Victoria records 246 COVID-19 cases as regional restrictions may ease

Victoria has recorded 246 new cases of COVID-19 as the state races to vaccinate people to curb the spread of its Delta outbreak.

Contact tracers have so far linked 121 of the new cases to existing outbreaks, but the number of cases who were in the community while infectious is no longer being reported each day.

The new cases resulted from 42,258 test results processed on Sunday, when 29,955 vaccine doses were delivered at state-run sites.

Last week the Victorian government shifted away from trying to reach zero cases of coronavirus in the community, and is instead focusing on keeping case numbers as low as possible while getting people vaccinated.

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged that restrictions may ease this week in regional areas that have seen very few or no cases during this outbreak.

More than 60 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and above have now had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Once 70 percent of eligible people have had at least one vaccine dose, the government has flagged a minor easing of restrictions for Melbourne residents.