12.45pm
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
YOUNG Victorians have been urged to isolate, as the government faces unprecedented outbreak transmission affecting under 30s.
More than 250 of the state's 440 active cases are currently in people aged under 30.
COVID-19 response deputy secretary Kate Matson said health authorities had never seen outbreak transmission among the state's youth cohort like they were currently.
Other news:
Ms Matson urged people to isolate, and communicate with their friends online or through phone calls.
She urged vigilance around behaviour for all people, saying the health authorities were seeing community transmission in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Ms Matson urged Victorians of all ages to be tested as soon as they showed any symptoms.
"Our teams are working as hard as they possibly can to get on top of this. Victorians can work as hard by getting tested as soon as you have slight symptoms, a sniffle, gastric symptoms, a headache can be a symptom," she said.
"I ask everyone to consider that COVID-19 maybe out there, as you go for an hour of exercise, as you collect your groceries, or pick up your takeaway coffee.
"We have community transmission, please maintain the same behaviour and the vigilance we've been practicing over the past 18 months."
Victoria reported 65 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to midnight, just 12 of which were in isolation while infectious.
Ms Matson said 21 of these were linked to the Greater Shepparton community outbreak, 17 of which were known about yesterday.
Eight are linked to Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne, eight to an outbreak in the City of Hobsons Bay, nine to MyCentre Childcare in Broadmeadows, and 13 to general outbreaks.
Ten cases are not yet linked to known outbreaks.
11am
BUSINESS support payments have been announced for regional Victorian businesses, as they face their fifth shutdown of the year.
Payments of $2800 per week will be available for businesses between now and September 2, while the Commonwealth disaster payment is being extended to regional Victoria.
Industry support minister Martin Foley announced the support package on Sunday, saying it was part of a continued commitment to support businesses throughout the lockdown and beyond.
Mr Foley said 18,000 businesses would automatically receive payments of $5600 under the business costs assistance program, $2800 for each week of lockdown.
Automatic payments of $5000, $10,000 and $20,000 will also be made to more than 2000 licensed hospitality premises in regional Victoria, that have previously received grants under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund.
Health authorities announced on Sunday that only 12 of Victoria's new cases were in isolation during their entire infectious period.
Fifty-five of the state's new COVID-19 cases are linked to known outbreaks, while another 10 cases have their acquisition source under investigation.
Health Minister Martin Foley urged Victorians to get vaccinated as soon as they could.
"That vaccination journey is our quickest way out of this pandemic, together with driving down our infection levels," Mr Foley said.
Mr Foley announced half a day's paid leave for all public sector employees for each dose of vaccine they received. He said this would apply to all full time or part time staff, picking up everyone from nurses, to firefighters, and teachers.
"All public sector employees are strongly encouraged to come forward and be vaccinated as soon as you're eligible," he said.
Mr Foley also announced another aged and disability care workforce vaccination blitz, saying those workforces were critical to protecting vulnerable Victorians from COVID-19.
He said workers would be able to walk up to one of more than 50 vaccination centres run by the state and get the vaccine of their choice, regardless of their age.
Mr Foley said the blitz would run from Monday to Sunday of the coming week.
He said all workers in these fields were required to receive their first dose of the vaccine by September 17.
Earlier
VICTORIA has reported 65 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, as it enters its second day of statewide lockdown.
It's a slight rise from the previous day's new case number, which was 61.
The state also reported one new case in hotel quarantine.
Sixteen of Sunday's cases had been already identified through rapid PCR testing, and announced on Saturday.
It comes as regional Victoria enters its first full day of lockdown, the seventh it has gone through.
The outbreak has seen Bendigo business Delacca's listed as a COVID-19 exposure site, after a positive case visited from Shepparton on August 13.
A total 44,147 COVID-19 test results were received in the 24 hours to midnight.
The state now has 440 active cases.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Join us on Facebook
- Follow us on Google News