There are 438 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria - with 17 active cases in ICU, including 7 on a ventilator, and an additional 7 cleared cases in ICU.
6,269,197 vaccine doses have been administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services, with 1,267 doses administered yesterday at state-run centres.
68 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have had 3 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 94.6 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over have had 2 doses.
7,608 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded yesterday. This includes 5,174 who tested positive on a Rapid Antigen Test and 2,434 who returned a positive result on a PCR test.
Sadly, the Department was notified of 18 deaths yesterday in people aged in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. This brings the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 3,702.
There are 40,700 active cases in Victoria.
22,987 PCR tests were processed yesterday. The total number of PCR tests performed in Victoria since the pandemic began is 21,275,050.
Updates
Increased Omicron BA.4/BA.5 detections in wastewater
The prevalence of Omicron strains BA.4/BA.5 in Melbourne and regional wastewater catchments has increased to 12 per cent, up from 4 per cent on 21 May.
The increase in BA.4/BA.5 wastewater detections indicates a higher prevalence of these strains in the community. This is likely due to their greater ability to evade immunity from vaccination and earlier COVID-19 infection. There is no evidence to suggest they cause more severe disease.
The Omicron BA.2 strain remains the dominant variant in Victoria. The BA.2.12.1 strain continues to be detected at low levels.
The Department of Health will continue to monitor the situation.
Protecting yourself and others during winter
As winter is here, it is important that we keep doing the things that keep us all safe.
Ensure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and that you get vaccinated against influenza.
Masks are strongly recommended in shared indoor settings, if you can't physically distance, or you are with those more vulnerable to COVID-19. Improve ventilation by opening doors and windows, using fans or purifiers, and gathering outside where possible.
Face masks are still required for everyone aged 8 and above in some locations, including on public transport, rideshares and taxis, and in sensitive settings such as hospitals and care facilities. They are also required by household contacts in quarantine who meet the criteria for leaving home. More details at When to wear a face mask
