Coronavirus Vic Updates

The new variant has sparked a second surge of infections with hospitalisations increasing across Victoria.

Dr Clare Looker will replace Sutton, who began the role in 2019 and led the state through the entire COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 cases are continuing to climb week on week in Queensland but have stabilised in other states as Australia sees its fourth wave peak.

Victoria has recorded a 3.4 per cent rise in new COVID cases in the past week, but hospitalisations and deaths have jumped.

There are growing calls for the Victorian Government to follow New South Wales in waiving COVID-19 fines issued during the pandemic.

Case numbers and hospitalisations have increased in both states over the past week.

It comes as Aussies are warned to brace for a fourth wave of the virus.

A trial has been listed for a group suing the Victorian government over its controversial decision to lock down nine public housing towers.

Victorians who test positive to COVID-19 will no longer be legally required to report their results, under changes coming in on Thursday.

Every person that attends COVID-19 testing sites over the next four to six weeks for a COVID-19 test will be given a box of 10 masks.