Victoria reports 450 new COVID infections

VICTORIA’S young and unvaccinated remain the most vulnerable as the state reported four-hundred-and-fifty new cases of COVID-19.

More than 42,760 COVID tests were taken during the reporting period in the 24 hours up to midnight, as Melbourne remains in lockdown.

Of the 450 infections reported on Saturday, the highest number of daily cases in Victoria’s latest outbreak, 75 have been linked to known cases and outbreaks.

Victoria now has 2793 total active cases, including 407 children under nine years old, 449 people aged between 10 and 19 years old, 97 people in their 20s, and 485 people in their 30s.

“We continue to see this outbreak being concentrated in the young and the unvaccinated,” Victorian health minister Martin Foley told reporters.

“It continues to be disproportionately people under 50 years of age who are active coronavirus cases.”

Meanwhile, Victoria has 143 people in hospital with COVID-19, up 17 from Friday, with 34 of those people in intensive care units and 26 of them on a ventilator.

Eighty-nine per cent of those people in hospital have had no vaccination jab, Victorian health minister Martin Foley said, while 11 per cent of them have had a single jab.

None of them are fully vaccinated.

“The message is pretty clear – being fully vaccinated keeps you safe and out of hospital,” Mr Foley said.

There were 39,148 vaccinations administered at state-run clinics on Friday, but Mr Foley said there were 11,000 Astra-Zeneca vaccination bookings currently available in Victoria.

Most of regional Victoria except Greater Shepparton emerged from lockdown on Friday, with retail and hospitality allowed to reopen under strict rules.

Shepparton is expected to be released from its lockdown next week, while people in Melbourne are waiting for the State Government to announce its plans to ease restrictions.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the Government is waiting for detailed modelling from the Burnett Institute before making an announcement.

As the town of Daylesford was released from lockdown, a cafe and medical clinic in the centre, about 100km northwest of Melbourne, closed their doors after people infected with COVID-19 visited the venues.

Cliffy’s Emporium on Raglan Street said a staff member, who worked on Tuesday, had tested positive for the virus on Friday.

“We are working closely with DHS. However, as a precaution will be closed from tomorrow to allow our team to get tested,” the cafe said on Facebook.

Springs Medical Clinic on Hospital Street closed for deep cleaning on Friday after a COVID-positive case visited on Wednesday, between 3:15pm and 4:30pm, with contact tracing underway.

Meanwhile two keen AFL fans have been sent back to Victoria from Western Australia, where they tried to gain entry to watch the season finals.

The 46-year-old woman and 67-year-old man were the subject of a police warning on Friday.

“Travel to attend the AFL Finals series as a spectator is not considered a category for approval to enter WA from restricted locations,” police said.

– BY AAP