Tate Papworth
Brimbank’s COVID-19 crisis has deepened with active cases topping 500 and outbreaks continuing to grow.
There are currently 526 active cases within Brimbank, more than any other municipality in the country.
Out breaks at the JBS abattoir in Brooklyn and Ardeer based aged care facility Estia Health have also continued to climb.
The troubling outbreak at Estia Health climbed by 11 on Sunday, bringing the total to 82, while the JBS outbreak has grown to 71.
Keilor Downs College was also closed for a third time due to a case.
Over the weekend Woolworths’ Braybrook store was closed early for a deep clean after a staff member tested positive.
Sunday marked Victoria’s deadliest day since the pandemic began with 10 deaths, including a man in his 40s, recorded.
He was one of seven men to die, all aged from their 40s to their 80s.
Three women aged in their 70s and 80s also died on Sunday.
While the state recorded its largest number of new cases on Monday with 532 and six death.
With numbers continuing to remain high, Premier Daniel Andrews refused to rule out extending current stage three restrictions.
“These things change rapidly, but we have to say these numbers are far too high,” he said.
“Whilst there is some relative, and I stress the term “relative” stability, and I mean we are not seeing the doubles and doubling again which is what the modelling told us we would have be dealing with, we’ve got to drive these numbers down.
“We are approaching the halfway mark. We’ve been clear that it would get worse before it got better, but stability had to be achieved before we would start to see numbers fall.”
The Premier pleaded with those refusing to wear a face mask or follow restrictions to reassess their behaviour.
“If you’re just making a selfish choice about your alleged personal liberty, quoting something you’ve read on some website – this is not about human rights,” he said.
“There are 10 families that are going to be burying someone in the next few days.
“Wear a mask. It’s not too much to ask.”
