Eighteen new Covid-19 deaths in Victoria as check-in rules ‘under review’

Victoria has recorded another 18 new Covid-related deaths days ahead of code brown restrictions easing, with the Premier announcing one virus rule is under review.

Victoria has recorded 18 new Covid-related deaths over the past 24 hours, with Premier Daniel Andrews announcing the state’s check-in rules are “under review”.

Another 7223 new cases were recorded over the past 24 hours, health authorities announced.

The new cases come as the state prepares to ease restrictions surrounding the health system on Monday as the number of people in hospital continues to decrease.

On Sunday Mr Andrews told reporters the use of QR codes is “under very active review” now that the state had reached its peak of the Omicron wave.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said check-in rules could change. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

He said there was room to make adjustments in many of the state’s rules but said “we can further streamline those”.

“It’s been tough, really challenging,” Mr Andrews said.

“QR coding is not being used for the purpose of contact tracing, because there is no contact tracing.

“What it’s used for at the moment is to validate if a person has a green tick.”

Mr Andrews said the same system was being used in NSW but reiterated he would make announcements about Covid-related rules on a later date.

Of the new cases, 2364 were detected from PCR tests while 4859 were returned from rapid antigen tests.

465 people have been hospitalised with 62 people in intensive care.

Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the state’s check-in rules are “under review”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Seventeen of those people are on ventilation.

Those figures mark a slight decrease in the past 24 hours after health authorities reported 487 people were in hospital a day before.

As of Sunday, 50 per cent of Victorians have received their third vaccine dose.

Victoria’s code brown restrictions were activated in January after high numbers of hospitalisations during the Omicron wave.

There were 18 new Covid-related deaths recorded on Sunday.

The code has allowed hospitals to postpone staff members’ leave and redeploy workers to areas of urgent need in order to streamline emergency management systems.

From Monday, private hospitals in Melbourne will be able to perform up to half of elective surgery in the city and up to 75 per cent in regional areas.

On Saturday, there were 7224 new cases and 19 deaths.

Originally published as Eighteen new Covid-19 deaths in Victoria as check-in rules ‘under review’