Victoria was notified of 847 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. All were locally acquired.
There are 7,611 active cases in Victoria - 7,610 locally acquired and one overseas-acquired case.
There are 321 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. 65 of those cases are in intensive care, with 45 cases on a ventilator.
Sadly, the Department was notified yesterday of the death of a man aged in his 80s from Hume.
This brings the total number of deaths from the current outbreak to 22, and the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 842.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 32,515.
Update: Travel restrictions for communities on the NSW-Victorian border
All Local Government Areas on the NSW-Victorian border are now classified as red zones under Victoria's travel permit system, after the NSW LGA of Albury was reclassified at 11:59pm on 23 September.
Residents of the cross-border community who haven't left the cross-border area or been in an Extreme Risk Zone at any time in the previous 14 days can enter Victoria without a permit for any reason.
Victorians who do not live in the cross-border community can apply for a Red Zone permit to re-enter Victoria.
For more information on Victoria's border restrictions, visit COVIDSafe Settings. For more information on Victoria's travel permit system, visit Victorian Travel Permit System.
Update: Vaccination requirements for holders of a Specified Worker (Multiple Entry) Permit
To remain eligible for a Specified Worker (Multiple Entry) Permit, commercial freight and healthcare workers entering Victoria from Extreme Risk or Red zones are now required to carry evidence showing that they have either had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or will have received their first dose by 8 October 2021.
Permit holders can also provide proof of an exemption issued by a medical practitioner, if applicable.
Commercial freight and healthcare workers with a Specified Worker (Multiple Entry) Permit issued before 24 September have until 11:59pm on Monday 27 September to apply for a new permit. Existing permits will be revoked at that time.
Vaccines
Yesterday, 37,220 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services. The total number of doses administered through state-run services is 3,364,220.
More than 77 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while almost 47 per cent have had two doses.
Victoria is receiving 32,000 initial doses of the Moderna mRNA vaccine to administer through our state sites. Supply will initially be focused in and around Melbourne's southeast, where there has been increasing case numbers and strong demand for vaccination. The pop-up vaccination clinic at Palm Plaza in Dandenong will begin administering the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday 28 September. The Moderna vaccine is safe, highly effective and available to anyone in Victoria aged 12 to 59 years.
All Victorian construction workers must now be able to provide evidence that they have either had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or will have received their first dose by 2 October 2021. Anyone unable to be vaccinated will not be permitted on construction sites unless they have proof of an exemption issued by an authorised medical practitioner.
The community pop-up vaccination program targeting 100 priority postcodes across the state is delivering excellent results:
- Australian Islamic Centre in Hobsons Bay with more than 7,000 doses in 3 weeks
- Broadmeadows Community Hub in Hume with almost 2,000 doses in 10 days
- Palm Plaza in Dandenong with more than 6,000 doses in less than 10 days
The newest addition to the community vaccination pop-up program in the City of Maribyrnong will operate next weekend - on Saturday 2 October and Sunday 3 October - at Whitten Oval. Bookings for 2,000 Pfizer appointments over those two days will be available on the Coronavirus website on Monday for people aged between 12 and 59. The Department of Health is delighted to partner with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, Western Health, Victoria University, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, Maribyrnong City Council and Hobsons Bay City Council.
Outbreaks
Of the 847 cases recorded yesterday, the following Local Government Areas in metropolitan Melbourne recorded more than one newly diagnosed case:
- 14 cases in Banyule
- 4 cases in Bayside
- 5 cases in Boroondara
- 56 cases in Brimbank
- 7 cases in Cardinia
- 27 cases in Casey
- 26 cases in Darebin
- 7 cases in Frankston
- 2 cases in Glen Eira
- 10 cases in Greater Dandenong
- 12 cases in Hobsons Bay
- 339 cases in Hume
- 5 cases in Kingston
- 5 cases in Knox
- 7 cases in Manningham
- 2 cases in Maribyrnong
- 3 cases in Maroondah
- 13 cases in Melbourne
- 45 cases in Melton
- 7 cases in Monash
- 18 cases in Moonee Valley
- 54 cases in Moreland
- 6 cases in Nulllumbik
- 12 cases in Port Phillip
- 7 cases in Stonnington
- 77 cases in Whittlesea
- 37 cases in Wyndham
- 6 cases in Yarra.
