Victoria records 65 new Covid-19 cases as outbreak grows

Victoria recorded another 65 new infections but it is a particular spike that has caused the state’s health minister to voice concern.

Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley has expressed a concern for a “significant” spike in hospitalisations for Covid-19 as the state recorded 65 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday.

“There are now some 440 active coronavirus cases in the Victoria (and) 27 people are now in hospital,” Mr Foley said.

“That is a significant jump from where we were in recent days. 12 of those 27 are in (intensive care) and five are on a ventilator.

“We send our best wishes and support to all those people who are struggling with this virus.”

Victoria announced it had recorded 65 new Covid-19 cases, with some of the infections previously announced.

Concerningly, only 12 of the 65 cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period, Mr Foley added.

Of the new cases, 55 are linked to current outbreaks, while 10 are under investigation.

Meanwhile health officials are concerned about the number of children and young people catching the virus in the state with 103 active cases currently below the age of 9. Of the state’s 440 active cases, 259 are under the age of 30.

The news comes as residents woke to their first full day of a statewide lockdown after stay-at-home orders were expanded to regional Victoria at 1pm Saturday.

There have been growing fears for Shepparton in Victoria's Goulburn Valley region.

An initial 16 new cases were recorded in Shepparton on Saturday morning, but in the afternoon it was announced the figure had grown to 21.

These cases were included on Sunday’s numbers.

Reported yesterday: 65 new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
- 26,149 vaccine doses were administered
- 44,147 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/Ss16hh465Q

— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 21, 2021

“Further case information is being finalised and will be provided shortly,” the department of health said.

Meanwhile hundreds of health workers were forced into isolation after an outbreak at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, with authorities fearing there may be a link with the Shepparton cluster.

Health department deputy secretary Kate Matson said the outbreak at the hospital likely started after a patient from Shepparton underwent surgery on August 12 and developed covid symptoms. He was not tested prior to his surgery and remains in hospital.

A visitor at the hospital likely picked up the virus after the man was in various areas of the hospital, including the ICU and cardiac ward.

“In the cases announced today, there are three cases related to the Royal Melbourne Hospital outbreak, there was a case yesterday, and we will be announcing a further 3 cases tomorrow related to Royal Melbourne,” Ms Matson said.

“We expect that outbreak to grow just as we expected the Shepparton outbreak to grow.”

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews urged Victorians to come forward immediately for testing in response to the news that the virus had spread to the regions.

He said people were symptomatic for a number of days before getting tested.

“They have perhaps had symptoms for a period of time, and unknowingly, they have spread this virus,” he said on Saturday.

The Shepparton outbreak was sparked after a local man, in his 30s, tested positive for the virus on Friday but it is unclear how he caught it.

People queue at a testing centre in Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

From there, case numbers quickly grew.

Goulburn Valley Health CEO Matt Sharp said it was too early to tell if people had been infectious in the community, but it was possible.

There were major concerns about a few linked households.

“We know the number of households involved is really related to three closely associated family groups and some extended networks related to that group of people,” he said.

“More than likely that will broaden in terms of different households throughout the community.”

More than 44,000 test results were received and there 440 active infections in the state.