Coronavirus update for Victoria - 29 April 2021

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

The case is a man aged in his 50s.

Victoria has recorded no new locally acquired cases.

This is the 62^nd day in a row that no new cases have been acquired in Victoria.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,516.

Update: Vaccinations

The number of vaccinations administered by state commissioned services across Victoria topped 200,000 yesterday.

A total of 3,662 COVID-19 vaccination doses were administered yesterday by state commissioned services.

This brings the total number of vaccine doses administered by the Department as of yesterday to 202,506.

A full list of opening hours and wait times at Victoria’s high-volume vaccinations centres can be seen at High-volume vaccination centres.

Update: WA travel permit zones and primary close contacts

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared that from 12.01am on Wednesday 28 April, the Perth metropolitan area and the Peel region in Western Australia have been designated orange zones under Victoria’s travel permit system.

The Department of Health has contacted 2984 former red zone permit holders and has advised them they can be released from their 14-day quarantine period once they have recorded a negative test result.

People entering Victoria with an orange zone permit must isolate, get a coronavirus test within 72 hours, and stay isolated until they receive a negative result.

People currently in Victoria with an orange zone permit – having entered Victoria between 17 April until the red zone came into effect – can end their isolation period when they have received a negative test.

Any primary close contact linked to QF778 from Perth to Melbourne on 21 April must continue their 14-day quarantine period.

Any casual contact linked to the Tier 2 exposure site Melbourne Airport Terminal One can also end their isolation period when they have received a negative test.

The small number of contacts in Victoria linked to exposure sites in WA are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis according to risk and must await contact from the Department of Health regarding their conditions and clearance. Some will not be released from their 14-day quarantine period.

Update: Viral fragments detected in wastewater samples

In response to strong and unexpected COVID-19 fragment wastewater detections reported yesterday in Melbourne’s western and north-western suburbs, 246 people who were in those areas have been contacted and are being asked to be tested as a precaution.

This additional action is being taken due to the strength of the wastewater detection and because a known positive COVID-19 case, from flight QF778, has been in Victoria in the past 14 days.

The 246 people who have been contacted today include four primary close contacts of that case and 242 recently returned red and orange zone travel permit holders.

All of these primary close contacts have recently been tested and have returned negative results. All of the 246 people are being asked to test again out of an abundance of caution.

COVID-19 fragments have now been detected in four additional catchments in Melbourne’s western, northern, north-western, and outer eastern suburbs, and there have been repeat detections in Benalla.

These are in addition to viral fragment detections reported over recent days in other catchments the eastern, western, north-western and outer northern suburbs.

It is most likely that these new detections are due to a person or persons continuing to shed the virus after the infection period however, it could also be due to a person living in or travelling through the area in the early active infectious phase.

The wastewater testing program is designed as an early warning system to support our ongoing efforts in continuing to protect the COVIDSafe environment we have achieved and therefore a cautious approach is always taken when these detections are found.

People who live in or have visited these areas who have developed COVID symptoms are strongly encouraged to get tested and help keep Victoria communities COVID free.

New Detections:

North-western suburbs 20–27 April 2021

Glenroy, Hadfield, Oak Park, Pascoe Vale

Benalla 10– 15 April and 20-26 April 2021 (repeat detections)

Benalla

Western suburbs 20 – 27 April 2021

Altona, Altona North, Brooklyn, Newport, South Kingsville, Williamstown, Williamstown North

Northern suburbs 20 – 27 April 2021

Briar Hill, Bundoora, Diamond Creek, Greensborough, Lower Plenty, Macleod, Mill Park, Montmorency, Plenty, South Morang, St Helena, Viewbank, Watsonia, Watsonia North, Yallambie, Yarrambat

Outer eastern suburbs 20 – 26 April 2021

Chirnside Park, Coldstream, Kalorama, Lilydale, Montrose, Mooroolbark, Mount Dandenong, Mount Evelyn, Olinda, Yarra Glen, Yering

Active detections reported recently:

Western suburbs catchment 18-26 April 2021

Persons visiting or residing in Albanvale, Burnside, Burnside Heights, Cairnlea, Caroline Springs, Deer Park, Delahey, Hillside (Melton), Keilor Downs, Kings Park, Plumpton, Ravenhall, Sydenham, Taylors Hill or Taylors Lakes.

North-western suburbs catchment 18-26 April 2021

Persons visiting or residing in Avondale Heights, Calder Park, Hillside (Melton), Kealba, Keilor, Keilor Downs, Keilor East, Keilor Lodge, Keilor North, Keilor Park, Sydenham or Taylors Lakes.

Eastern suburbs catchment 20–24 April 2021

Persons visiting or residing in Balwyn, Balwyn North, Blackburn, Blackburn North, Box Hill, Box Hill North, Bulleen, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Donvale, Mitcham, Mont Albert, Mont Albert North, Nunawading or Templestowe Lower.

Outer northern suburbs catchment 17–22 April 2021

Persons visiting or residing in Epping, South Morang or Wollert.

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.

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):