Yesterday, 2,357 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services. The total number of doses administered through state-run services is 4,889,917.
94.2 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 92.0 per cent have had two doses. This excludes the most recent Commonwealth data.
There are 310 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria - 74 active cases in ICU, with 37 of those on a ventilator. There are an additional 41 cleared cases in ICU.
Victoria was notified of 1,069 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. All cases were locally acquired. The 10 Local Government areas with the highest number of new cases are Hume, Casey, Brimbank, Moreland, Whittlesea, Melton, Kingston, Wyndham, Glen Eira and Mornington Peninsula.
All locations containing new cases will be published today at Victorian COVID-19 data.
There are 11,393 active cases in Victoria. The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 135,959.
Sadly, the Department was notified yesterday of two deaths of people aged in their 70s and 80s. This brings the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 1,416.
67,312 COVID-19 tests were processed yesterday. The total number of tests performed in Victoria since the pandemic began is 15,942,760.
There are currently more than 28,400 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
Updates
Omicron cases under investigation
There are no new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Victoria.
There remain three confirmed cases in total. One of the positive cases is a returned traveller who was previously identified with the Omicron variant while in Hotel Quarantine. The other two cases sat together in the same row on a flight that landed in Melbourne from Dubai on 30 November.
Genomic sequencing is also underway to confirm the variant for seven other probable cases who have tested positive for COVID-19.
All Victorians can play their part in reducing the spread of Omicron - or any other variant - by getting tested the moment they notice symptoms or as soon as they are told they are a contact, and practising COVIDSafe behaviours such as wearing masks, physical distancing and checking in.
Extreme risk countries
From 11:59pm tonight, fully vaccinated travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, or Mozambique will no longer be required to undertake 14 days in Hotel Quarantine.
Travellers arriving from these countries will follow the rules applying to travellers arriving from other countries. If fully vaccinated, or if aged under 12 and 2 months, they must self-quarantine at home or private accommodation for 72 hours, get tested within 24 hours of arriving, get tested again between days 5 and 7 after arriving, and observe restrictions on entering sensitive settings.
To see the testing and quarantine requirements for international travellers entering Victoria, visit Information for overseas travellers. This page will be updated at 11:59pm in line with new orders.
Third dose booster interval reduced
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended a five month interval between second and third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, reduced from six months.
The Commonwealth is leading the national COVID-19 booster dose program with support from the states and territories. While booster doses are available through state-run vaccination centres, the Commonwealth expects the majority of doses to be delivered through GPs and community pharmacies.
We encourage everyone to come forward to get their COVID-19 booster shot so you can continue to protect your family, friends and the broader community.
