Victoria marks deadliest day of pandemic

Victoria has marked its deadliest day of coronavirus deaths, with another six Victorians dying overnight.

The state's COVID-19 death toll has risen to 55, as Victoria records 300 new coronavirus infections.

The Victorians who tragically lost their lives include three people aged in their 80s and three in their 90s, all connected to an aged care setting.

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Victoria's total virus tally has surged to 7405 cases.

"Our best wishes, our condolences, our thoughts and our prayers to the families of those six individuals," Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton warned that more people are expected to die as cases escalate in the state.

"I have always expressed concern about the fact that whether you have hundreds of new cases a day, there are several people expected to die in the following two-week period," Professor Sutton said.

There are a number of other younger individuals also hospitalised with COVID-19 across the state.

Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

"Some of those people who are in intensive care and on ventilators are younger individuals," he said.

"That is an absolute tragedy and of course we are working in whatever way we can to drive those numbers down."

Professor Sutton also clarified rules for hospital visits in Victoria following concerns a woman's partner or support person could not stay longer than a 2-hour period.

"The direction states that support person or partner can stay as long as is desired and needed for the labour and birth process, as long as is required. That is not limited at all.

"For subsequent days post-delivery, there is a visit limit of one person for two hours," he said.

Defence Force called in to check in self-isolators

Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed to knock on people's doors who have tested positive to coronavirus but have failed to answer calls from the Department of Health.

The new initiative comes after about 25 per cent of people were dodging calls from health authorities after being diagnosed with the virus.

Victorians who are positive to COVID-19 will be called by health authorities first and then called again within two hours.

If they do not answer, the ADF will proceed to doorknock the person's house. There will be 28 ADF teams deployed to support the move across the state.

Members of the ADF and Victoria Police work together at a vehicle checkpoint.

"This is about going that extra step to make sure that we cannot just call but we can connect and have that meaningful interaction, get that interview done and then begin the process of tracing contact," Mr Andrews said.

He also warned Victorians who have tested positive to COVID-19 will be fined if they are found to be not at home.

"If you were door knocked and you were not found at home, then you are in breach of the orders because you are a positive case and you should be at home," he said.

"So that would almost certainly lead to you being fined.

"You will have some very clear explaining to do as to why you are not at home isolated because you have tested positive."



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