Source: ABCnews
Victoria has recorded 1,838 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and five deaths.
It marks the highest daily case tally in any Australian jurisdiction since the beginning of the pandemic.
The peak of Victoria’s daily infections is projected to still be weeks away, with social gatherings around the AFL grand final weekend linked to the surge in numbers.
However, health authorities have said the state is still on track to reach the vaccination targets set out in Victoria’s roadmap in order to lift lockdowns.
There were 36,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered at state-run sites yesterday, and tens of thousands more through GPs and pharmacies.
More than 84 per cent of Victorians have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 55 per cent are now fully vaccinated.
The cases were identified from 77,554 tests processed on Thursday.
It brings the total number of active cases in the state to 16,823, which is another record for the state.
The five deaths bring the toll for the current outbreak to 75.
Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie said the increasing number of hospitalisation and severe illness in recent days was the result of those infected at social gatherings last week deteriorating.
“If you go forward from a point of time when you were infected, the most likely time you end up in hospital, having had illness for a few days, enduring it at home, being looked after at home but then deteriorating will generally be in the second week of infection,” Professor Cowie said on Thursday.
“That’s exactly where we are now.”
State unveils international student plan
The Victorian government has released its plan for the return of international students by the end of the year.
About 47,000 international students enrolled at Victorian universities remain offshore while Australia’s borders are closed.LIVE UPDATES: Read our blog for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic
Under the first stage of the plan, 120 international students per week will be allowed to enter the state, with priority given to those who need to undertake practical work to continue or complete their degrees.
That would include health and medical degree students, as well as postgraduate research students.
The students arriving under the plan will not be included in Victoria’s existing international arrivals cap, and universities will provide funding for the extra quarantine places.
The second stage will enable students enrolled in TAFEs, English-language courses, private education and secondary schools to enter Victoria.
Victoria’s Trade Minister Martin Pakula said the plan would not affect places for returning Australians.
The state government has submitted its plan to the Commonwealth for approval.
Vaccination priority for Victorians with disability
From today, Victorians living with a disability will be able to get vaccinated at any state-run vaccination centre without a booking.
The government will also open 10 additional pop-up vaccination centres dedicated to people with disabilities in hotspot areas of concern later this month.
Minister for Child Protection, Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan said lagging rates of vaccination in NDIS participants had spurred the government into action.
“This is very much about us stepping in. We’re not happy with the vaccine rates at the moment,” Mr Donnellan said.
He said the quickly approaching roadmap dates for opening up the state had made vaccinating vulnerable communities an urgent priority.
“We’re opening up, we need to deal with this now. And that’s why we’ve stepped in.”
