Teenager on a ventilator as rule-breakers blamed for Victoria’s soaring Covid cases
A 17-year-old is among more than a dozen Victorians who are being ventilated after contracting coronavirus, as the state’s case numbers continue to soar.
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A 17-year-old Victorian is on a ventilator after being infected by coronavirus, as the state’s case numbers continue to soar.
Victoria recorded 246 new locally acquired infections on Tuesday, including 156 more mystery cases.
There are nearly 1800 active cases across the state.
Of the active cases, 456 in their 20s, 284, aged in their 30s.
There are 110 people in hospital, 30 in intensive care and 14 on a ventilator.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the age range of Victorians hospitalised by Covid was wide.
“Just to give people a clear sense and hopefully remove any doubt that this is everybody’s business, the age range of those ventilated patients, is 17 years of age, through to 76,” he said.
“There are people in their 40s, 50s and 60s and between. So, anyone can fall ill to
this, anyone can become seriously ill to this virus.”
Victoria’s latest infections were found in:
– 97 cases in Hume;
– 31 cases in Moreland;
– 23 cases in Whittlesea;
– 17 cases in Wyndham;
– 15 cases in Hobsons Bay;
– 13 cases Darebin;
– 11 cases in Brimbank; and
– Seven cases in Melbourne
But Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar on Monday maintained contact tracers had not lost control of the outbreak.
“Every single positive case that we see is interviewed and engaged with, within 24 hours,” he said. “We’re right on top of those metrics.”
But authorities have warned daily infections would soar, as people continue to blatantly breach coronavirus rules.
Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs remain the virus battleground, with more than 80 per cent of Monday’s cases centred around that region.
Most of regional Victoria – except Shepparton, where four cases were recorded on Monday – is expected to be released from lockdown this week.
But Health Minister Martin Foley said the path out of lockdown should not be seen as a “snapback” to where the state was in April or May.
“The regions may continue to be at risk, as we have seen with a combination of importing the virus particularly from NSW and making sure that the metropolitan Melbourne leaks don’t get into our regions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Melburnians could be granted slight freedoms earlier than planned if 70 per cent first-dose vaccine targets are met.
DAN’S SPRAY OVER VACCINE ‘EGG AND SPOON RACE’
Daniel Andrews has launched a massive spray against NSW leader Gladys Berejiklian and the commonwealth government.
The Victorian Premier ripped into reports NSW was getting more than its fair share of vaccine doses.
It comes after the Herald Sun revealed the number of GPs approved to vaccinate Victorians was held back in July so an extra 260 clinics could be opened in Sydney to increase vaccination rates as the city’s outbreak worsened.
Over five weeks from July 19, GP clinics in 12 Sydney municipalities deemed Covid hot spots received 739,800 vaccine doses — and 715,520 doses were sent to all Victorian GPs.
Read the full version of this story, here.
VANDALS TARGET PLAYGROUND QR SIGN-INS
Heartless vandals are deliberately targeting QR signs in Bayside playgrounds.
Several signs in the affluent council area have deliberately been damaged less than a week after they were installed.
The vandalism spree has been reported to the council at playgrounds including Tramway Parade in Beaumaris, Wishart Reserve in Hampton East and Royal Avenue in Hampton.
Bayside council confirmed they were investigating.
“We do not want the mindless actions of a few to spoil the safe enjoyment of everyone,” a council statement said online.
“Council is currently assessing the amount of damage and the cost of replacement signs.
“We are encouraging parents to report missing and vandalised signage at your local playground.”
Victoria Police has been contacted for comment.
The QR check-in system was introduced at Victorian playgrounds when they reopened last week.
Anyone who witnesses vandalism in the Bayside council area is encouraged to report it on 9599 4444, or call the Police Assistance Line.
PLAN TO BRING PEOPLE HOME FROM NSW
Premier Daniel Andrews says he hopes to make announcements soon for people stranded in NSW to do home quarantine.
But he has stressed “it won’t be everyone coming back at once”.
“NSW have agreed as well to do a home-based quarantine pilot, we will do that, technology will be part of it, and we will get those Victorians who are stranded in NSW, we will get them home,” he said.
“We can’t have everybody come at once, but we will make further announcements about that soon.”
Regional Victorians will know by the end of the week if they’ll be able to get out of lockdown, as cases in the regions drop.
While Mr Andrews said no decision had been made yet, there would be meetings today and tomorrow to discuss the issue.
“You want the most contemporary picture and we have seen in recent times a spike in cases and how quickly that happened and circumstances can change,” Mr Andrews said.
“We are on track to do some easing, but it is not a snap back, it is not Freedom Day, but we are working towards being able to lift that lockdown.”
STATE-RUN VACCINE HUBS EXPANDED
Victoria’s state-run vaccination hubs are being expanded to allow the state to deliver vaccination targets faster.
The government has increased the state hub capacity by 25,000 doses each week, meaning 260,000 doses in arms across state sites.
Twenty-five additional cubicles have been added at Melbourne Town Hall, Port Melbourne Town Hall and at the Eagle Stadium drive-through.
A new hub will also be established at La Trobe University at Bundoora.
“This is a race and the sooner we get to 80 per cent double-dosed, the sooner we can be open and free, doing the things we love, seeing each other, participating in something approaching as normal as can be for the Victorian economy and community,” Mr Andrews said.
