Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews says 100,000 people will be tested for COVID-19 over two weeks before a decision is taken on easing stage three restrictions.
Key points:
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said anyone with symptoms, including mild symptoms such as a scratchy throat, should get tested
He said he was "open" to allowing students to return to classrooms before term three if evidence supported the move
Premier Daniel Andrews said one new case of COVID-19 was confirmed overnight and the death toll remained at 17
"This is the biggest public health testing program that our state has ever seen and it will give us the data that will underpin the options that we will have in just a couple of weeks' time," Mr Andrews said.
"Health workers, aged care workers, people with symptoms, even the mildest symptoms, should come forward and get tested.
"I do want to foreshadow, not all restrictions will be coming off, no matter what the results of these tests [are]. The risk would be far too high.
"Keep following the rules and get tested, that's the biggest, most powerful contribution you can make to the fight against this virus."
The state has carried out 104,000 tests since January.
Mr Andrews said "ramped-up testing" would need to continue for "weeks and months to come" but flagged that no restrictions would be eased before May 11 when the state of emergency officially ended.
"I know that won't be the news people want to hear but the key point here is we need to stay the course," he said.
"This is working. This is working so well that many other countries around the world would swap with us in a heartbeat."
The Premier said there were 1,349 cases of coronavirus in the state, which included one new case in Victoria.
One case from Victoria's total was shifted to the tally in New South Wales.
The death toll in Victoria remains at 17.
"We send our best wishes to each of the families dealing with that tragedy," Mr Andrews said.
There are 23 people in hospital including 11 in intensive care.
A private psychiatric inpatient facility, the Albert Road Clinic, will close for two weeks after another person was diagnosed with COVID-19.
More than 160 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the past two days on staff, patients and doctors.
One new case was identified, bringing to 17 the total number of cases at the clinic.
Seven patients have tested positive but it is not clear if the new case is a patient or member of staff.
Patients who were not well enough to be discharged were transferred to the Alfred Hospital while the clinic is closed.
People with 'mild' symptoms should get tested
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said it was "really critical" that anyone with symptoms, no matter how mild, was tested.
"A scratchy throat, a runny nose, and symptoms that aren't that common such as a loss of smell," Professor Sutton said.
"It is an inconvenience to step up and get tested. But this is the kind of sacrifice we make to help us all in this battle.
"There's a greater level of confidence I can have the more tests that come in. If we can get to 100,000 tests in the next two weeks it means … I can have a very good picture of what's occurring in the state.
"That means the decisions around the lifting of restrictions can be made. The greater the data means that can be made with more confidence and we won't be surprised by a resurgence in an area that we haven't looked at.
From ABC News
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