Victoria has posted another day without local coronavirus cases as interstate and international borders start to reopen after its recent outbreaks.
The state has 51 active COVID cases, including two new infections in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
Tuesday’s results came from just over 13,000 tests – a fairly low number ahead of an expected further relaxation of the Victorian virus measures later this week.
“We will be making an announcement about further easing of restrictions later in the week, as we have done in the last few weeks,” Acting Premier James Merlino said.
“The next step, or next few steps for Melbourne, an easing of restrictions across regional Victoria, we will see shortly.”
Other jurisdictions are also beginning to welcome Victorians again, with South Australia and Queensland announcing on Tuesday morning they will open their borders from Friday – just in time for the school holidays.
“[Chief health officer Jeannette] Young is comfortable with where Victoria is at,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
Travel to New Zealand is also back on the agenda for Melburnians from midnight Tuesday.
NZ grounded quarantine-free travel from Victoria in May, as the Melbourne outbreaks expanded. With new community case numbers slowing to a trickle in recent days, the country’s Ministry of Health has given the green light for travel to resume.
Some restrictions still apply for would-be trans-Tasman travellers.
People who have visited a location of interest – where a potentially infected person has also travelled – in any state must not travel to New Zealand within 14 days of visiting that site.
Tasmania has also lifted travel restrictions with Melbourne after slamming the border shut more than three weeks ago. The city was reclassified as low risk from 12.01am on Tuesday.
“This follows the extensive measures taken by Victorian health authorities over recent weeks to get on top of several outbreaks,” Tasmania’s public health director Mark Veitch said.
A travel ban remains in place for people who have been to specified “hot spots” in Victoria at certain times.
The Northern Territory has also reopened its borders to travelling Victorians.
Western Australia is yet to move on restrictions for arriving Victorians.
-with AAP
