Covid 19 coronavirus: Victoria records 148 new cases, eight more deaths

The new daily infections announced by the state’s health department was 116, but with 17 cases from previous days reclassified due to duplication, the net daily increase was only 99 cases.

Andrews also revealed plans on Monday to extend Victoria’s state of emergency for a further 12 months until September 2021, which prompted fierce backlash from the state Opposition and high-profile former premier Jeff Kennett.

Andrews said the current state of emergency in Victoria expired on September 13, but he intended to introduce a bill to parliament to extend that until at least September 2021.

“An act of the Victorian parliament provides for a maximum of six months for the running of that state of emergency,” he said.

That is the legal instrument that allows the government to enforce rules about face masks, about Covid safe work plans in workplaces large and small, density limits in pubs and cafes and restaurants, requiring positive people to isolate at home.

We simply can’t have those important roles in the legal framework that sits behind them end on September 13.

“We will extend the state of emergency provisions within the public health and wellbeing act for a maximum of a 12 months. So that means it will be a total of 18 months.”