Victoria’s seven-day COVID-19 case average has fallen further after the Australian state recorded 303 new infections and four more deaths.
The state’s leader, Premier Daniel Andrews, has revealed more than 200 so-called mystery cases with an unknown source.
The figures were released in the morning on Aug. 15 and reflect the past 24 hours in Australia’s worst-hit state.
The four further deaths take the state’s toll to 293 and the nation’s to 379.
The deceased are a female in her 80s, two males in their 80s, and a female in her 90s, two of whom are linked to aged care.
More than 100 deaths in Victoria have come in the past week alone.
There remains 661 people in hospital in the state and 41 in intensive care, with 28 of those on a ventilator.
There are 3,383 cases with an unknown source, an increase of 206 since Friday.
But Andrews noted it was a “very, very big increase” but reminded people contact tracing is finalised in batches.
“It does take time to try and work out, try to exhaust all possible sources, and then to declare that case a mystery case,” he told reports on Saturday.
“I would not read too much more into that, it is simply the product of multiple days’ work being brought to book, as it were, recorded in our numbers.”
Saturday’s figure is second-lowest daily reported in Victoria this month after 278 cases on Thursday.
Daily case numbers are gradually decreasing, with the seven-day average down to 344 from 521 a week ago.
But authorities warn there is more progress needed before lockdown restrictions can be eased.
Melburnians remain subject to strict night-time curfews, time-limits on outdoor exercise, the distance allowed from home, mandatory public mask-wearing, and shutdowns of non-essential industries.
Regional Victorians are living under stage three restrictions.
Callum Godde
