It’s the sixth straight day Victoria has recorded more than 400 new cases as infections continue to trend upwards.One new death was also announced on Friday. Another 386 mystery infections were also revealed in Friday’s figures, with only 124 of the new cases linked to existing outbreaks.More than 1610 mystery cases have been recorded since Monday.The health department did not say how many cases were in isolation during their infectious period.The outbreak continues to hit Victoria’s younger population the worst with 85 per cent of the state’s active cases younger than 50, with almost one quarter of cases people aged in their 20s.Despite the rising cases, people living in locked down Melbourne and Ballarat will be able to enjoy extra freedoms from Saturday.Melburnians will be able to leave home for “outdoor social interaction” after the state hit its 70 per cent first-dose vaccination target a week early.The new measure will kick in from 11.59pm on Friday, just in time for the weekend.It means one person may meet another person not from their household for a picnic, a walk or other outdoor activity.Up to five adults and children from two households may gather outdoors if all adults are fully vaccinated.Premier Daniel Andrews also revealed the 5km travel limit would be increased to 10km and the time allowed for outdoor exercise would double from two to four hours per day.One new case was recorded in hotel quarantine on Friday. More than 18,530 primary close contacts remain in isolation in Victoria.There are now 4697 active cases in Victoria.Vic Locally-acquired Covid-19NED-3889-Melbourne-lockdown-restrictionsDELTA DRIVING DOWN JAB HESITANCYMore Australians are willing to roll up there sleeves and get a Covid-19 jab amid major Delta variant outbreaksThe latest Melbourne Institute vaccine hesitancy tracker shows the number of Victorians unwilling to be vaccinated has plunged to a mere 7 per cent, down from almost 18 per cent in mid-June, The Australian reports.Across the nation, vaccine hesitancy has fallen from 20.3 per cent in the previous survey on August 20 to 16.7 per cent, with 9.4 per cent unwilling to be vaccinated and 7.3 per cent who don’t know.Vaccine acceptance is highest in Victoria, NSW and South Australia, while hesitancy continued to be highest in Western Australia (22.1 per cent) and Queensland (21.6 per cent).Vaccination rates in the latter two states are lagging behind the rest of the nation, with fewer than 40 per cent of their eligible populations double-jabbed compared with 50 per cent in NSW and Tasmania, and almost 54 per cent in the ACT.National – 2021 – Covid Vaccination StatsFIVE MORE BLOOD CLOTS LINKED TO ASTRAZENECAAustralia has recorded five more blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine including in a male aged under 60.Two cases, 78 and 91-year-old men from NSW, are being treated as confirmed cases of Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a rare occurrence characterised by blood clots and low platelet levels.The other cases, 58 and 69-year-old men from NSW and an 85-year-old woman from NSW, are being treated as ‘probable TTS’.The figures were released on Thursday afternoon in the Therapeutic Goods Administration Vaccine Weekly Safety Report.“We continue to closely monitor cases of TTS as Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) is now being used more frequently in people aged under 60 years. To date, we have not observed a significant change in the rate of TTS in this age group,” the TGA said.The latest cases raise the total Australian reports assessed as TTS following AstraZeneca to 134 cases (75 confirmed, 59 probable) from nearly 10.8 million vaccine doses.Most cases happened two weeks after vaccination and almost all of the confirmed cases appeared after the first dose.Eight people have died as a result of TTS – six of these were women. A ninth was a case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The TGA advises people should seek immediate medical attention if they develop any of the following symptoms after vaccination:– severe or persistent headache, blurred vision, confusion or seizures– shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain– unusual skin bruising and/or pinpoint round spots beyond the site of vaccination.The most common time period for onset of TTS symptoms is four to 30 days after vaccination.NED-3736-Vaccine-benefit-vs-harmANOTHER 12 DEATHS FOR NSWAnother 1351 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in NSW and tragically 12 deaths as a concerning new figure was flagged by the health minister.There are now 15,000 active cases in NSW with Health Minister Brad Hazzard saying those people were being cared for by health officials.“More than 15,000 people with Covid-19 are being cared for in our NSW health system. The majority of those, over 90 per cent, are being cared for in the community, at home generally,” he said.Of the active cases, 1231 are in hospital with 231 of those people in intensive care – 108 of whom require ventilation.Mr Hazzard said more than 80 per cent of eligible people had now received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.Mr Hazzard urged people to continue coming forward to get tested, stating that health would rely on that information when making decisions.The 12 deaths included a man in his 90s, two men in their 60s, three women in their 80s, two women in their 60s, a man in his 40s, a woman in her 70s, a woman in his 70s, and a man in his 50s.Two more regions were also plunged into lockdown.Lismore and Albury, on opposite ends of the state, will go into lockdown from 6pm Thursday, Mr Hazzard confirmed.Despite the high case numbers, the state is creeping closer and closer to its “freedom day” on October 18 and according to vaccine tracking website Covid Live, NSW could reach the 70 per cent double dose milestone as much as a week earlier.Almost half (48.5 per cent) of the eligible population are fully vaccinated.NED-4339-New-South-Wales-LGAs-In-Lock-DownIt comes as NSW is edging closer to “freedom day”, with new data suggesting the state could hit 70 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated a week earlier than first predicted.NSW has surged ahead over the last month in the race to vaccinate the nation with more than 80 per cent of the population aged 16 and older now having received one dose.Almost 49 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in NSW, which comes in just behind ACT at 53 per cent.Victoria is 42 per cent fully vaccinated.NSW is now expected to hit 70 per cent fully vaccinated on October 11, which is a week earlier than the first predicted date of October 18.Once the state hits the target, stay-at-home orders for fully vaccinated people will be lifted the following Monday.Fully vaccinated people will also be able to gather in private homes and public spaces, and attend hospitality venues, retail stores and gyms.
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