ACT downgraded to orange zone by Victoria as quarantine requirement relaxed

People entering Victoria who have been in the ACT will be subject to rules under the orange permit when the new declaration comes into effect, a downgrade from red zone requirements.

Anyone who has been in the ACT in the last 14 days must apply for a permit to enter Victoria, isolate upon arrival, get tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arriving and stay isolated until receiving a negative result.

People who enter Victoria from an orange zone without an exemption still face a fine of up to $5452 and could be sent back or placed in hotel quarantine.

The easing of restrictions came as the ACT recorded another 46 cases of coronavirus as it prepared to end its nine-week lockdown from midnight on Thursday.

Victoria recorded 2277 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday, the first time any Australian jurisdiction has recorded more than 2000 cases in a single day.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said he understood that number would create some anxiety in the community, as the state continued its path to reopening.

"These numbers are not what everyone wants and I know that people will be feeling anxious about them," Mr Merlino said.

"But they are in line with the modelling and our goals are still our goals."

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Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said the state would continue to pursue its roadmap to reopening despite the surge in cases.

"We have, fundamentally, a very important agreement with the Victorian community: you get vaccinated and we will open up," he said.

Melbourne's hard lockdown will end once the state is 70 per cent fully vaccinated, which is expected to happen in about one week.

ACT residents have been banned from entering Victoria without an exemption and without undergoing 14-day quarantine since the state declared it a red zone along with NSW in July.

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