Coronavirus update for Victoria – 21 July 2021

Victoria was notified of 23 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday.

Twenty-two are locally acquired cases linked to the recent interstate incursions of COVID-19.

There was one new case, a man aged in his 60s, reported in a recently returned international traveller in hotel quarantine.

There were 118 active cases in Victoria – 107 locally acquired and 11 overseas acquired cases.

There were five COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria yesterday. One case is in intensive care.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,837.

Update: Current restrictions

For current restrictions, see the Victorian Government’s statement, Extended lockdown and stronger borders to keep us safe.

Update: Border Permit and Zone Changes

The Chief Health Officer has introduced a temporary pause to the issuing of Red Zone Permits.

Victorian residents in red zones can currently only enter Victoria with an exemption, exception or another valid permit, such as a Specified Worker Permit.

Exemptions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

If people enter Victoria from New South Wales without an exemption, they will be put on a return flight or placed in 14 days mandatory quarantine in the COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) program.

See the Victorian Government’s statement, Extended lockdown and stronger borders to keep us safe.

See more about Victoria's travel permit system at Victorian travel permit system.

Yesterday, South Australia became on orange zone, retrospective to 12 July.

Tonight, from 11.59pm, South Australia will become a red zone.

If you are in Victoria now and have been in South Australia at any time since 12 July, you need to get tested and stay isolated until you get a negative test result.

Outbreaks

Of the 22 new locally acquired cases, all have been definitively linked to the current outbreaks.

Sixteen of the 22 cases were in isolation throughout the entirety of their infectious period.

There have been a total of 107 cases in Victoria in the nine days of this outbreak.

Of the 22 new community cases:

• Five are linked to Trinity Grammar – one staff member, two students, and two household contacts.
• Five are linked to Ms Frankie – one staff, one patron who visited on the 15^th, and two household contacts.
• Three are linked to Young and Jackson’s – all workplace contacts of a positive case who was present.
• Three linked to St Patricks in Murrumbeena – two students and one household contact.
• Two are linked to AAMI Park – both are patrons seated within two or three rows of the index case.
• Two are linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar – both household contacts.
• One is a worker from the Westgate Tunnel, who was a close workplace contact of a case.
• One is a family member of a case announced yesterday which has subsequently been linked to the Coolaroo cluster.

More than 18,000 primary close contacts have been identified by the Department.

Exposure sites are published at Case alerts - public exposure sites.

The Department regularly manages exposure sites that it doesn’t publish online, particularly if these sites represent lower-risk exposures, or if they have comprehensive record-keeping and contact tracing measures, or if they identify small, private locations.

We continue to ask every Victorian to check exposure sites regularly, as they are subject to change based on follow-up interviews and further investigation.

COVID-19 wastewater detection in Phillip Island

There has been an unexpected detection of COVID-19 viral fragments in wastewater samples in the Phillip Island area. The period of concern is between 17 and 19 July for the following locations:

• Bass, Cape Woolamai, Corinella, Coronet Bay, Cowes, Dalyston, Grantville, Kilcunda, Newhaven, Pioneer Bay, Rhyll, San Remo, Silverleaves, Smiths Beach, Sunderland Bay, Sunset Strip, Surf Beach, Tenby Point, Ventnor and Wimbledon Heights

The unexpected detections may be due to someone who has had COVID-19, is no longer infectious and is continuing to 'shed' the virus – or it may be due to an active but undiagnosed infectious case who is either currently isolating or is in the community.

Anyone in the affected suburbs is urged to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested only if any symptoms develop – or if you are required to get tested because you have been to an exposure site.

More detailed information about wastewater testing can be found at Wastewater testing. The Department is continuing to monitor the situation.

Reminder: Advice for AAMI Park

Members of the public at AAMI Park for the Wallabies v France match on Tuesday 13 July are asked to follow new advice for this exposure site, which is of significant concern to public health teams.

We have expanded the Tier 1 exposure site and upgraded a large number of people who were Tier 3 to Tier 2.

MAP OF VENUE

TIER 1 EXPOSURE SITE – immediately isolate, get tested and quarantine for 14 days, and contact the Department on 1300 651 160:

• Anyone seated in Zone 2, Level 1 (entering through Gate 7) in Sections 22, 23 and 24 (Aisles 20-23, Rows A to U, Seats 378-457.) This is represented by the purple sections 22, 23 and 24 in the black box of the map above.
• Anyone who entered Gate 7 between 7:56pm and 8:13pm. Gate 7 is shown on the map above.

TIER 2 EXPOSURE SITE – immediately isolate, get tested, and stay isolated until you receive a negative result:

• All other people who entered Gate 7 on July 13. This advice applies to those seated in Sections 25-42 of Zone 2 and who didn't enter Gate 7 within 7:56pm-8:13pm. See map above.
• All people seated in Sections 81-91. This is represented by the red sections in the map.

TIER 3 EXPOSURE SITE – monitor for symptoms and get tested if any develop:

• All other people at the game who didn’t enter Gate 6, 7 or 8.

If you have previously received different advice based on where you sat in AAMI Park, you must now follow the new advice.

Reminder: Advice for MCG

If you were in the MCC Members' Reserve for the Geelong vs Carlton game on Saturday 10 July, you may be receiving updated advice from the Department to your phone through ticket and check-in records.

TIER 1 PRIMARY CLOSE CONTACTS:

Attendees considered Primary Close Contacts required to isolate for 14 days are:

• people who attended Percy Beames' Bar between 4pm and 4:30, and again between 5:20pm and 5:50pm
• people who entered Gate 2 between 3:53pm and 4:06pm
• people seated in sections N40-46 on Level 2 of the Members' Reserve
• and others identified as having close contact with a confirmed case present

If you’re a Primary Close Contact, you need to immediately isolate, get tested, and quarantine for 14 days following your exposure. Call the Department at 1300 651 160.

REQUEST FOR RE-TEST:

Other than for the above, all other areas of the MCC Members’ Reserve remain a Tier 2 site – requiring you to isolate, get tested, and stay isolated until you have received a negative result.

If you were on Level 2 of the Members’ Reserve at any stage and have already had one test, the Chief Health Officer is requesting that you obtain a second test when possible following your first.

If you are in this category and you don’t have symptoms, you won’t be required to isolate while waiting for your second test result. But if you do have symptoms, you must isolate until a negative result is received.

Update: Testing

In a record day for testing, 59,355 tests were processed in Victoria yesterday.

98.8 per cent of those test results were processed by the next day.

In response to the current cases in Victoria, extended operating hours have been introduced at multiple testing sites.

See new and extended testing sites and where to get tested at Where to get tested.

Update: Vaccinations

Yesterday, 18,099 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria’s state-commissioned services.

The total number of doses administered through these services is 1,431,625.

Victoria’s online booking system is now live at Book your vaccine appointment or you can ring the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

Information about Victoria’s vaccination centres can be found at Vaccination centres.

Update: Advice for household contacts of a Primary Close Contact

Information is available online for people who are household contacts of a Primary Close Contact.

View more at What to do if you are a close contact.

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 symptoms, wear a fitted face mask when you get tested.

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

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):