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Coronavirus (COVID-19) daily update

This Chief Health Officer update is intended to provide clinicians and the Victorian public with information about the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Victoria as well as relevant public health response activities in Victoria. Chief Health Officer Alerts will continue to be issued when there are changes to the public health advice related to coronavirus (COVID-19).

15/2/2021

What's new?

  • Victoria has recorded two new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). One is a locally acquired case linked to the Holiday Inn. The other case is in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine.
  • The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases reported in Victoria is now 20,471.
  • There were no new deaths and the state’s death toll stands at 820.
  • The number of active cases in Victoria is 21. This includes 14 locally acquired cases isolating in the community and 7 cases in hotel quarantine.
  • A total of 4,719,280 test results have been received. This is an increase of 25,144 since yesterday.
  • You can find further details in today’s coronavirus (COVID-19) media release.
  • The DHHS website has full details in the interactive daily report.

Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport case 

  • Today’s new positive case linked to the Holiday Inn is in a person who recorded a weak positive test result that was under review yesterday.
  • The case, who does not have any coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, was swabbed multiple times and those swabs were subject to tests on several platforms that returned both negative and weak positive results.
  • The Expert Review Panel met yesterday and, on a balance of risks, determined this to be a positive case. The case’s infectious period has been set from 7 February.
  • She attended the private function venue at 426 Sydney Road, Coburg, on the night of 6 February and is the mother of the young child who was announced yesterday as a positive case.
  • Today’s new case is a health care worker who has worked in psychiatric units within the Alfred Hospital, Northern Hospital and the Broadmeadows Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.
  • Affected wards have been locked down, primary close contacts quarantined and tested, and secondary close contacts managed.
  • There is one new exposure site linked to this new case – Sacca’s Fruit World in Broadmeadows [attended on 9 February between 12:30 and 1:15 pm].
  • To determine exposure sites, the Department relies on initial interviews and regular follow-up contact with positive cases, QR code data and other attendance records, plus information that contact tracers can validate through banking records and information stored by agencies such as VicRoads and Services Australia.
  • Through this follow-up contact, we have updated our list of current Tier 1 exposure sites.
  • Anyone who was at Bonbons Bakery at Broadmeadows Central on Tuesday 9 February from 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm must isolate, get tested and stay isolated for 14 days.
  • Fergusson Plarre Bakehouse in Broadmeadows is no longer an exposure site and relevant contacts identified have been cleared.
  • We continue to thank those who let us know about additional information they have remembered about their movements after their initial interview – it’s the right thing to do.
  • As of 1:00 pm today, in relation to the Holiday Inn cases, we have identified 57 primary close contacts linked to households and social groups and 1,057 primary close contacts linked to exposure sites
  • The number of contacts, particularly those linked to exposure sites, will continue to change.
  • Numbers today have changed significantly with the declaration of new exposure sites, including 407 individuals linked to two swimming pools, and over 100 people linked to two early learning centres.
  • In addition, 1,567 primary close contacts have been identified through the exposure site at Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport and 499 primary close contacts are Holiday Inn staff and residents.
  • Public exposure sites have been identified and have been published at Case locations and outbreaks.
  • Anyone who has visited the exposure sites during these dates and times must immediately isolate, get tested, and remain isolated for 14 days from the time they were at the site - not just until they receive a negative result.
  • Visit Where to get tested page to view testing sites nearest you and see real-time waiting information. We thank people for their patience and apologise for any delays.

Wastewater detections

  • As reported yesterday, there have been two coronavirus (COVID-19) fragment detections in metropolitan Melbourne wastewater catchments.
  • One detection is in the Coburg catchment which includes the suburbs of Coburg, Coburg North and Reservoir. The other detection ids in the South Melbourne catchment which includes the suburbs of Southbank, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road/Domain and parts of South Yarra and Prahran.
  • People in these areas are asked to remain extra vigilant and come forward for testing if they develop even the mildest symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Update: Circuit-breaker actions

  • Victoria’s new circuit-breaker actions are now in effect.
  • From 11:59 pm Friday 12 February until 11"59 pm on Wednesday 17 February, you cannot leave your home unless it is for one of four reasons: shopping for necessary goods and services; care and caregiving; exercise; and essential work.
  • You must stay within five kilometres of your home. This limit does not apply to work or when giving or receiving care. You can leave your home in an emergency or if there is family violence.
  • Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors whenever you leave your home.
  • These important measures are critical to our efforts to limit potential community cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and to stay on top of our current situation. By limiting movement, we can limit the spread.
  • For more information about all the circuit-breaker actions, please visit the Coronavirus website.

