Victoria records one death as states COVID-19 cases climb to record number for 2021

By Carolyn WebbUpdated September 20, 2021 â€" 10.31amfirst published at 9.42am

A woman aged in her 70s from Moreland, in Melbourne’s north, has died as the state recorded 567 new coronavirus cases, a record for the year and an increase of 60 on the previous 24 hours.

The Department of Health said 50,915 test results came back in the 24 hours to midnight on Sunday. There are now 5675 active cases in the state. None of the cases recorded for the 24 hours to midnight were acquired interstate or overseas.

People are seen walking and having picnics at Treasury Gardens on Sunday.Credit:Asanka Ratnayake

The number of vaccines administered on Sunday was 39,939. Mr Andrews said it was “pleasing” that nearly 40,000 vaccinations were administered in state hubs. “I think that is our busiest Sunday we’ve had,” he said

Mr Andrews said there are 209 people in hospital, with 59 of those in intensive care, and 40 on a ventilator. Of those in hospital on Sunday, 86 per cent were not vaccinated, 12 per cent were partially vaccinated and just three people were fully vaccinated.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Victorian president, Anthony Tassone, said 440 pharmacies in Victoria will receive the Moderna vaccine this week. An additional 281 pharmacies will get their hands on the vaccine in a week’s time.

Nationally, there will be 1800 pharmacies receiving the Moderna vaccine this week.

“There will be over 300,000 Moderna doses delivered to community pharmacies across Victoria this month, and that will ramp up further in October and November,” Mr Tassone said. “So, this is great news for patients. And another option for our community, and families to be able to protect themselves in the community.”

This comes after Premier Daniel Andrews outlined a significantly slower and more cautious path out of COVID-19 lockdown than NSW, with only those who are fully vaccinated able to feel the benefit of easing restrictions and a timeline that stretches out to Christmas.

The Burnet Institute modelling on which the road map is based predicts up to 4000 infections per day, several thousand deaths and a hospital system stretched by new admissions at the end of December as freedoms increase.

Health Minister Martin Foley, Premier Daniel Andrews and Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton on Sunday announced the road map out of COVID-19 restrictions. Credit:Darrian Traynor

The road map was welcomed by health experts, but Victoria’s business lobby groups say they are bitterly disappointed at the pace of reopening, adding that shop workers are bracing for an upsurge in customer aggression if they have to exclude unvaccinated customers.

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) said it was “gutted” by Sunday’s announcement.

High-risk exposure sites grow

Health authorities released several new COVID-19 exposure sites overnight â€" most of them in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and country Victoria.

Keilor Primary School was listed as a tier 1 site with three different listings between 9am and 4.20pm on September 14, 15 and 16, meaning patrons who were there at that time should get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.

In Caroline Springs, in Melbourne’s west, the prep to year 12 school campus of the Australian International Academy was listed as tier 1 for September 14 and 16.

Mernda YMCA Early Learning Centre is also a tier 1 site, from 6.30am to 3.30pm on September 13. And in Brunswick, the Royal Stacks hamburger outlet has been designated tier 1 for September 10, 11 and 12.

There were more than a dozen tier 2 sites listed overnight, with contacts in this category directed to get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result.

They include a chemist, supermarket, veterinary surgery, service station and fish and chips outlet in Kyneton, in central Victoria.

Stay across the most crucial developments related to the pandemic with the Coronavirus Update. Sign up for the weekly newsletter.

Share this post