Only 16 of latest 71 COVID-19 cases isolating

ONLY 16 of Victoria’s 71 latest COVID-19 cases were isolating while infectious, and the sources of 22 infections are a mystery.

Premier Daniel Andrews has pleaded for people to take isolation requirements seriously on the back of the numbers.

“If you’re asked to isolate, it is incredibly important that you do that,” he told reporters today (Monday, August 23).

“There’s no ducking down the shops or going and visiting someone. There’s no room for error, there is literally no room for error, you have got to be isolating for the entirety of that 14-day period.”

There are 494 active cases in the state, 29 people are in hospital including nine in intensive care, five of whom are on ventilators.

Among those infected are staff at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, who cared for an infected Shepparton man.

It was revealed yesterday (Sunday, August 22) the man was not tested before being admitted for surgery on August 12 and had been in various parts of the hospital, including the ICU and a cardiac ward.

A family member who visited a patient in the same room as the man later tested positive, alerting the hospital to the outbreak.

Hundreds of health workers at the hospital have been forced into self-isolation due to risk of exposure.

There are 10 confirmed cases linked to Royal Melbourne Hospital and another 14 cases have been added to the Shepparton outbreak, which totals 34 cases.

Mr Andrews praised the Shepparton and Goulburn Valley community for coming out in force for testing and supporting each other through quarantine.

Regional Victoria entered lockdown at 1pm on Saturday, due to the emergence of cases in Shepparton and fears the virus had spread to other towns.

Victoria Police Chief Commission Shane Patton confirmed police and the health department are investigating a large funeral held in Shepparton in the lead up to the outbreak.

“I know we’re looking at what the numbers were as to whether they exceeded (the 50-person limit),” he told 3AW radio.