Victoria has recorded one new case of coronavirus since yesterday in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine. There were no new locally acquired cases of coronavirus.
The new hotel quarantine case is a female in her 40s.
The number of active cases in Victoria is now 40, made up of 24 locally acquired cases which is a decrease of 4 since yesterday, and 16 cases in hotel quarantine, a decrease of 1 in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases linked to the Black Rock Restaurant cluster remains at 27.
Late on Sunday 10 January, the department was made aware by our health colleagues in Israel that a male child who travelled from Melbourne to Tel Aviv on the evening of 8 January on an Emirates flight, had tested positive on arrival in Tel Aviv.
The case travelled via Dubai, was tested and diagnosed on arrival in Tel Aviv on the evening of 9 January, Melbourne time. We are working with our colleagues in Israel to confirm the test result.
The child last attended an Early Learning Centre in Armadale on 7th January. The centre has been contacted and cleaning and contact tracing is underway. The department is working with the Royal Children’s Hospital to conduct testing on children who attended the early learning centre.
To help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), all residents and travellers wishing to enter Victoria must now apply for a permit.
The ‘traffic light’ permit system applies to travellers from anywhere across Australia.
Areas across Australia are to be designated as green, orange or red, according to their risk, and will be updated based on the latest health advice.
Red zone
You will not be allowed to enter Victoria without an exception, exemption or work or transit permit. If you try to enter Victoria at a land border without an exception, exemption, or work or transit permit you will be turned away. Victorian travellers who arrive at an airport or seaport will be fined and required to self-quarantine. Interstate travellers will be fined and sent back.
Orange zone
You will be able to apply for a permit and enter Victoria if you don’t have COVID-19 symptoms and haven’t been to a red zone. Once in Victoria you must immediately self-isolate, get a COVID-19 test (within 72 hours) and continue to self-quarantine until you get a negative test result.
Green zone
You will be able to apply for a permit and enter Victoria if you don’t have COVID-19 symptoms and haven’t been to an orange or red zone. Once in Victoria you should watch for symptoms and get a COVID-19 test if you feel unwell.
The new permit system will go live from 5.59pm on Monday January 11 and applications can be made through the Service Victoria .
If a person has already obtained a permit, they can continue to travel on that permit so long as the area they are travelling from has not been re-classified. However, if they leave Victoria again, they will need to obtain a permit to re-enter.
If a person has obtained an exemption to enter Victoria without a permit, they can remain in Victoria subject to that exemption and its conditions.
If a person has obtained an exemption to enter Victoria without a permit but is yet to travel, they can rely on that exemption to travel and must abide by any conditions.
Those persons who have applied for an exemption and are awaiting an outcome don’t need to do anything. DHHS is continuing to process exemption applications that have been lodged.
The Greater Sydney region (including the Blue Mountains and Wollongong) and Greater Brisbane (Brisbane City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Ipswich and Logan local government areas) are currently red zones and will continue to be monitored daily and updated accordingly. Travel from a red zone is not permitted.
Anyone who has already arrived in Victoria from the red zone in Queensland from January 2 and who has been advised to isolate until 6pm this evening will be contacted and advised that they can leave isolation if they have a negative test result.
Regional NSW will be classified orange from 5.59pm tonight. For travellers who arrived from regional NSW and are currently in hotel quarantine, they will be permitted to leave quarantine if they have tested negative.
Everyone should continue to monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop symptoms.
Advice about domestic travel restrictions and entry into Victoria can be found on the Victorian Travel Permit page.
Information about border permits, exemptions and applying to enter Victoria is available on the Service Victoria COVID-19 Border website.
Contact tracing interviews and investigations are continuing into the Victorian outbreak situation. As a result, more exposure sites may be discovered and details about exposure sites may change. A list of each exposure site, including dates and times, can be found on the Case locations and .
Yesterday 18,660 tests were processed, bringing the overall testing total in Victoria since the pandemic began to 4,158,568.
High temperatures are expected across Victoria today. To ensure the health and safety of both staff and those attending testing sites number of precautions have been put in place including to manage:
- Regular site assessments to assess safety, conditions and demand
- Increased staff levels to allow for increased rotations
- Cooling of triage, testing and rest areas
- Increased breaks
- Roster amendments to ensure breaks for those working on hot days
- Ongoing monitoring for heat stress and fatigue
- Earlier opening hours to avoid hottest part of the day
- Water available to all staff
- Where possible, increased shading and cooling infrastructure on site
- Information, instruction and training around heat health and monitoring
Coronavirus (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.
Please get tested at your nearest available testing location. Wait times at testing sites across the system have substantially reduced but delays can still be expected at some of our busier testing centers.
The department is publishing expected wait times at testing sites on its website. The website also includes updated information about locations and hours of operation for testing sites at the Where to get tested page.
Information regarding COVID-19 is available at the Department of Health and Human Services website or by calling 1800 675 398.
Reviewed 11 July 2023