Sharp increase in Victoria’s Covid hospitalisations amid fears for elderly

The increase in hospitalisations came as authorities expressed concern about an increase in the average age of those testing positive for the virus.

Victorian Health department deputy secretary in charge of vaccination Naomi Bromley. Picture: David Geraghty

Almost 70 people were admitted to Victorian hospitals with Covid in the 24 hours to Monday – a more than 11 per cent rise in the state’s hospitalisation rate.

The increase in the number of hospital admissions came as authorities expressed concern about an increase in the average age of those testing positive for the virus, and as the state reported 1612 new Covid cases and eight deaths – down slightly from a record 1965 cases on Saturday and 1890 on Sunday.

As of Monday, there were 677 people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus, including 133 in intensive care, of whom 94 are on ventilators.

This compared with 609 people on Sunday, including 126 in intensive care, of whom 88 were on ventilators.

The state’s eight most recent deaths of people with Covid included those of a man in his 40s from Port Phillip in Melbourne’s inner south, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 60s from Darebin in the north, a man in his 80s from Maribyrnong and a man in his 80s from Brimbank, both in the west, a man in his 70s from the City of Melbourne, a man in his 70s from Glen Eira in the southeast, and a woman in her 70s from Whittlesea in the outer north.

The deaths take the state’s toll for the current outbreak to 93 – adding to 820 deaths of people with Covid in 2020.

Health department deputy secretary in charge of vaccination Naomi Bromley said authorities were concerned by a recent increase in the average age of Victorians testing positive for Covid.

One of the key characteristics of the current wave of cases has previously been that it has largely spread via under-40s who have been eligible for vaccination for a shorter time period than their older, more vulnerable counterparts. “With regards to the age of positive cases, 22 per cent of yesterday’s cases are over the age of 50 and that has been slowly increasing in recent days,” Ms Bromley said.

“This is of course concerning because we know Covid can have a devastating impact on older Victorians. This is demonstrated by the 58 per cent of yesterday’s hospitalisations being over 50.”