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The number of fines issued by Victoria Police for breaching coronavirus restrictions has increased substantially at the start of the Easter long weekend, as the state's death toll from the pandemic reaches 14.
Key points:
- The latest patient to die from COVID-19 was a man in his 80s
- Police issued 183 fines for breaching coronavirus restrictions
- An L-plater was issued a fine after breath-testing three-times the legal blood alcohol limit
A police statement issued this morning said in the 24 hours to 11:00pm last night, officers working on Operation Sentinel had issued 183 fines while conducting 893 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services.
Police issued only 98 fines during a similar period on Thursday, 78 on Wednesday and 114 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, State Health Minister Jenny Mikakos revealed on Twitter that a man his 80s with COVID-19 had died in hospital, bringing the number of people to die from coronavirus in the state to 14.
"My thoughts are with his family," Ms Mikakos said.
She said there were 118 confirmed cases that may indicate community transmission and 44 people in hospital, including 15 in intensive care.
Ms Mikakos said 986 people had recovered from the virus and more than 67,000 Victorians had been tested.
People continue to party despite coronavirus restrictions
The State Government and police have repeatedly called on Victorians to stay home during the long weekend — including those legally allowed to visit holiday homes they own — in order to consolidate the state's success in the struggle against the coronavirus.
"With three dedicated operations running across the state this weekend (Operation Sentinel, Operation Nexus and Operation Shielding), Victoria Police has a highly visible presence on the streets, roads and around our biggest retail precincts to identify blatant breaches of the Chief Medical Officer's directives, as well as dangerous driver behaviour," a police spokesman said.
Police said examples of breaches identified during the period included:
- Seven mates found drinking within a schoolyard
- Multiple instances of private gatherings at residential properties
- Four women caught partying at a short-term rental property
- Five people intercepted in a rideshare vehicle
Fines for breaching the Chief Health Officer's directions were also issued to offenders on top of other matters including dealing drugs, the spokesman said.
A learner driver was fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions and drink driving after crashing his car at Keysborough in Melbourne's south-east overnight.
An off-duty officer reported a car hitting traffic lights on the Dandenong Bypass around 10:30pm and then saw the two occupants remove the number plates.
The 21-year-old driver was breath tested and returned a reading of 0.135.
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
Police also found the learner driver was not being properly supervised.
The Queensland man was fined $1,600 for breaching coronavirus restrictions and charged with drink driving and refusing to a take a drug test.
He will also have to pay the traffic lights repair bill.
A number of the fines related to a protest yesterday in which refugee activists drove a convoy past a hotel in Melbourne's north where refugees and asylum seekers are being detained.
Police arrested one refugee activist and fined 26 others a total of nearly $43,000.
Passengers on stricken Antarctic cruise now on their way to Melbourne
Meanwhile, the coronavirus-stricken Greg Mortimer cruise ship, which is carrying more than 100 Australian passengers and crew, has been allowed to dock in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Passengers will start disembarking soon and a special medical charter flight is set to take off from Carrasco airport this afternoon (Australian time) for Melbourne, where they will enter quarantine.
More than half of all those on board the ship have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and a few remain in hospital in Uruguay.
They've been stranded for weeks after leaving from Argentina on March 15 on an Antarctic cruise. Uruguay initially refused to let the boat dock due to the number of sick people on board.
"Uruguay will be completing a complex but necessary humanitarian mission," Uruguayan Foreign Minister Ernesto Talvi said.
Passengers say the cruise company's insurance is covering the $15,000 cost per person of the flight to Melbourne.
What you need to know about coronavirus:
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