Victoria has recorded 867 new cases of Covid-19 and four further deaths, ahead of a slight easing of restrictions.
Photo: AFP
The deaths of four more people with Covid-19 brings the toll of the Delta outbreak to 29.
The cases were detected from 49,450 test results, and it brings the number of active infections in the state to 9261.
The Department of Health has also added 140 new infections to the total reported yesterday, and nine to the total reported on Sunday.
The department said it "became aware that a number of Covid-19 test results were incorrectly recorded by a third-party software vendor supporting a private vendor".
"These results included 9 cases reportable on 26 September and 140 cases reportable on 27 September. Those 149 cases are reported in today's numbers - meaning today's actual case number is 867," the department said.
The department had initially reported 705 new infections yesterday from tests taken on Sunday, and 779 a day earlier.
More clarification on the software error and how the infections will be reported is expected later today.
The state is nearing its goal of having 80 percent of those aged 16-plus with at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, and some restrictions will ease from midnight.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the state was expected to reach the 80 percent single-dose goal later today.
"Today we pass an important milestone," he said.
There were 35,160 doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered in state-run centres yesterday, and the total number will be updated later today.
From 11:59pm tonight, the 10-kilometre radius will lift to 15kms in Melbourne and locked-down Mitchell Shire and there will be slightly more freedoms for recreation.
Residents in those areas will also be able to undertake "contactless" recreation at outdoor facilities, such as boating, tennis or golf.
Premier defends pace of roadmap
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Andrews defended the differences between New South Wales and Victoria's approaches to ending lockdowns and easing restrictions.
Both states have key restriction changes coming into effect once 70 and 80 percent of people are double-dosed, but NSW's approach allows greater freedoms at 70 percent, such as home visits, the opening of indoor retail and hundreds of people at outdoor events.
Andrews said both states were "working toward the same goal".
"That is, to manage the number of people who will finish up in our hospital system, to care for them appropriately, but to not have our nurses given an unfair fight," he said.
Taking a subtle dig at the fact New South Wales was given more Pfizer allocations during the peak of its outbreak, Andrews said Victoria may have the advantage of being able to learn from NSW's experience of opening up, because the neighbouring state would reach its double-dose targets sooner.
The head of the federal government's vaccine task force, Lieutenant-General John Frewen, last week reassured all the states and territories they would receive the doses of Pfizer they were promised for October.
The allocations should give Victoria enough supply to cover all of the 12-plus population, and could allow the dose intervals between vaccines to be reduced.
Currently, Pfizer vaccines at state-run hubs are being given six weeks apart to manage limited supply, or three weeks apart at GP clinics.
Andrews said authorities were "certainly looking" at reducing the intervals between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which could bring forward the dates the next targets are hit.
He said the ability to do that was dependent on confirmation on promised supply, saying there was "a little bit of a wrinkle" in allocations for the final week of October. That is in contrast with General Frewen's earlier assurances the allocations were finalised.
"If we can reduce that dose interval, that will mean we get more people through the gateway, that second dose gateway," he said.
"That may give us more options and bring forward some of the timelines."
- ABC
