Victoria has recorded its largest jump in coronavirus cases overnight – with 23 new patients recorded.
Twenty-three more cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Victoria, taking the state’s total number of positive tests to 94.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the jump in cases on Tuesday, Victoria’s largest overnight increase, along with the closure of Toorak Primary school following a positive test.
Schools have not been told to close but some private schools across the state – such as Ballarat Grammar, Carey Baptist Grammar School, Loreto Mandeville Hall, St Kevin’s and Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah College – have decided to shut their gates.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton argued the decision not to close schools was based on how the disease presented in children, and to avoid busy health and emergency workers being forced to look after their children.
Some of Victoria’s biggest universities are moving classes online after a state of emergency was declared in Victoria to deal with the spread of COVID-19.
La Trobe, Monash and Swinburne universities announced on Monday night that from Tuesday all classes will be suspended until the end of the week so staff can prepare for online learning.
Swinburne University will pause lectures until next week, while those at La Trobe and Monash will be recorded and made available online.
If forced to close its campuses, La Trobe said all fixed-term and continuing staff would be paid, while casual staff would be paid for up to four weeks, based on the work they would have performed if not for the shutdown.
A state of emergency was declared on Monday to enforce the national 14-day isolation sanctions on all travellers coming into Australia, announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the weekend.
Anyone returning from overseas will have to self-isolate or risk fines of up to $20,000, while police officers will have the power to can detain people, restrict movement and prevent entry to premises.