RESTRICTIONS on the number of people allowed in cafes, bars and restaurants are returning to Victoria.<\/p>\n
The state recorded 21,997 new COVID-19 cases.<\/p>\n
Density limits will be reintroduced from tomorrow, health minister Martin Foley announced today.<\/p>\n
The new one person per two square metre rule for indoor hospitality and entertainment venues comes after one in three people who got tested returned a positive result.<\/p>\n
Cinemas and theatres, where people are seated and masked, will be exempt.<\/p>\n
The latest figures include six new deaths, and a rise to 631 people in hospital. There are 51 people in intensive care and 22 on ventilators.<\/p>\n
Mr Foley will also sign off on a new category of COVID-19 contact today.<\/p>\n
Anyone who returns a positive rapid antigen test is being classified as a “probable case”.<\/p>\n
He said the category, made official from midnight, would impose the same obligations and rights on people who have a positive PCR test, including access to clinical support and State and Federal financial support.<\/p>\n
“The goal is to make sure that we have less time at testing centres and that, as a result, people focus more quickly on the thing that is most important – getting through that COVID infective period and getting better with the support you need as quick as possible,” he said.<\/p>\n
It comes a day after National Cabinet agreed people who record a positive result from a rapid antigen test will no longer have to get their results confirmed by a PCR.<\/p>\n
Mr Foley said he appreciated the shortage of rapid antigen tests was causing transitional issues.<\/p>\n
Victoria has ordered an extra 10 million rapid tests, taking the total number headed for the state to 44 million.<\/p>\n
The first of those are expected to be deployed in coming days, though it’s unclear how they will be distributed.<\/p>\n
By 9am today there were 35 state-run PCR testing sites closed because they were over capacity.<\/p>\n
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