VICTORIA'S state of emergency is being extended for another four weeks to give the government the powers it needs to keep slowing the spread of coronavirus and save lives.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the extension to midnight 11 May 2020 to continue the measures designed to 'flatten the curve' of coronavirus.
The state of emergency was originally due to expire on 13 April.
The Wimmera has again had no new confirmed coronavirus cases, of which there have been nine overall. The region has not seen any new cases since Wednesday.
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Statewide, only three new cases were confirmed, marking a dramatic reduction after weeks in which there have sometimes been hundreds of new cases a day.
There were no COVID-19 related deaths overnight in Victoria, though the Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed someone died in quarantine from other causes.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
Under a state of emergency, authorised officers can act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health by detaining people, restricting movement, preventing entry to premises, or providing any other direction an AO considers reasonable to protect public health.
The month-long extension will ensure the government can continue its strict enforcement of social distancing, isolation and other vital directions put in place by the chief health officer to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Mr Andrews said improvements in transmission rates were no reason to become complacent.
"If we relax now, our hard-won gains will evaporate and people will die," he said.
There are only four reasons to leave your home at the moment, Mr Andrews said. They are: food and supplies, medical care and caregiving, exercise, and work or education.
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