Coronavirus update for Victoria - Saturday 21 November

Victoria has recorded no new cases of coronavirus since yesterday, and there is one case that is currently active.

This is the 22^nd straight day where Victoria has recorded zero daily new cases.

The average number of cases diagnosed in the last 14 days (7 Nov – 20 Nov 2020) for metropolitan Melbourne is zero and regional Victoria is zero. The rolling daily average case number is calculated by averaging out the number of new cases over the past 14 days.

The total number of cases from an unknown source in the last 14 days (5 Nov – 18 Nov 2020) is zero for metropolitan Melbourne and zero from regional Victoria. The 14-day period for the source of acquisition data ends 48 hours earlier than the 14-day period used to calculate the new case average due to the time required to fully investigate a case and assign its mode of acquisition.

Following further test results and investigations, the Expert Review Panel has ruled out COVID-19 infection in a woman in her 80s who had a weak positive test result on Thursday 19 November.

The case had no identified links to a known COVID-19 case and was not showing symptoms.

Close contacts of the potential case also tested negative yesterday.

The Expert Review Panel agreed the results are consistent with the original result being a false positive. Public health actions in relation to this case have been stood down.

Further to last night’s announcement of the discovery of coronavirus fragments detected in a wastewater sample from the Altona sewage catchment, residents are able to get tested at a pop-up site in Point Cook that opened today.

The new walk-in site is at Featherbrook Reserve, 33-35 Windorah Dve, Point Cook, and will operate from 9am to 4pm this weekend. It brings the total number of testing sites servicing the affected area to five.

Suburbs in the wastewater catchment include Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Point Cook and Sanctuary Lakes.

Residents and visitors to Altona and surrounding suburbs from Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 November are urged to get tested if they have symptoms, no matter how mild.

Victoria’s temporary hard border closure with South Australia remains in place and will be replaced with a permit system which comes into effect from 11.59pm tonight.

These temporary border controls were implemented based on several factors, including the discovery of fragments of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes coronavirus, in wastewater taken from the Benalla and Portland wastewater treatment plants on Tuesday.

Residents of Benalla and Portland and anyone who has visited those areas between 15 and 17 November are urged to get tested and to isolate until they get their test result.

Testing sites have been established in Benalla and Portland at:

Benalla

• Benalla District Health: 9:30am–6:30pm weekdays and 9:30am–6pm on the weekend
• Benalla Racecourse: 8:30am–1:30pm from 21–22 November
• Benalla Showgrounds: 8:30am–1:30pm from 21–22 November

Note: Opening times may vary due to high temperatures forecast for Benalla this weekend

Portland

• Portland District Health: 10:00am–4:00pm seven days per week

A total of 159 tests were taken in Benalla (117) and Portland (42) yesterday and demand for testing is expected to increase today and tomorrow. We urge people to come forward for testing.

In response to the South Australian outbreak, interstate truck drivers travelling through Victoria from South Australia are being asked to get tested.

Yesterday, 43 tests were taken at the Nhill and Dartmoor sites. In total, 94 tests have been completed at these new roadside sites.

Today, three new roadside testing sites will open:

• A new Nelson site is scheduled to operate on the Portland Nelson Rd, opposite the Nelson Aeroplane Company. It is proposed to be operate from 11am-6pm.
• A Murrayville site operating from 4pm-8pm today at Murrayville Town Hall, 25 McKenzie Street, Murrayville, and from Sunday 8am to 4.30pm.
• A site at the Edenhope Racecourse, Wimmera Highway (MacKenzies Rd corner) which will operate from 2pm to 10pm daily.

On Sunday, a new site at Murray Sunset will open at A20 National Highway, Murray Sunset, corner of border track and Sturt Highway and operate daily from 8am to 4.30pm.

Details of all current testing sites are available from the DHHS website at: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19.

In Victoria at the current time:

• One individual is a currently active case in Victoria, hospitalised in metropolitan Melbourne but not in intensive care
• A total of 3,487,082 test results have been received which is an increase of 11,333 since yesterday

Information regarding COVID-19 is available at the Department of Health and Human Services website or by calling 1800 675 398. Testing site details are available here: dhhs.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19

Media enquiries:

Department of Health & Human Services Media Unit (03) 9096 8860 or press@dhhs.vic.gov.au

Cases by Local Government Area

Please find the latest COVID-19 notifications by local government areas below

Note:

• Residential location is the residential address provided when the case is notified.
• This is not where they were infected and may not be where the case currently resides.
• Numbers are correct as of 11.59pm last night but are subject to change as cases are followed up and data is analysed. This can include changes to residential addresses following case interviews.
• The last column shows the number of current active cases in an LGA. Active cases are defined as someone who has tested positive, is currently in isolation and being monitored by the Department and who has not yet recovered.

Confirmed cases by LGA 21/11/2020