Thread by @10NewsFirstMelb

#BREAKING: Acting Premier James Merlino is giving a #COVID19 update, but is first addressing the #vicfloods. "More than 4,500 requests for assistance over the last 24 hours until 9am, more than 1,700 have been cleared. Vic Emergency is showing 17 warnings for flood watch advice"

On the couple in Qld, if they were relocating then "it is not a breach of directions here in Victoria but we just don't know." #covidvic

#BREAKING: Merlino says "Masks will continue to be required to be worn OUTDOORS in all circumstances" which is a change from the new rules announced yesterday #COVID19Vic

Deputy CHO Allen Cheng says officials do not know where the 4 cases reported today - all one household in Reservoir - "acquired the infection from" #COVID19Vic

Cheng: "None of them has given a history of being at an exposure site. The first man, a man in his 80s, was tested on 8 June and got his result yesterday. The other member of the household tested positive yesterday as well." #COVID19Vic

Cheng: "We're already tested several close contact of these cases outside of the household and they've all come back negative but obviously will remain in quarantine." #COVID19Vic

On the cases that drove to Queensland, Cheng: "The 2 cases in Queensland are a couple both in their 40s. They live in metropolitan Melbourne." #COVID19Vic

Cheng, still on the Qld cases: The first case would have been infectious "from about the time that they left home, noting that they left early on 1 June. We're aware that one of the cases had checked in to Craigieburn Central shopping centre on 23 May" #COVID19Vic

Cheng: "so at this stage, we're not sure if either of them might have been in the shopping centre or at exposure sites close by but noting that we have had 9 cases linked to that shopping centre to date." #COVID19Vic #covidqld

On how #delta variant spread into the community, Cheng says there are 4 theories still "case was infected by someone on the plane, that the case transmitted after his time in hotel quarantine, the case transmitted to a staff member somewhere along their journey..." #COVID19Vic

Cheng continues: "...and then out to the community or the case transmitted to a hotel resident who has transmitted out to the community after their quarantine stay." #COVID19Vic

Cheng, again on Qld cases: "We don't think the Queensland cases have any exposure sites in Melbourne and we've managed to quarantine and test the close contacts of the Reservoir family, so the opportunity to spread further is limited." #COVID19Vic #covidqld

On masks, Cheng says: "masks will continue to be mandatory in all settings outside the home in metropolitan Melbourne. We know masks are effective and it's a small thing we can do to help prevent infection, dispending on how we mover again." #COVID19Vic

Testing commander Jeroen Weimar says the new cases today, from Reservoir, will become a new "cluster" with new exposure sites - including Marco fine food and groceries in Reservoir, BP servo in Thomastown, Coles at Bundoora Square, and the Bunnings in Thomastown. #COVID19Vic