Coronavirus update for Victoria – 20 April 2021

Victoria has been notified of 1 new case of coronavirus since yesterday in a recently returned overseas traveller in hotel quarantine.

There are no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

This is the 53^rd day in a row that Victoria has recorded no locally acquired cases.

The total number of active cases in Victoria is 14.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,499.

Update: Vaccinations

A total of 3,333 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 168,250.

High volume vaccination centres

From tomorrow, Victorians eligible under phases 1a and 1b of the rollout will be able to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at three of Victoria’s high-volume vaccination centres located at the Royal Exhibition Building, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the former Ford factory in Geelong.

This provides more options, particularly for Victorians over the age of 70, in addition to being able to receive the vaccine at Commonwealth-led general practice sites.

With more workforce training underway, assurance on provider indemnity now confirmed and further consumer information now available, the Government has lifted the pause on the administration of AstraZeneca to eligible people under the age of 50 years who choose to receive this vaccine, from Wednesday.

Where supply is available, eligible people aged under 50 can also continue to receive the Pfizer vaccine through the pre-existing, successful model of workforce-based appointments, which has already seen over 160,000 Victorians vaccinated.

Information on how eligible Victorians can access high-volume sites for forward bookings and walk-in appointments is available at COVID-19 Vaccines.

Phone bookings are strongly recommended to help ensure people choosing this option can be vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Viral fragments detected in two suburban wastewater catchments

Viral fragments have been recently detected in wastewater samples taken from sewer catchments in Moonee Ponds and Ringwood.

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:

• Moonee Ponds Main for 13 April – 16 April
  • Ascot Vale, Brunswick, Brunswick West, Coburg, Essendon, Essendon Fields, Flemington, Kensington, Moonee Ponds, North Melbourne, Parkville, Pascoe Vale, Pascoe Vale South, Strathmore, Travancore
• Ringwood South Branch from 6 April – 16 April
  • Bayswater, Bayswater North, Boronia, Croydon, Croydon North, Croydon South, Heathmont, Kilsyth, Kilsyth South, Montrose, Ringwood, Ringwood East, Sassafras, The Basin, Tremont, Wantirna.

More detailed information is available 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):