Coronavirus update for Victoria - 18 April 2021

Victoria has been notified of 0 new cases of coronavirus since yesterday.

This is the 51st day in a row that Victoria has recorded no locally acquired cases.

The total number of active cases in Victoria is 10. All are overseas acquired cases currently in hotel quarantine.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,492.

Update: Vaccinations

A total of 445 COVID-19 vaccination doses were administered yesterday by state commissioned services across Victoria.

This brings the total number of vaccine doses administered by the Department as of yesterday to 162,553.

Today, the Victorian Government made further announcements relating to the administration of AstraZeneca and access to Victoria’s high-volume vaccination clinics.

Wastewater monitoring – metropolitan sampling sites now mapped on website

Maps of metropolitan wastewater catchments that are monitored for fragments of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are now being published on the Department of Health website.

Wastewater samples are taken from more than 120 sites including the large Melbourne Eastern and Western wastewater treatment plants, regional wastewater treatment plants, and more than 70 locations throughout the metropolitan sewerage system.

Victoria has routinely published data from wastewater treatment plants across the state. Samples collected at catchments within the metropolitan sewer network are now also being published to provide more information about wastewater detections at smaller population levels.

Wastewater testing may provide early warning of COVID-19, with viral fragments previously detected in wastewater before cases had been confirmed in places including Lakes Entrance and Roxburgh Park.

If viral fragments are detected where there have not been recent positive cases, wastewater testing is increased to monitor trends and targeted wastewater testing is implemented to help clarify the source.

Viral fragments detected in suburban wastewater catchments

As reported on Thursday, viral fragments of COVID-19 have been recently detected in wastewater samples taken from a sewer catchment in Melbourne’s south-east and a large catchment that services suburbs in Melbourne’s north, west and east.

The unexpected detections may be due to a person or persons with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase or it could be because they are continuing to shed the virus after the infectious period.

While it is possible that these detections are due to a visitor or visitors to these areas who are not infectious, a cautious approach is being taken.

People who live in or have visited the following areas should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested if any develop:

• North, west and eastern suburbs from 4 to 12 April. This detection is in a very large catchment that services suburbs stretching from Melbourne’s north-west to the outer north-east.
• Cranbourne and surrounding suburbs from 6 to 12 April

These two new detections are in addition to the wastewater detection in the Ringwood area catchment announced on Monday.

To find out whether you live in or have visited one of these suburbs you can check the map at Wastewater testing.

General advice

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.

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 Victorian exposure sites is published at Case alerts -public exposure sites.

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):