Premier to update Victorians as 392 new cases emerge

OSTN Staff

Victoria has recorded 392 new Covid cases, with 107 of those linked to existing outbreaks.More than 36,000 vaccines were administered on Saturday, and 48,063 tests were carried out.As of Sunday morning, 65 per cent of Victorians have had at least their first dose of vaccine.Victoria’s construction industry has been put on notice after recording hundreds of Covid cases in recent days.Of the 450 new infections announced on Saturday, one-third was linked to construction workers including several who have seeded new Delta cases in regional areas. Three of five new cases in the greater Geelong area are linked to construction work.There were also single cases in Cohuna, Daylesford and Beveridge at the same time regional areas were emerging from lockdown.Because seven of the eight new regional cases are believed to have been infected while visiting Melbourne, health authorities have so far allowed the easing or restrictions to continue. But they have turned up the heat on the building industry, with Health Minister Martin Foley warning authorised officers WorkSafe inspectors and industry leaders would be stepping up Covid plan compliance checks following a spike in cases.“All workers big and small in the construction industry need to make sure that they follow the rules,” Mr Foley said.“The time for continuing to hand out warnings in the sector is over.” Deoples COVID-19 Victorian Exposure Sites TableThe Panorama construction project at Box Hill has already seeded 116 cases, but is expected to rise further as many of the cluster’s 300 close contacts undergo day 13 tests. Master Builders Victoria chief executive Rebecca Casson said it was expected there would be some Covid among essential construction workers, however the industry had a demonstrated track record of managing positive cases on sites. Ms Casson reiterated to the public there were some legal exemptions for not wearing a face mask on a building site, including for health reasons. “However, if there are blatant breaches, these must be reported to the relevant authorities,” she said.Victoria on Friday set another daily record for vaccinations, with 87,000 Covid jabs administered across all Victorian providers on Friday, boosting the state’s first jab coverage to 62.5 per cent. Vic Locally-acquired Covid-19But pressure is building on the state’s health system after a further 17 Covid cases were hospitalised on Friday. There are now 143 Covid-positive patients in hospital, including 34 in intensive care and 26 on ventilators. Nine out of 10 of those in hospital are completely unvaccinated, while none have had both doses.The Delta surge continues to stem largely from Melbourne’s north and west, with more than 350 of the cases announced on Saturday in those areas. They included 166 cases in Hume, 87 in Moreland and 41 in Whittlesea.NED-4476-Covid-19-Vaccine-Rates-MelbourneBALLARAT ON ALERTBallarat residents are on high alert after unexpected and repeated Covid-19 fragments were detected in wastewater over the past fortnight. The Health Department said detections were centred in Ballarat’s southern suburbs.Anyone who lives, works or has visited the following suburbs is urged to watch for the mildest of Covid symptoms and to get tested if they develop:Alfredton, Bakery Hill, Ballarat Central, Ballarat East, Ballarat North, Black Hill, Bonshaw, Brown Hill, Buninyong, Canadian, Cardigan, Delacombe, Eureka, Golden Point, Invermay Park, Lake Gardens, Lake Wendouree, Lucas, Mount Clear, Mount Helen, Mount Pleasant, Nerrina, Newington, Redan, Sebastopol, Smythes Creek, Soldiers Hill, Warrenheip and Wendouree.National – 2021 – Covid Vaccination StatsMILLION NEW MODERNA JABS TO HIT CHEMISTSA million new Moderna doses are coming from Europe and will be rolled out from pharmacies within two weeks.Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the boost as Australia’s medical advisory group green-lit Moderna for use in children aged 12 to 17, who will be able to book their jabs from Monday.Secured from surplus stock destined for Spain, Denmark, Czech Republic, Portugal and Bulgaria, the jabs bring to 11 million the number of Pfizer and Moderna doses available in September.Read the full story here.HOSPITAL STAFF IN ISOLATIONStaff and patients at a hospital in Melbourne’s southeast have been forced into isolation after a Covid positive case attended.Anyone who attended the main waiting room at Dandenong Hospital’s Emergency Department on September 8 between 9.35pm to 9.45pm or the clinic waiting room between 9.45pm to 10.59pm must get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result. GOAL FOR MCG VAX HUB BLITZVictorians would have a “jab at the ‘G” on grand final eve under a push to create a special community hub to supercharge our vaccination rate.Sport, community and health leaders are backing the Sunday Herald Sun campaign, which would see the empty MCG precinct host vaccinations on the public holiday Friday and possibly the Saturday.Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said a properly-managed hub could shift the loss of the Grand Final into something constructive.“It could be a hub of focus on the very thing that most Melburnians would love to have back – the ability to go to events,” Prof Bennett said.— Read the full story here and sign the petition for Jabs at the ‘G. Can’t see the petition below? Click here to sign.MCG petition

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