QUARANTINE WORKFORCE TO BOOST FARMS
Victorian farms are set to receive a boost to their seasonal workforce, with the state government to extend the quarantine pathway to welcome an additional 1500 Pacific workers.
Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Tuesday announced a new agreement to continue the subsidised, demand-driven quarantine pathway as part of the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme.
This new agreement extends the Victorian government’s $7.8 million package and landmark arrangement with the Tasmanian Government, which secured a quarantine pathway for industry to bring in up to 1,500 Pacific workers.
More than 1,460 Pacific workers have so far arrived to support the Victorian agriculture industry, and work has already begun with approved employers and the Tasmanian and Commonwealth governments to organise an ongoing flight schedule over the coming months.
This flight schedule will be based on requests for workers from approved employers, who are responsible for organising flights under the Commonwealth’s schemes.
Industry will continue to contribute $2,000 per worker to the quarantine costs, with Government providing $5,300 for each worker.
The announcement is a welcome boost for struggling farmers who feared they would be facing another season with a limited workforce.
Ms Thomas said Pacific workers were an important part of the seasonal harvest, and brought skill and experience to bolster the local workforce during agriculture’s busiest periods.
“We know these workers are an integral part of the seasonal workforce and we are pleased to continue our arrangement with the Tasmanian government to extend this quarantine pathway for workers.”
QUEENSCLIFFE TAKES VAX RECORD
A Victorian tourist hotspot has claimed the title of Australia’s most vaccinated municipality – the first to hit the milestone of having 70 per cent of residents fully vaccinated.
New data reveals that 71.8 per cent of Queenscliffe residents aged over 15 have received two doses, with a whopping 91.8 per cent having been given their first.
Queenscliffe Mayor Ross Ebbels said he was “delighted by the news”.
“I’m extremely proud,” he said. “I’d like to think it’s not that unexpected for us. It’s something we’ve been working really hard on.”
Mr Ebbels said he hoped Victoria reopened sooner rather than later, and many residents want the state government to exempt the area from future lockdowns.
The borough is home to fewer than 3000 permanent residents and has had only one Covid case — a health worker who picked up the virus in Melbourne last year.
Mr Ebbels said a lot of elderly residents had been isolating from their younger family and friends due to fears they may contract the virus. “We’re quite an old community, so our residents are vulnerable,” he said.
“A lot of these people really miss their children and grandchildren and can’t wait for them to come and visit.
“I really encourage the rest of the state and country to go and get vaccinated.”
Queenscliff General Store worker Felicity Rush said she “definitely” supported a lockdown exemption for the town.
“It’d be nice to see a reward for the people around here,” Ms Rush said.
The 21-year-old said vaccinations had been the talk of town, which encouraged more people to get the shot.
Local councillor and Shelter Shed restaurant owner Donnie Grigau said there was a running joke in Queenscliff about closing the town off from the rest of the state.
“We do live in our own little bubble here,” he said. “We joked about putting up a barricade at the Barwon Heads bridge.”
Barry Iddles owns 360Q restaurant and said many locals supported a lockdown exclusion but keeping others out could prove difficult.
“When you’re asking people for ID, it annoys some people,” he said.
Jane Day has been part of the team at the medical centre getting locals vaccinated.
“It’s a really fantastic community … everyone knows one another and we’ve been on the front foot since the vaccinations became available,” she said.
AUSSIES TO GET RAPID HOME TESTS
Australians will soon be able to test themselves for Covid-19 from the comfort of their own homes.
The massive shake-up to the country’s testing regimen was confirmed by federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Monday.
The government has approved 28 types of rapid-antigen tests, with the final decision now with the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA).
Mr Hunt said there hadn’t been enough support for the change from some of the state’s chief health officers. “But right now I think we’ve got that momentum,” he said.
“They’re being used in workplaces, in aged care and elsewhere and the next frontier is to move for approval on the home front.”
Mr Hunt said the rapid home testing kits could be approved “within coming months, if not weeks”.
However, he wouldn’t be drawn on whether they would be definitely be available by the time freedoms became available for fully-vaccinated people living in locked down states.
“I’ll never pre-empt their (the TGA’s) approvals,” he said. “As we move into the next phases, I am very, very confident that these will be available for Australians.”
WHEN VICTORIA WILL HIT VACCINE TARGET
Victoria is racing to get jabbed to return to a normal way of life.
But when will we reach our target to have 70 to 80 per cent of the population fully vaccinated, and what freedoms will we get when we hit that mark?
WHAT’S DRIVING SURGE IN CASES
Covid cases continue to soar in Melbourne’s north and west, with household transmission largely behind the spike.
Victoria recorded 246 locally acquired cases on Monday, with 1619 active cases across the state.
Click here to find out where cases are surging.
VOW TO STUDENTS AFTER HOTLINE FAILS FIRST TEST
Every year 12 student is being reassured they will have the chance to get vaccinated before exams, after a dedicated phone line to book appointments melted down.
More than 30,000 VCE students rushed to make vaccination appointments on Monday morning.
By the day’s end, more than 7000 students had made appointments.
Frustrated parents and students dialled up to 100 times with no luck, or sat on hold for up to three hours, as the priority hotline collapsed under the demand.
Read the full story here.
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