Source: ABCnews
Victoria has recorded 120 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, 64 of which have been linked to existing outbreaks.
It is the first time the state’s daily cases have been in the triple digits since 110 cases were detected on September 2 last year at the tail of the Victoria’s devastating second wave.
There were also two deaths that were reported late yesterday and included in today’s numbers.
Health authorities say they will provide more information about the quarantine status of the cases later today.
Victoria processed 56,501 test results on Tuesday, when 33,455 doses of vaccine were delivered at state-run sites.
The government will today reveal which restrictions will remain in place from Friday, when the state’s lockdown will be extended.
Yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrews said he would outline the plan to give more clarity to Victorians.
“The low number that we can cope with, the low number that we can live with and the easing that we will be able to do over time, over coming weeks,” he said.
However, Mr Andrews warned any easing of restrictions would be incremental, saying there “will not be freedom day”.
Paramedics not told about COVID risk, union says
A crew of paramedics was sent to a Northcote home hours after a woman died of COVID-19 not knowing it could be a potential exposure site, the Victorian Ambulance Union says.
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said paramedics entered the home in Northcote around six hours after a woman died but did not know the full circumstances.
“From what we were advised the patient had unfortunately passed away related to COVID the night before [Monday] and then a second ambulance crew of paramedics were dispatched to the same location the following morning,” he said.
“But unfortunately they weren’t advised that the previous patient had tested positive.
“So they actually went into this location which effectively was an exposure site without being given the right information before they went.”
The union said there were not adequate systems in place to give paramedics all the information they need to avoid potential exposure to the virus on call-outs.
“There’s no central register, that is provided to emergency service workers of all the quarantined locations across Victoria,” Danny Hill said.
“There has to be [a system] if our emergency workers are to be kept safe and kept on the road and available to respond to emergencies when they occur”.
