Australia’s most famous GP has signed an open letter demanding an end to Victoria’s stage-four lockdown, claiming it is causing “disproportionately enormous” harm when judged against the good being done in the attempt to contain COVID-19.

Addressed to the state’s premier, Daniel Andrews, and signed by 12 other doctors, Professor John Murtagh’s letter says that while the virus is highly contagious, it is of “limited virulence”.

The resulting deaths remain a “relatively small proportion” of the 114 deaths that occur on average in Victoria each day, they write.

They add that most deaths from COVID-19 had so far occurred in aged care, where “causal factors” — including isolation, loneliness and related diminished nutritional intake — have contributed.