Victoria records 918 new Covid-19 cases, six deaths

Victoria has recorded 918 new Covid-19 cases as multiple people who attended Melbourne’s freedom protests contract the virus.

Victoria recorded 918 new local Covid-19 cases on Tuesday and six more deaths.

There were 305 cases being treated in hospital, with 41 in intensive care and 19 on a ventilator.

The state’s vaccine rate continues to rise, however, with 91 per cent of Victorians aged from 12 having now received both doses of the Covid-19 jab.

Nineteen people who attended the Melbourne “freedom” protests in November tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, sparking an alert for thousands of other rally-goers to get tested.

Of those cases, 16 were unvaccinated, two were partially vaccinated, and one had received both jabs.

One unvaccinated person was admitted to hospital.

The Department of Health said one case, in their pre-symptomatic period following their presence at the protest, attended a social gathering.

Nineteen people who attended the Melbourne freedom protests in November tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. Picture: Matrix Media Group

The social gathering was now an outbreak, with 10 confirmed cases linked so far.

One “freedom” rally was held last Saturday in Melbourne’s CBD, while another one was held the previous Saturday.

Both events attracted huge crowds with thousands of people filling streets near the Spring Street end of the city.

All of the people who have tested positive are aged between 19 and 44. Eight attended the protest held in Melbourne on November 20.

A Health Department spokesman said it was aware of the positive cases and urged anyone who had attended the November protests “to get tested if they develop even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, and get vaccinated”.

Originally published as Victoria records 918 new Covid-19 cases, six deaths