Three-day Auckland lockdown

  • The Australian Chief Medical Officer yesterday announced all flights originating in New Zealand will be classified as red zone flights for an initial period of 72 hours from 12:01 am this morning.
  • As a result, all people arriving on flights from New Zealand within this three-day period will enter Hotel Quarantine for 14 days.
  • A flight arrived from New Zealand into Melbourne yesterday with 152 passengers.  All passengers are being followed up to see if they are still in Victoria and, if so, they will be asked to isolate and get tested.

Interstate border restrictions

  • All travel into Victoria from other states and territories requires a travel permit.  You can apply for a permit via the Service Victoria website.
  • Travellers from the Greater Melbourne area are prohibited from entering South Australia on or after 12:01 am 11 February 2021. Essential travellers or travellers with an exemption (such as returning SA residents, genuine relocations, and those fleeing family violence) will be required to self-quarantine at a suitable place for 14 days upon arrival and submit to COVID-19 testing on day 1, 5 and 12.
  • Queensland closed its borders to Greater Melbourne for a two-week period from 11:59 pm on 12 February 2021.

Western Australia zone change

  • From 9:00 pm on 15 February, Perth, Peel and the south-west region of Western Australia becomes a green zone under Victoria’s ‘traffic light’ travel permit system. This means that all of WA is currently a green zone.
  • People in green zones can apply for a permit to enter Victoria if they have no coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms and have had no close contact with a coronavirus (COVID-19) case.
  • For more on travel permits visit Victorian Travel Permit System.

Testing sites and expanded testing

  • Victorians have responded well to our call for testing with more than 25,000 people presenting for testing yesterday and 118,000 tests taken over the past week.
  • Yesterday, despite the increased demand, there was good capacity through the system because of surge actions.
  • New pop-up testing sites at Coburg Lake Reserve in Coburg North and Featherbrook Reserve in Point Cook were established.
  • New testing sites and extended hours are regularly updated at Where to get tested. Where possible, please contact testing sites before arrival.
  • 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.
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing remains one of the best ways we can keep people safe and stay open, so we're asking anyone with symptoms to come and get tested – regardless of the time of year.

Current advice to clinicians

COVID-19 testing criteria

  • 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, or loss or changes in sense of smell or taste)
    • Note: testing is also recommended for people with new onset of other clinical symptoms consistent with coronavirus (COVID-19)** AND who are from the following cohorts: close contacts of a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19); those who have returned from overseas in the past 14 days; or those who are healthcare or aged care workers. Testing is recommended for those cohorts with onset of other clinical symptoms**. Asymptomatic testing is not recommended at this stage except for targeted programs
    • *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 coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, a list of testing locations can be found on the getting tested for coronavirus page.
  • If a symptomatic patient that presents for testing, confirms exposure to a known coronavirus (COVID-19) case within the past 14 days, and the outbreak definition is met, the test sample is to be treated as an ‘outbreak sample’.

Victoria’s restriction levels

  • The State of Emergency has been extended until Friday 26 February 2021 to allow the Chief Health Officer’s directions to remain in force.

Clinical information

Online resources

Mental health resources

  • Many Victorians are feeling fatigued, isolated or lonely. If you are in need of support for your mental health there are mental health resources you can access on our website.
  • If Victorians are not safe at home, they can seek help and support at an Orange Door or other family violence support service. If you or someone you know is at risk or experiencing family violence, call 000 in an emergency or safe steps 24/7 crisis service on 1800 015 188.
  • The Partners in Wellbeing hotline (1300 375 330) is available for referrals from people who identify as LGBTIQ, multicultural, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, veterans and people experiencing homelessness.

Consumer information

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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