More doughnuts for Victoria as testing sites ramp up at popular holiday spots
The doughnut is not a traditional Christmas food, but perhaps it will become one after this year – in Victoria anyway.
Nearly 5000 Victorians were tested for COVID-19 on Christmas Day but no cases were recorded, giving the state its 57th consecutive double "doughnut day" of no new infections and no coronavirus-related deaths on Boxing Day.
There were also no new cases among people from overseas or interstate in hotel quarantine.
The total number of active cases in the state remains at 10; nine overseas arrivals in hotel quarantine and one 15-year-old girl who caught the virus in NSW last week who remains isolated at home.
Nearly 2000 people spent Christmas Day in hotel quarantine, including 48 people who arrived in Melbourne from Greater Sydney or the NSW central coast since border controls were re-instated in the wake of the northern beaches COVID-19 outbreak.
About 140 Australians were expected to land at Melbourne Airport on Christmas Day.
For those heading to the coast for the holidays, coronavirus testing sites have been set up at Torquay, Lorne, and on the Mornington Peninsula.
"There has been an excellent response to our call for testing over the past week with higher than expected numbers of people getting tested, but we must remain vigilant over the festive season and anyone with symptoms is urged get tested immediately," the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.
"COVID-19 testing remains one of the best ways we can keep people safe and stay open and enjoy a COVID-safe summer."
There will be reduced capacity of some testing sites until January 2, however, more than 60 sites will remain open throughout the summer break.
No one who has been in the northern beaches area, Greater Sydney or the NSW central coast since December 11 is able to freely travel to Victoria, with those who arrive at the road border turned around and air arrivals put into hotel quarantine.
Victorians are still being advised not to travel to Sydney as they may be forced to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine upon their return home.
with Rachael Dexter
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