Daniel Andrews calls for "ring of steel" around Sydney as Victoria records 14 new cases

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the comments this morning during his daily COVID-19 update during which it was revealed the state had recorded 14 new locally acquired cases of the coronavirus overnight.

"We need a ring of steel around Sydney so that this virus is not spreading into other parts of our nation," Andrews said.

"Let's focus on fixing what's going on in Sydney, let's focus on not spreading what's going on in Sydney across the rest of our country - we'll finish up with the whole country in lockdown.

"The last thing I want is Victorians to see off this second Delta outbreak, only to have further incursions because what's been going on in Sydney has not been contained to Sydney."

It comes as Victoria records 14 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which three were infectious in the community and one is still under investigation.

"We now have 75 per cent plus of our new cases isolated, no risk to public health, no risk to anyone else," Andrews said.

"That's a triumph of the work that our entire public health team is doing, but its also a testament to about 20,000 people who are at home, isolating, to keep everybody else safe."

The state conducted circa 43,500 tests yesterday which Andrews says gives health authorities a "pretty complete picture of what's going on".

The Premier has encouraged Victorians to continue to get tested to give him confidence that lockdown restrictions can ease next week.

"It's very difficult for us today, on Friday, to predict what will happen next Tuesday at midnight," the Premier said.

"But I would say that the trend is with us - these results are very encouraging."

Updated at 12.29pm AEST on 23 July 2021.