Victoria has recorded its biggest day ever of COVID-19 infections.
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There were 2,297 cases recorded in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday, comfortably the biggest day on record.
There were also 11 deaths recorded.
There was a massive 82,762 cases returned.
The huge spike in numbers followed seemingly steady numbers in terms of new infections.
There was 1571 yesterday, 1466 cases on Tuesday, 1612 on Monday, 1890 new cases on Sunday and 1965 cases on Saturday.
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Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday hinted the next step towards opening up Victoria could happen ahead of schedule.
Melbourne is set to exit lockdown on October 26 and regional Victoria will encounter a slight easing of restrictions once the state hits 70 per cent double-does vaccination levels.
However, that could potentially be brought forward with projected vaccination rates about five days ahead of schedule.
An announcement on the possible easing of rules is expected later this week.
Meanwhile, Victoria's health boss is open to throwing off the shackles of Melbourne's COVID-19 lockdown before next weekend and possibly jettisoning a ban on home visits.
The state is on pace to reach its 70 per cent double vaccination target ahead of the indicative date of October 26, triggering the end of Melbourne's long- running sixth lockdown.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed a decision could be announced as early as this weekend based on firmer vaccination projections as well as intensive care and hospital case numbers.
Under the state's COVID-19 roadmap, home visits were set to be banned until 80 per cent of its 16-plus population received both vaccine doses.
But Professor Sutton said he was open to tweaking home gathering restrictions at the 70 per cent mark.
"We've always said, if we can do more, we will do more," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday afternoon.
"We're acutely aware of home gatherings leading to spikes and that was definitely a feature of (the AFL) grand final. They were people that didn't normally come together.
"It's different for families. If we can limit numbers, if we think the epidemiology looks okay, (I'm) absolutely open to that as well."
Victoria recorded 1571 new locally acquired infections and 13 deaths on Wednesday, the state's deadliest day of its third wave.
Prof Sutton noted the Doherty Institute modelling forecasts hundreds more deaths in coming months as restrictions ease across the state.
"The reality is our seasonal flu, year-on-year, causes an estimated 3000 excess deaths in Australia," he said.
"That's what we live with every year with flu. So we need to minimise to the fullest extent possible the deaths that we can."
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