Victoria was notified of 66 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. 65 were locally acquired cases and one was detected in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine.
There are 440 active cases in Victoria - 437 locally acquired and three overseas acquired cases.
There are 27 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. 12 cases are in intensive care and five cases are on ventilators.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 21,455.
Update: New restrictions
To see more information on new restrictions, visit Lockdown Across Regional Victoria To Keep Us Safe and COVIDSafe Settings page.
From 11:59pm on 23 August, authorised workers can access childcare, kindergarten and early education centres (and take a child to a centre) if:
- at least one parent/guardian is authorised to work, has a valid authorised worker permit, and is working either at home or on site, and
- they cannot make alternative supervision arrangements
Parents and carers of vulnerable children can also access childcare, kindergarten and early education centres. A permit is not required in this case.
Update: Outbreaks
Of today's 65 local cases:
- 55 are linked to known outbreaks
- 10 cases have their acquisition source under investigation
- 12 were in isolation for the entirety of their infectious period.
As a breakdown of those cases:
- 21 are linked to the Greater Shepparton Community Outbreak - 16 of which were announced yesterday.
- 8 are linked to the Al-Taqwa College
- 8 are linked to the City of Hobsons Bay Community Outbreak
- 5 are linked to MyCentre Childcare Broadmeadows
- 13 are linked to other known outbreaks, including CS Square and the City of Port Phillip
- 10 cases are currently unlinked to any outbreak
103 of the 440 active cases are aged 9 and under. 85 are aged between 10 and 19.
There are currently more than 12,000 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
Please check the website for all exposure sites and the dates and times of exposure at Case alerts - public exposure sites.
The Department regularly manages exposure sites that it doesn't publish online, particularly if these sites represent lower-risk exposures, or if they have comprehensive record-keeping and contact tracing measures, or if they identify small, private locations - including smaller apartment or townhouse complexes.
Update: Cross-border community
Victoria is now in lockdown - this includes regional Victoria. This impacts reasons why someone living in cross-border communities can enter Victoria.
Previously, a permitted reason people could enter Victoria if eligible for the cross-border community Extreme Risk Zone permit is if they were performing paid or unpaid work, or study. In line with reasons to leave home in regional Victoria, people are now permitted to enter for authorised work or permitted education (including permitted childcare and early childhood services).
Previously, people could enter Victoria if eligible for the cross-border community Extreme Risk Zone permit if they were undertaking sport and exercise that is linked to a club or facility. These facilities are closed under lockdown.
Additionally, people in Victoria can also only travel up to 5km for necessary goods and services, unless the nearest goods and services provider is further than 5km away. These rules will also apply to cross-border residents entering Victoria.
More information is available at Information for cross-border communities.
To obtain an authorised worker permit, visit Authorised provider and authorised worker permit.
Update: Vaccinations
26,149 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services yesterday.
The total number of doses administered through these services is 2,135,396.
Residential aged care and disability workers will be able to walk up to more than 50 state vaccination centres in Victoria and get vaccinated with the vaccine of their choice, regardless of their age.
This runs from Monday to Sunday. Staff can demonstrate their eligibility by showing their residential aged care or disability staff ID card.
81 per cent of Victoria's residential public sector aged care staff in Victoria have already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Victorian Government is offering paid time off for public sector workers to make it as easy as possible for them to get vaccinated. For more information, visit Helping Public Sector Workers Get The Jab, Sooner.
There are 62,894 vaccine appointments available next week, including:
- More than 5,000 at Ford Factory, Geelong
- Almost 1,000 at Wodonga
- More than 1,600 at Shepparton
- More than 2,500 at Warrnambool
- More than 3,000 at Sandown
- More than 4,000 at Melton
- More than 4,000 at MCEC
- More than 1,500 at Frankston's Bayside Centre
Victoria's online booking system is now live at Book your vaccine appointment
