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Victoria has recorded six new cases of coronavirus on the first day of its fifth lockdown of the pandemic.

The lockdown was announced late on Thursday and will restrict Victorians to a 5km bubble around their homes, with a few exceptions, and effectively limit trips to solo visits to the shops for essentials and exercise.

Ten new cases were recorded in the 24 hours to midnight. Four of the cases in the official tally on Friday were revealed on Thursday including two infections from an exposure site at the Geelong versus Carlton game at the MCG on July 10.

There were 33,129 COVID-19 test results processed in the 24 hours to midnight on Thursday, and more than 17,188 people received their vaccine doses.

Exposure site list grows

The list of exposure sites has grown to include AAMI Park after a person with coronavirus attended the Wallabies test match against France on Tuesday.

The venue has been closed for deep cleaning. Thousands of others who attended the game have been asked to monitor for symptoms. Patrons in high-risk seating areas will be contacted directly by the Department and be required to follow different advice.

Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula has also been added as a tier 2 site with a case visiting the KFC for a short time on Monday night. If you were at the venue from 9pm until 9.15pm health authorities have asked you to isolate until you receive a negative test result.

Chemist Warehouse in Frankston, on Cranbourne Road, was also added to the list as a tier 2 site after a case attended the Karingal shop on Monday. Time periods between 5.40pm – 5.50pm and then later, from 8.30pm to 8.50pm, have been added.

The Salvo store in Bundoora on Plenty Road has been listed as a tier 1 exposure site. If you went to the shop between 11.45am and 1pm on Tuesday test immediately and quarantine for 14 days.

Banyule City Council offices in Greensborough (level 3, 1 Flintoff Street) have also been listed as a tier 1 site.

“An individual who attended our Greensborough office on Monday 12 July 2021 has returned a positive COVID-19 test result,” the council’s website says.

The Ms Frankie restaurant in Cremorne is also listed as a tier 1 site after a positive case attended on Tuesday night and anyone there between 6pm and 7.45pm has been asked to get tested and quarantine for 14 days.

Other sites in Williamstown, Point Cook, Craigieburn, Oakleigh and Carnegie have also been added the list.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp has expressed the frustration many Victorians feel at the latest lockdown but also the sense that it’s better to have tougher restrictions to head off the spread of the virus rather than ongoing uncertainty

She said many small businesses were struggling and some could fail during the state’s fifth lockdown.

“It is deflating and frustrating to find ourselves once again in lockdown in Victoria. But we do know what it takes, we do know what to do here in Victoria and we need to think that lockdown five is about going hard and getting out fast,” she told the Today program

“We don’t want to be in lockdown but if we’re going to be, we need to rally like we have before to do the right thing and get out of this as quickly as possible.”

Cr Capp also touched on the ongoing sniping between different jurisdictions and the debate about whether NSW received preferential treatment from the federal government.

“I think there’s got to be a sense of fairness. There’s got to be a sense of national commitment,” she said.

“[Lockdown] weighs on people’s financial resources but it’s more than that – it’s the emotional and mental and the energy that’s required just to keep going.

“If we can feel that sense of coordination, and cooperation between levels of government, and know that they’re focusing all of their energy into what’s best for the people of Australia, that could be fantastic.”

Federal financial support deal

A deal was struck on Thursday night between the federal and Victorian governments on financial support for the latest lockdown.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday morning that Victoria’s lockdown was the second in about a month.

“These are very trying days, not just for the people of Victoria, but for the more than 5 million people across New South Wales who this morning are also subject to lockdown orders,” he told the Seven network.

“Our country will get through this. Importantly, we’ll be stronger at the end of this crisis.”

More to come

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