Cases in Victoria on the rise: citizens have to be cautious
Speculations are rife to see if Victoria has begun to reverse its second wave of COVID-19. This will determine if a more rigid lockdown is needed. There has been a jump in the number of cases in the last week which has renewed the concern regarding the existing policies and restrictions.
The cases rise in numbers
It has been three weeks since Victoria has been under Stage 3 restrictions. The authorities will now determine if the stay at home measures had a lasting impact. The numbers are increasing, and there were 363 active cases last Sunday. The number of healthcare workers who have tested positive in the last few days has gone up to 429. It is evident that community transmission is taking place as almost three hundred cases have been reported in public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington.
Call for action
Premier Daniel Andrews said that the citizens and the authorities should practise more caution as the death toll rises. He added that further analysis is only possible after a full 14-day incubation cycle. He said that more tests are being conducted and people should not panic by looking at the numbers. It is difficult not to let the numbers cause anxiety as the regional Victorian cases have risen from 263 on July 8, to a whopping 348 cases at the end of the month. Cases have doubled in Geelong within 48 hours, and other pockets show similar data.
Mr Andrews has reassured the citizens that he is keeping an eye on the regional case, but the collective decision is not to extend the restrictions yet. The public health system is battling every single day, and he requests the ones who can afford to stay in to do so.
The 39th Victorian to die in the COVID-19 pandemic was a woman in her eighties who lived in a care home. There are more than thirty people who have been infected and need intensive care. The demand for respirators has shot up as more people require it in the hospitals. The state’s hospital currently has more than a hundred patients who are COVID-29 positive. There are around 2913 active cases across the state at the moment.
Citizens have to be more responsible
Wearing a mask has been made mandatory in Victoria. Anyone above the age of twelve has to wear a mask while stepping out and it is advised that kids wear masks too. The Premier has expressed his disappointment after listening to the reports of price gouging on disposable facemasks. He encouraged people to do the right thing and not think of profiting from other people’s pain. The government is trying to make arrangements of two million multi-use masks, out of which some will go to the stockpile. Anyone who breaks the rule will face a $200 fine.
Police have fined the people who rented an Airbnb apartment for partying. The fine was more than $30,000 as they had disobeyed the strict order of staying at home. The number of Victorians who flouted the laws in 24 hours rose to a point where the officers had to charge a total of 138 fines. The Premier has asked the youth to understand the gravity of the situation and the elders to stay at home. He appealed to the people breaking the rules to realise that they are not only putting themselves at risk but also affecting the wellbeing of others. The recent deaths have been in older people as per the latest reports, but the young are susceptible too.
