Coronavirus update for Victoria - 21 February 2021

Victoria has recorded no new cases of coronavirus since yesterday.

This is the second day in a row that Victoria has recorded no new cases of COVID-19.

The total number of COVID-19 cases now linked to the Holiday Inn remains at 22.

There are 25 active cases in Victoria, made up of 19 locally acquired cases and six overseas acquired cases. There are six cases in hotel quarantine.

There is one COVID-19 patient in hospital in Victoria.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,479.

Update: Holiday Inn Cases

There are nonew cases of COVID-19 linked to the Holiday Inn.

Yesterday, one new Tier 3 public exposure site has been identified – the Coles Express service station at 21 Ardena Crt on the corner of East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East, from 1pm-1.40pm on 18 February.

Anyone who has visited a Tier 3 exposure site should monitor for symptoms and if symptoms develop, immediately get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.

All current exposure sites can be seen at Case locations and outbreaks. This website is rapidly updated as any new sites are identified.

The Department currently identifies more than 3000primary close contacts linked to the Holiday Inn.

This includes 59 primary close contacts linked to households and social groups and 1405 primary close contacts linked to exposure sites. The remainder worked or resided in Hotel Quarantine or visited the Melbourne Airport Terminal 4 exposure site.

After the movements of the positive case in the Melbourne Airport Terminal 4 were reviewed, 546people linked to this exposure site have been reclassified from primary close contacts to casual contacts. This work is ongoing.

The number of identified close contacts, particularly those linked to exposure sites, will continue to change as exposure sites and cohorts are cleared and others are identified.

Of primary close contacts identified by the Department on 17 February, 100 per cent were notified within the 48-hour benchmark.

This follows another 100 per cent result announced yesterday contacts identified by the Department on 16 February.

Genomic sequencing has now confirmed that 18 of the 22 Holiday Inn cases are linked, suggesting common exposure to index cases.

Update: Viral fragments detected again in Carrum Downs and Langwarrin wastewater catchment

Residents of and recent visitors to Carrum Downs, Langwarrin and Skye with even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms were yesterday urged to get tested after viral fragments were detected in the local wastewater catchment.

Detections of viral fragments found in two wastewater samples collected between 15 February and 17 February have been confirmed by further laboratory testing.

Viral fragments were also detected this week in wastewater samples taken in the Wantirna South and Boronia area, and in the St Kilda East and Caulfield North area.

Anyone who has any symptoms of COVID-19 is urged to get tested, especially if you live in or have visited:

• Carrum Downs or Langwarrin from 13 to 17 February (includes parts of Skye)
• Wantirna South or Boronia from 13 to 15 February (includes parts of Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield and Tremont)
• St Kilda East or Caufield North from 13 to 16 February (includes parts of Balaclava, Caulfield and Elsternwick)

Wastewater monitoring is now undertaken at 132 locations across Victoria including 71 wastewater treatment plants and 61 sites within Melbourne metropolitan sewage networks.

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.

Further information can be found at Wastewater monitoring.

Update: Expanded testing capacity

10,339 test results were received over the last 24 hours.

Demand for testing is stable across the system, with no waiting times longer than 30 minutes.

12 testing facilities are still operating this weekend with extended hours.

One testing site was suspended yesterday due to heat.

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.

Circuit-breaker actions lifted

Restrictions under Victoria’s circuit-breaker actions have ended. From 11:59pm 17 February 2021 Victoria returned to COVIDSafe Summer restrictions – with some revised conditions.

There are no longer only four reasons to leave home and the five-kilometre restriction no longer applies. Schools, restaurants and retails can reopen and both public and private office workers can return up to 50 per cent on site.

There are a number of revised conditions that will continue for another nine days until Friday 26 February, subject to public health advice.

These include:

• Limiting visitors to your home to five people per day
• Limiting public gatherings with friends and family to 20 people
• Limiting visitors to hospitals and aged care facilities to one household per day with some specific exceptions

Face masks must continue be worn indoors, except in residential homes. Face masks are also required outdoors whenever you cannot physically distance.

For more information about all the circuit-breaker actions, please visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria.

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.

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 11:59 pm yesterday):