wave of the deadly virus. 

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton blamed the outbreak on people failing to quarantine when sick – and said suburb lockdowns were being considered.

‘What we are seeing is transmission across settings because people are still going out with symptoms,’ he said.

‘Outbreaks are occurring across multiple households, across work and other settings.’ 

Asked about new lockdown orders, he said: ‘The public health directions changing the law is something we have to consider because we have to do whatever is required to turn this around.’ 

Six of the new cases are believed to be from community transmission, health minister Jenny Mikakos said today. 

‘Obviously we’re concerned by the increase in number,’ Ms Mikakos said. 

Over the weekend the government launched a ‘testing blitz’ of ten hotpot suburbs in Melbourne. 

On Sunday Victoria recorded 49 new cases, the highest number since April 3.