Victoria has recorded three new local cases of COVID-19 and one infection in hotel quarantine as the list of exposure sites continue to grow across the state.
More stores at one of Melbourne's busiest shopping centres have been added to the exposure list, with a confirmed case now visiting Cotton On, Kmart, Mecca, Myer and a range of other shops at Westfield Southland on December 22.
A positive case also visited Kmart on December 28.
https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1345854435751325696Kmart Burwood, Ikea Springvale, Puffing Billy and Federation Square are also some of the latest locations added to the alert list.
The new cases, all linked to the Black Rock outbreak, come as three local infections were also detected a day earlier.
There are 36 active cases in the state, with 24 connected to the cluster in the city's bayside suburb.
There are 311 primary close contacts self-isolating who are being interviewed by the health team.
More than 32,000 test results were received yesterday, despite hundreds of people in long testing queues reportedly being turned away in Melbourne.
As of 9am this morning, there was already a three-hour wait at the Albert Park testing site.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan today said the huge number of test results received yesterday was "very strong".
"We are really proud and pleased of these results today," she said.
"We still have a way to go because we want to reach those zero days."
Testing commander Jeroen Weimar said the state was boosting its testing capacity, with site hours extended and extra locations set up due to high demand following the outbreak.
"I am going to ask people to continue to persevere with us," he said yesterday.
An additional 10 new pop-up and drive-through sites have opened at the following locations:
- Monash Health - Kingston Heath Soccer Club, Cheltenham
- Eastern Health - East Ringwood Reserve (former Maroondah Club), East Ringwood
- Aquadome - Lakes Entrance, Lakes Entrance
- Monash Health - Don Tatnell Leisure Centre (Parkdale), Parkdale
- Central Gippsland Health Service, Sale
- Latrobe Regional Hospital - Drive Through, Traralgon
- Wantirna Trash and Treasure Market (Wantirna), Wantirna
- Knox Private Hospital, Wantirna
- State Basketball Centre, Wantirna South
- West Gippsland Healthcare Group, Warragul
People who have visited high-risk exposure sites during the dates and times listed on the DHHS website must get tested immediately.
Victorian health authorities are aiming to have the state's coronavirus cases drop to zero by the weekend.
The ambitious goal also hopes for restrictions to be eased by mid-January, including the limit on visitors to households and the wearing of masks indoors.
Hotline crashes, concerns over DHHS delay
The state's COVID-19 hotline has crashed with several Victorians stranded over the border in NSW being hung up on due to an onslaught of calls.
An automated message said no one was available to answer before the line cut out.
About 2200 border exemption applications have been received, with just 175 processed.
Concerns have also been raised over a lag in the Department of Health and Human Services informing business owners of a positive case.
Owner of Grape and Grain Liquor Cellars John Tei told Today DHHS took several hours to alert him that an employee had tested positive to COVID-19.
The department informed him last night, despite the business owner finding out about the positive case yesterday morning.
Mr Tei said he was "frustrated" and "confused" by the delay of information.
All other staff returned negative test results.
"I just would love to know the direction I need to take," he said.
"I have, of course, closed the bar and taken a lot of things on myself.
"But from my understanding, we are all close contacts and all isolating at the moment."
Ms Allan said health teams were working hard to notify people of virus infections as soon as possible.
"The DHHS team, whether they're working on the testing program, the tracing program ... they are working very, very hard around-the-clock so we can provide the best possible information to the Victorian community," she said.
"That information is being drawn from the extensive interviews that have are happening around-the-clock with the primary close contacts, and that is harvesting us a huge amount of information that is being put on the website as soon as possible."
Premier Daniel Andrews today admitted this was not the start to 2021 Victorians had hoped for.
"This isn't the start to the New Year anyone wanted," he wrote on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1345835596262981632"After 60 days of zero cases and a Christmas spent together, Victorians could be forgiven for thinking – hoping – it was all over. But this virus was never going to just go away.
"As hard as it is, we all have to kick back into gear and get on top of it. If you've returned from NSW, please follow the individual directions you received from the department.
"If you have symptoms, however mild, get tested and stay home until you receive your results."
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