Regional Victoria has once again been plunged into lockdown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From 1pm today, regional Victoria will be returned to lockdown, but will not be subject to the curfew.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the Shepparton outbreak was "very concerning" and there was evidence of cases travelling to other parts of regional Victoria including Bendigo.
"Sadly the public health team has advises given the Shepparton outbreak... there is a very significant risk of transmission right across Victoria," he said.
A permit system is being introduce to access childcare in metropolitan Melbourne.
IN OTHER NEWS:
48 of the cases are linked to known outbreaks, 13 are mystery cases.
The Department of Health said an additional 16 local cases - all from Shepparton - had been recorded on a rapid PCR testing platform and would be reported in tomorrow's numbers.
Across the border Murrumbidgee Local Health District has revealed a Lachlan Shire resident has tested positive to COVID-19.
It comes as 17 cases of COVID were detected in Shepparton, days after COVID fragments appeared in the town's wastewater.
The source of the infection and how it reached Shepparton is still unknown.
Yesterday, Mr Andrews refused to rule out locking down regional Victoria.