12.30pm
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Greater Bendigo has recorded another 138 new cases of COVID-19 overnight.
According to data from the Department of Health, the region now has 834 active cases.
There have also been 11,269 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
Elsewhere in central Victoria, the Macedon Ranges Shire recorded 42 new cases, Mount Alexander 18, the Central Goldfields 10 and Campaspe 69.
Gannawarra Shire recorded another six cases, Loddon added seven and three new in Buloke.
Earlier
Victoria has recorded another 8501 new COVID-19 cases on in the last 24 hours.
A total of 401 people were hospitalised with the virus on, 78 of whom were in intensive care and 16 on ventilators.
The state also recorded another nine deaths.
Of the cases recorded, 5661 were rapid antigen tests and 2840 were laboratory PCR tests. There were 23,683 PCR tests conducted on Wednesday
Another 9356 people received a vaccine dose at state-run facilities. Three doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to 53 per cent of people aged over 18.
It comes as hospitals across the state were given the go-ahead to increase the amount of elective surgery performed in the coming week.
From Monday, February 21, the elective surgery cap for private hospitals will increase from the current 75 per cent to up to 100 per cent, while regional public hospitals will deliver any elective surgery based on their individual capacity.
Other news:
Public hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne will also be able to perform Category 2 surgery, while private hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne can undertake up to 75 per cent of any elective surgery activity, increasing from 50 per cent.
Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron said the hospital was keen to complete more elective surgeries on site in the coming weeks.
At a conference on Wednesday morning, Mr Cameron said staff had "treated more patients than ever before" in the last financial year.
"We're looking forward to ramping up, that ramping is already occurring," he said.
"We hope in the next couple of weeks we will be back and chugging away.
"This financial year, not withstanding the pandemic, we are going to treat more people than ever before and we are going to do more operations than ever before.
"It makes us one of the best performing hospitals in Australia and that's something Bendigo Health is very proud of."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Download our app on iOS and Android
- 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