COVID cases have spiked in Melbourne, the most locked down city in the world

New coronavirus infections urged to record levels, with 1438 new cases recorded on Thursday.

Health officials have blamed illegal home gatherings to watch a key sporting event for the spike as a hard lockdown to combat the spread of the Delta variant neared two months.

Authorities in Victoria, home to Melbourne, estimated nearly a third of Thursday’s 1,438 new infections could be traced back to home parties last weekend to watch the AFL grand final last week.

Officials admitted Thursday’s numbers, a 50% jump to Wednesday’s 950 cases, is a “major setback” in managing the flare-up, as they race to vaccinate the state’s 5.5 million adult population.

Melbourne has been named the most locked-down city in the world

Today’s five deaths include a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s from the local suburb of Whittlesea, a man in his 70s from Moreland and a man in his 60s and another man in his 90s from Hume. 

Mr Andrews said hospitalisations would continue to climb as virus cases surge in the state.

Authorities also announced that Victoria will change its Pfizer vaccination first and second dose interval from six weeks to three weeks at state hubs.

People within the state were already eligible to get their second Pfizer dose after three weeks at GPs, but the premier said following “certainty of supply” the state was able to bring forward the interval period at state-run clinics.