25/06/2020
What's new?
Developments in the outbreak
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As of 25 June 2020, the total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria is 1,917, an increase of 33 since yesterday’s report.
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Of the 33 new cases, nine cases are linked to outbreaks, ten were detected in hotel quarantine, six were identified through routine testing, and eight remain under investigation.
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240 cases have been acquired in Australia where the source of infection is unknown, a decrease of one since yesterday’s report.
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Seven people are in hospital, including two patients in intensive care. 20 people have died, no increase since yesterday’s report. 1,732 people have recovered.
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Of the total 1,917 cases, there have been 1,602 in metropolitan Melbourne and 241 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation.
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More than 716,000 test results have been received by the department since 1 January 2020.
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The State of Emergency has been extended until 11.59pm on 19 July.
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A targeted blitz was launched today across ten priority suburbs to zero-in on community transmission with a fleet of mobile vans. Over the next 10 days, residents of these suburbs will receive free testing – with or without symptoms. Priority suburbs include Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham, with Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows identified as the top two and focus of the next three days of testing. Further details can be found in today's coronavirus (COVID-19) media release.
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Residents of these suburbs should not seek asymptomatic testing from their General Practitioner, rather visit a site listed on our Getting tested webpage.
- Up-to-date epidemiological data is available on our website.
Current advice to clinicians
- Practitioners should test any patients who meet the clinical criteria below
Fever OR chills in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that explains the clinical presentation*
OR
Acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, anosmia or loss of smell or loss of taste)
Note: In addition, testing is recommended for people with new onset of other clinical symptoms consistent with COVID-19** AND who are close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19; who have returned from overseas in the past 14 days; or who are healthcare or aged care workers.
*Clinical discretion applies including consideration of the potential for co-infection (e.g. concurrent infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza)
**headache, myalgia, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
- If referring your patients for COVID-19 testing, a list of testing locations can be found on the getting tested for coronavirus page.
- Any coronavirus test reported by a laboratory as having detected SARS-CoV-2 on PCR will be treated as positive for the purposes of public health actions, regardless of repeat testing of the sample. It is not appropriate to advise a patient that a test is a false positive without prior consultation with the department. Current processing time for COVID-19 tests is one to three days.
- Practitioners are encouraged to also consider testing for other infectious diseases as warranted by the patient’s clinical presentation and history, including travel history. Test for influenza in patients presenting with compatible respiratory symptoms and request a stool culture in patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms.
Key messages for the community
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Over the next 10 days, if you live in one of the priority suburbs you will receive free testing – with or without symptoms. Visit the DHHS testing map for locations.
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If you feel unwell with any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), however mild, you should stay home and get tested. If you have any fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and loss of sense of smell or taste - stay home, don’t go in to work and don’t visit friends and family. Get tested and stay at home until you get the result.
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It also remains critical to practice good hygiene in and outside the home, wash your hands regularly, cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and try to avoid touching your face. Maintain physical distance from others and avoid crowds. And if you can work from home, you must keep working from home.
More information
Clinical information
Latest coronavirus information for Victorian health services and general practice
Consumer information
Translated resources in over 50 languages
Victoria's current restrictions
Latest coronavirus information from the World Health Organization
Latest travel advice from Smartraveller
Contacts
Medical practitioners needing clinical information or to notify confirmed cases can contact the Department of Health and Human Services Communicable Diseases Section on 1300 651 160 (24 hours).
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