Victoria's new wave of coronavirus cases has likely been contained despite expectations that case numbers will continue to rise, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has said.
"The advice from the Chief Health Officer only late last evening is that while we expect more cases today… the Chief Health Officer's view is that the number of cases are contained," Mr Hunt told a press conference this morning.
However, ongoing caution and further testing were required to confirm these results, with the health minister urging anyone with even the mildest of symptoms to get tested.
READ MORE: Where to get tested for coronavirus in Victoria
More than 48,000 coronavirus tests were conducted Australia-wide yesterday and 20,000 of these were in Victoria.
The Australian Defence Force - which is sending over 1000 personnel in assist with Victoria's response - would work with health authorities to further ramp up community testing and improve hotel quarantine processes to prevent a recurrence of the current outbreak.
Victorian health authorities are currently working on developing a suburb-by-suburb breakdown of coronavirus hotspots.
"As soon as they are able, they will release those figures," Mr Hunt said.
Victoria has already released a list of six high-risk Local Government Areas in suburban Melbourne which a currently experiencing a wave of community transmission.
READ MORE: A breakdown of Victoria's coronavirus hotspots as Australian Defence Force called in to assist
Authorities locally and interstate are warning against travel in or out of Casey, Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin.
The health minister today also defended his health department's response to the pandemic, saying Australia's response has been "as good as anywhere in the world".
He credited Australia's success in tackling the coronavirus crisis to the close relationship between politicians and health authorities, including having the Chief Health Officer embedded into the National Cabinet.
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