Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | 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).

16/2/2021

What's new?

Victoria has recorded four new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). Two are locally acquired cases linked to the Holiday Inn. The other two cases are in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases reported in Victoria is now 20,475.
There were no new deaths and the state’s death toll stands at 820.
The number of active cases in Victoria is 25. This includes 16 locally acquired cases isolating in the community and 7 cases in hotel quarantine.
A total of 4,743,230 test results have been received. This is an increase of 23,950 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 locally acquired cases are linked to the Holiday Inn. These were identified close contacts who were already isolating.
Public exposure sites are 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

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 is 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. For more information, please visit the Coronavirus website.
From 11.59pm Friday 12 February until 11.59pm 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.

Three-day Auckland lockdown

On Sunday 14 February, the Australian Chief Medical Officer announced all flights originating in New Zealand will be classified as red zone flights for an initial period of 72 hours from 12.01am Monday 15 February.
As a result, all people arriving on flights from New Zealand within this three-day period will enter Hotel Quarantine for 14 days.
On Monday 15 February, a flight arrived from New Zealand into Melbourne 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.

Testing sites and expanded testing

Victorians have responded well to the call for testing and new pop-up testing sites have been established at Coburg Lake Reserve in Coburg North and Featherbrook Reserve in Point Cook.
New testing sites, extended hours and expected wait times are regularly updated 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 – no matter how mild - to come 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 12.01am 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 coronavirus (COVID-19) testing on day 1, 5 and 12.
Queensland closed its borders to Greater Melbourne for a two-week period from 11:59pm on 12 February 2021.
Travellers from Victoria entering the Northern Territory from Greater Melbourne (including Melbourne Airport) are required to complete 14 days of mandatory supervised quarantine.
Travellers from Victoria entering Western Australia must apply for a G2G Pass and self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival and obtain a coronavirus (COVID-19) test with 48 hours of arrival.

Western Australia zone change

From 9:00 pm on 15 February, Perth, Peel and the south-west region of Western Australia became 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.

Current advice to clinicians

Statement on Rapid Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) diagnosis in symptomatic persons (Word).
Notifications to the department of a confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus (COVID-19) can be done online. You can submit an online form to our public health team, rather than calling us, saving you time and resolving your case load more efficiently.

Coronavirus (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

Locations of respiratory assessment clinics and testing sites are available online and through an interactive map.
Find out the latest information about visiting care facilities and hospitals on our website.
Protecting our healthcare workers (PDF) sets out the very latest in our understanding of coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it can spread within healthcare settings – both hospitals and aged-care facilities. More information can be found online.
A new Infection Prevention and Control resource hub is now online, and includes a new factsheet on protective eyewear and the Guide to the conventional use of PPE (Word). Updated information for health care workers is available online on the PPE coronavirus page.

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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