There were also 30 cases notified in regional Victoria yesterday:
- 1 in Corangamite
- 1 in Greater Bendigo
- 3 in Greater Geelong
- 1 in Greater Shepparton
- 1 in Indigo
- 3 in Latrobe
- 3 in Macedon Ranges
- 7 in Mitchell Shire
- 4 in Moorabool
- 3 in Mount Alexander
- 1 in South Gippsland
- 1 in Southern Grampians
- 1 in Surf Coast
Data on Victorian coronavirus cases is available at Victorian COVID-19 data.
Around 62 per cent of cases identified in Victoria yesterday are in Melbourne's northern suburbs, with 22 per cent in Melbourne's western suburbs.
More than 83 per cent of all active cases in Victoria are people under 50 years of age. More than 23 per cent of cases are people in their 20s.
One positive case identified on 24 September is associated with the Spirit of Tasmania. An engineer has tested positive and the crew of 14 engineering staff have been identified as PCCs. A replacement engineering crew is being called in so that the boats can resume operation.
There are currently 26,312 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
At midday today, there were more than 530 published exposure sites in Victoria.
For more information on each exposure site, including dates and times of exposure, please visit Case alerts - public exposure sites.
There may be occasions when the Department is unable to make contact with a business or residential premises before their listing as an exposure site. At all times, we take the decision of when to publish these sites in the interests of public health.
The Department regularly manages exposure sites that it doesn't publish online, particularly if these sites represent lower-risk exposure, or if they have comprehensive record-keeping and contact-tracing measures, or if they identify small, private locations - including smaller apartment or townhouse complexes.
Wastewater testing
COVID-19 viral fragments have been detected in wastewater samples taken from several regional areas.
- Ballarat area - unexpected wastewater detections from the following suburbs:
- Lake Gardens, Alfredton and Delacombe. Repeated detections between 17 and 22 September.
- Ballarat Central and Redan. The period of interest is 20-22 September.
- Ascot, Bald Hills, Ballarat North, Blowhard, Cabbage Tree, Cardigan, Invermay, Invermay Park, Lake Gardens, Learmonth, Miners Rest, Mitchell Park, Mount Rowan, Sulky, Wendouree and Windermere. Repeated detections from 15-17 September and 20-23 September.
- Bendigo area - unexpected wastewater detection in an area that includes East Bendigo, Wellsford, Strathdale, Kennington, Strathfieldsaye and Junortoun. The period of interest is 21-23 September.
- Phillip Island - unexpected wastewater detection in an area that includes Cape Woolamai, Cowes, Newhaven, Rhyll, San Remo, Silverleaves, Smiths Beach, Sunderland Bay, Sunset Strip, Surf Beach, Ventnor and Wimbledon Heights. The period of interest is 20-23 September.
- Hamilton - unexpected wastewater detection in an area that includes Hamilton. The period of interest is 18-20 September.
- Seymour - repeated unexpected wastewater detections in area that includes Seymour. The period of interest is 19-22 September.
- Benalla - unexpected wastewater detection in area that includes Benalla. The period of interest is 19-21 September.
- Warrnambool - unexpected wastewater detection in area that includes Allansford, Dennington and Koroit. The period of interest is 19-21 September.
These detections could be an undiscovered new case or cases, or they could be the result of one or more people in these areas who have recovered from COVID-19 but are still shedding the virus.
Anyone who lives in, works in or has visited the areas above is urged to watch for the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms and get tested as soon as possible if symptoms develop.
For more information on wastewater testing, visit Wastewater testing.
Testing
59,342 COVID-19 tests were processed yesterday.
Getting tested as soon as you have symptoms will help health authorities identify new positive cases and provide proper care for your family.
If you are concerned about losing money from missing work, support is available - including the $450 test isolation payment. For more information, go to Financial and other support for COVID-19.
To find your nearest COVID-19 testing site, visit Where to get tested for COVID-19. Operating hours and wait times will vary.
More information
To access the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Victoria, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria
