Victoria ‘on track’ to reach 3000 daily cases of Covid-19

Victorian health authorities have revealed the state is ‘on track’ to reach 3000 daily cases after notching up another grim record.

Victorian health authorities have revealed the state is on track to reach 3000 daily cases of Covid-19.

Department of Health deputy secretary Kate Matson said the grim milestone could be reached by the end of this month.

“At this point in time, we are on track in terms of hospitalisations and new cases,” she said.

“But I will remind you there is a middle line and an upper and lower band, and we are still within that band.”

So far this week, Victoria has broken the nation’s record three times for the highest number of daily infections, posting 1965 on Saturday.

Six domestic flights have been exposed to coronavirus after a Virgin cabin crew member tested positive.

Victorian Department of Health deputy secretary Kate Matson said the employee had worked while infectious from October 4-6.

The flights of concern were:

• October 4: VA219 from Melbourne to Adelaide
  
• October 4: VA218 from Adelaide to Melbourne
  
• October 5: VA827 from Melbourne to Sydney
• October 5: VA808 from Sydney to Melbourne.
  
• October 6: VA1593 from Melbourne to Newcastle.
  
• October 6: VA1594 Newcastle to Melbourne.

“Fellow crew members on those flights have been deemed close contacts and most do live in Melbourne and will be contacted by the department,” Ms Matson told reporters on Saturday morning.

Passengers on those flights were also being contacted by their respective jurisdictions.

Six domestic flights have been exposed to coronavirus after a Virgin cabin crew member tested positive. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Brenton Edwards

It comes as Victoria recorded 1965 new local cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, again breaking a national record for the highest number of daily infections.

Five Victorians died from the virus in the past 24 hours.

The deaths included a woman in her 90s and a man in his 70s from Moreland, man in his 60s from Banyule and a man in his 50s from Hume.

A man in his 60s from the western suburbs also died with Covid.

More than 84 per cent of the state’s population is now single-dose vaccinated and 56.6 per cent are fully-dosed.

There were 41,177 vaccine doses administered in the past 24 hours and 73,443 Covid-19 test results received. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Saturday’s case total was a national high and comes just a day after Victoria broke that record on Friday with 1838 cases.

There were 41,177 vaccine doses administered in the past 24 hours and 73,443 Covid-19 test results received.

Mildura in northwest Victoria last night entered a snap seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm on Friday.

The regional city has recently had a rise in Covid-19 infections, with nine active cases in the Mildura Rural City Council local government area reported as of Friday morning.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews urges people to get vaccinated as the state attempts to reach a 70 per cent double-dose target. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

A further three cases were identified on Friday afternoon and were included in Saturday’s numbers, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 12.

Originally published as Victoria ‘on track’ to reach 3000 daily cases of Covid-19