The Informer: Victorian authorities hopeful cases are stabilising

It might not sound like overtly 'good news' but in a week of surging cases and a month of dire announcements, we'll take it.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said today while the figures were still too high, it was expected case numbers would begin to drop within the next two weeks.

"We are at 400-500 cases each day, more or less the average over the last week," he said.

"That is not good enough but it's a positive that we have averted an exponential increase through the last couple of weeks."

The state recorded 466 new COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths on Saturday, with the latest victims a man in his 30s, two men in their 70s, two men and three women in their 80s and four women in their 90s.

As coronavirus infections among Victorian healthcare workers rise daily, premier Daniel Andrews promised the state has adequate supplies of personal protective equipment.

There are 998 active cases in the sector with nurses and aged care workers the most heavily represented.

Despite the optimism from the Victorian health officer, West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said it could be a year before the state opens its borders to Victorians.

"It's a long way away. I can't put a date on it, but it is certainly months," he told reporters. "As to whether it's before the end of the year, as to whether it's before the middle of next year, I cannot put a date on it."

In what was a wet winter weekend for many on the east coast, emergency service were put under pressure as flooding threatened already damaged regions.

NSW's south coast in particular was hit with the downpour, with services responding to more than 200 calls and conducting seven rescues on Saturday.

Right across the country, stay dry on Sunday. If that's not possible, stay safe instead.

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