Victoria records 1420 new Covid cases as government announces expansion of rapid testing
Victoria is making major changes at the NSW border and unveiled a new tool in its fight against Covid-19.
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Victoria has announced it will roll out rapid antigen tests to the state’s healthcare settings and government services, as it embraces the normalisation of Covid-19 in the community.
The government will purchase some 2.2 million tests throughout the state’s healthcare system before expanding to “riskier” settings such as schools, childcare, corrections and emergency services.
The testing will also be used to manage close contacts and for triage patients seeking access to urgent care.
“There will of course be an opportunity for industry and for domestic use and for other areas of the Victorian community to incorporate rapid testing,” Health Minister Martin Foley said.
“It will be part of the ongoing toolkit to make sure that we can manage and deal with the potential for Covid in our daily lives.”
Victoria’s Covid-19 testing rate has come under scrutiny as figures reveal its neighbouring state recorded almost double the amount of tests as cases peaked above 1000.
The state reported 1420 new cases of Covid on Wednesday from 71,451 tests in the previous 24 hours.
By comparison, NSW was recording an average of 124,534 tests as cases in the state reached more than a 1000 each day.
The numbers have raised concerns, with some experts adamant more cases would be found if the state pushed for more tests.
Australian National University infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon has estimated Victoria could identify about 10 to 20 per cent more cases per day if testing numbers doubled.
“What worries me is that if you look at testing in Victoria, its population is similar to NSW but (testing) is at least half, if not one-third, of what it’s been in NSW,” he said.
“The implication of that is that you’re missing more cases.”
It comes a day after the state broke the national daily infection record, with authorities warning Covid was “everywhere”.
Health officials announced 11 deaths on Wednesday, with the death toll of the outbreak rising to 68. It was the worst day of the outbreak for Covid-related deaths.
More than 500 people are now in Victorian hospitals with Covid, with 101 in intensive care and 66 on a ventilator.
Melbourne’s north is driving more than a third of all cases, while infections in Melbourne’s west are also causing a spike as authorities revealed rising infections in the southeast.
Victoria also announced significant border changes with NSW on Wednesday, in a bid to make it easier for stranded Victorians to get home.
Victoria now has hundreds more cases than NSW, despite the neighbouring state initially forecast to be on a worse trajectory.
From midnight on Wednesday, Victoria will downgrade NSW and the ACT from red to orange zones.
Victorian residents returning home from those areas will need to have a test within 72 hours of arriving in the state and wait for a negative result prior to moving about in the community.
Victorians returning from risk zones in Sydney and some regional areas will need to return through an online application and test and home quarantine for 14 days.
The state broke a national record on Tuesday with 1763 cases, along with four deaths.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the rise in cases was concerning, despite the state’s plan to ease restrictions further on October 26.
“The last few days, the increase in cases is very serious,” he said.
“Even if we’re running at a 5 per cent hospitalisation rate, that is still people in hospital – many of whom didn’t need to be there.”
The state’s 70 per cent vaccination target is expected to be met on October 26.
More freedoms will occur once the state reaches 80 per cent, forecast for November 5.
A new vaccination map was launched on Tuesday, with the government now targeting dozens of high-risk Melbourne suburbs in a swift jab blitz to address low vaccination rates.
Originally published as Victoria records 1420 new Covid cases as government announces expansion of rapid testing
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