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Victoria has recorded 989 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths as thousands return to Flemington Racecourse for the first Melbourne Cup with crowds since the pandemic began in 2020.

As thousands of punters and racing fans flock to the grounds in Melbourne’s inner-west, the state’s daily coronavirus fell below the 1000 mark – more than 450 cases fewer than Monday’s tally of 1471 cases.

Diana Chan, Crystal Kimber, Bruce Keebaugh, Montana Cox and Christian Petracca start celebrating early.Credit:Joe Armao

It is the first time since September 29 daily coronavirus cases have dropped below 1000.

Crowds have been capped at 10,000 spectators, as part of the state government’s vaccinated economy trial. Victoria Racing Club members will make up 70 per cent of spectators with the rest of the tickets going to horse owners, corporate sponsors, trainers and the general public.

The state is on track to ease further restrictions and welcome larger crowds later this month, with more than 81 per cent of Victorians over the age of 16 now fully immunised against COVID-19.

More than 92 per cent of people in that same age bracket have received the first dose of the vaccine.

There were 48,002 coronavirus tests processed on Monday, while 16,158 people rolled up their sleeves for a coronavirus jab at a state-run vaccination hub.

There are now 19,409 active coronavirus cases across the state. Of those, 667 are in hospital, 127 are in intensive care and 76 are on a ventilator.

Casey, Wyndham, Greater Dandenong, Melton, Hume, Brimbank, Shepparton, Whittlesea, Wodonga and Latrobe are among the local government areas with the highest number of recorded infections.

After 19 months of disruptions caused by the pandemic, quarantine-free international travel for vaccinated Australians resumed on Monday.

A total of 25 international flights flew in and out of Melbourne and Sydney airports on Monday, as dozens of excited Australians lined up at the check-in desks and arrived back on home soil.

Keely Briggs could have never imagined she would get stuck in South Korea for nearly two years when she flew there from Victoria to teach English in January 2020.

Her ordeal finally came to an end on Monday, when she rolled into Melbourne Airport’s international arrival hall and into the arms of her family.

“It was perfect timing; I had no idea that this would happen, and then one thing after another [meant] I just had to stay there,” she said after her Cathay Pacific flight touched down just before 1pm. “It doesn’t feel real.”

Monday also marked the first day rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 became available for at-home use in Australia, following a ruling from the Therapeutic Goods Administration last month.

The testing kits, which cost between $10 and $30 and provide a result in as little as 15 minutes, are available for purchase in pharmacies.

They will also become available at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets across Victoria from Wednesday, with Woolworths selling them at the customer service desk.

People who return a positive rapid antigen test result will be required to get a regular PCR test and isolate until they get their results.

Three new exposure sites were added to the growing list of risk locations on Monday after COVID-positive cases were identified as having attended the venues.

The sites include:

• Quality Hotel Sherbourne (terrace and gaming room) on 109 Wyndham Street in Shepparton between 12pm and 1.30pm on October 28.
• Shiraaz Indian Restaurant on 48 Malop Street in Geelong between 4.15pm and 5.30pm on October 24.
• Fernwood Ballarat on 102 Lydiard Street North in Ballarat Central betwen 4pm and 5.45pm on October 27.

Anyone who was at the venues at the same time as the COVID-positive patrons and is fully vaccinated should get tested immediately and quarantine for seven days from exposure.

Those who were are the venues at the above times but aren’t fully immunised should get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days.

with Patrick Hatch

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