The fatalities include one woman in her 70s, one woman and three men in their 80s, one woman and three men in their 90s.
Of the deaths, eight were linked to aged care outbreaks.
The state’s death toll has risen to 675 while the total number of deaths nationwide from coronavirus is now 762.
There are 266 Victorians in hospital, including 25 patients in intensive care and 17 people on ventilators.
“Our thoughts are with those impacted,” Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.
There are 1781 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria, including 259 among healthcare workers.
“Those numbers continue to fall and that is good news,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
In regional Victoria, there are 95 active cases. The problematic corridor of Greater Geelong has recorded no new cases today.
Today’s new cases numbers are the fewest recorded in the state since June 26, when 40 cases were reported.
‘This strategy is working’
Mr Andrews has given hope to Victorians following yesterday’s lockdown extension announcement, saying the state was on track to defeating the virus.
“On 5th of August, we had 725 cases. On the 7th of September, we have 41 cases. These numbers are coming down, this strategy is working. We are bringing a sense of control to this and we’ll drive these numbers down further,” he said.
“I’m grateful, I’m proud of every single Victorian and the work they’re doing, without that, we simply can’t keep driving these numbers down.
“The sacrifices that we are making, all of us, are worth something.”
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton says September 28 is locked in when it comes to easing stage four restrictions, however there is scope for bringing the next step forward if case numbers proved safe to do so.
“I think we would always go through a process of review,” Professor Sutton said.
‘Everyone would welcome an earlier opening rather than a later one. I just don’t want to, you know, be giving that promise in advance of knowing how we’re tracking.”
The Victorian government is not calling the roadmap out of lockdown an elimination strategy, but rather a pathway to prevent a third wave.
Mr Andrews has defended his four step plan and said opening Victoria up too soon could trigger a third wave.
Professor Sutton admitted the newly announced restrictions were “not easy” on mental health, but the state simply had no other choice.
“It is a long road ahead and it’s not easy from a mental health point of view for anyone and so I think we have always been cognisant of what it means to have these restrictions in place,” he said.
“Equally, what’s the alternative? We have done this modelling to understand what it would mean to lift at an earlier point in time, to lift at different numbers, and going into another lockdown, I think, would be even more devastating for a mental health point of view.”
Permits will no longer be required for childcare from September 28, proving case number markers are met.
“Assuming that we have cases between 30 and 50 in terms of average cases, at that trigger point, we will move to that next step and consistent with onsite child care, in-home child care will also be permitted. There won’t be a need for a permit,” Mr Andrews said.
With frustration rising, Victoria’s contact tracing system has again come under criticism.
Yesterday Victoria reported five deaths and 63 cases.
9news
