Coronavirus update for Victoria - 17 March 2021

Victoria has recorded no new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) since yesterday.

This is the 19^th day in a row that Victoria has recorded no locally acquired new cases of COVID-19.

There are two active cases in Victoria, made up of zero locally acquired cases, unchanged since yesterday, and two overseas acquired cases, unchanged since yesterday.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,483.

Update: Vaccinations

A total of 3606 COVID-19 vaccination doses were administered yesterday at hospital vaccination hubs across Victoria.

This brings the total number of vaccine doses administered in Victoria since the program started on Monday 22 February to 38,948.

Second doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine are now being administered across Victoria.

Vaccines are continuing to be administered through nine hospital vaccination hubs and outreach sites managed by public health services.

People now receiving their second dose will include Hotel Quarantine and Health Hotel workers, airport and port workers, and frontline health staff in COVID-19 screening clinics, specialist COVID-19 wards, Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments.

Hubs also deliver the second dose to public sector residential aged care residents and workers, with the Commonwealth responsible for providing the vaccine to private residential aged care and disability care facilities.

Victoria is continuing to support the Commonwealth with their vaccination program, with further expansion of the program dependent on vaccine supply.

Update: COVID-19 case identified in NSW

Due to the COVID-19 positive case in New South Wales involving a hotel quarantine worker, the Victorian Department of Health is contacting all arrivals to Victoria from Sydney since 13 March using data captured by the Travel Permit System.

The Department of Health has contacted 10,014 people who have entered Victoria from NSW between 13 March and 16 March.

Currently, no primary close contacts or visitors to the low risk sites have been identified.

NSW Health has identified one high risk exposure site on Saturday 13 March. We require anyone who visited this site at the times specified to get tested and immediately quarantine for 14 days.

The site is Pancakes on the Rocks, 507 King Georges Rd, Beverley Hills, 13 March, 10.45am – 12pm.

Anyone now in Victoria who visited that site at the specified times will be treated as a primary close contact and is required to quarantine for 14 days.

NSW Health advises that other lower risk sites have been identified and anyone who was a customer at any of the designated venues at the listed times should monitor for symptoms. If they appear, immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

More information about these sites is available at NSW Health.

Victoria is working to support NSW authorities to contain the case. Under Victoria’s Travel Permit System, areas of NSW may be re-designated as red or orange zones by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer as further information emerges.

Update: COVID-19 case identified at a Queensland Hospital

Due to the COVID-19 positive case in Queensland involving a doctor at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Victorian health authorities are contacting all arrivals to Victoria from Brisbane since 11 March using data captured by the Travel Permit System.

The Department of Health has contacted 4424 people who have entered Victoria from Brisbane between 11 March and 16 March.

Currently, no primary close contacts or visitors to the low risk sites have been identified.

With the identification by Queensland health authorities of three high risk exposure sites, we require anyone who visited those sites at the times specified to immediately isolate and be tested.

The following associated exposure sites on Thursday 11 March have been identified:

• The Morning After Café at West End between 14:00 and 15:15
• The Corporate Box Gym at Greenslopes between 17:45 and 19:00
• The Stones Corner Hotel at Stones Corner between 19:00 and 19:45

Anyone in Victoria who visited these sites at the designated times will be treated as a primary close contact and are required to quarantine for 14 days.

Queensland Health advise that further information is being obtained on The Corporate Box Gym and Stones Corner Hotel venues and the risk assessment may be updated. More information available on the Queensland Government website.

Queensland Health has also identified a lower risk exposure site on Thursday 11 March – the McDonalds Restaurant at Coorparoo between 15.10 and 15.20 – case attended via the drive through.

Anyone in Victoria who visited this site at the specified time is required to contact the Department of Health, and to stay isolated until they have received a negative test result.

Victoria’s Department of Health is monitoring further developments in the case, including the possible addition of further exposure sites.

Victoria is working to support Queensland authorities and has confidence in its systems to contain the case.

Under Victoria’s Travel Permit System, areas of Brisbane may be re-designated as red or orange zones by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer as further information emerges.

Viral fragments detected in suburban wastewater

Alerts issued last week about recent COVID-19 wastewater detections are still current.

Fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been recently detected in wastewater samples taken from sewer catchments that service several Melbourne suburbs. Anyone with even mild COVID-19 symptoms is urged to get tested, especially anyone who lives in or has visited these areas from 9 to 11 March:

• Laverton and Laverton North from 9 to 11 March
• Werribee (east of the Werribee River) from 9 to 11 March
• Balwyn North, Blackburn North, Box Hill North, Bulleen, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Donvale, Mitcham, Mont Albert North and Nunawading from 9 to 11 March
• Sunbury (north-eastern area) from 7 to 11 March.

Fragments of the virus detected in wastewater may be due to a person with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase or it could be because someone is continuing to shed the virus after the early infectious period.

Wastewater monitoring is now undertaken at 142 locations across Victoria including 70 wastewater treatment plants and 72 sites within Melbourne metropolitan sewage networks.

Further information about wastewater testing

General advice

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and loss or change in sense of smell or taste. If you are experiencing any symptoms, wear a fitted face mask when you get tested.

The Department is publishing expected wait times at testing sites as well as updated information about locations and hours of operation at Where to get tested.

There are no current active exposure sites in Victoria. A list of exposure sites is published at Case locations and outbreaks.

Travel permit applications can be made through the Service Victoria portal.

For more information call the 24-hour Coronavirus Hotline at 1800 675 398 or visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria.

Latest statewide numbers (data reported to 11:59pm yesterday):