By Luke Voogt
Geelong COVID-19 cases remained level on 65 over the weekend, with none active, as the state total rose by two, according to the latest stats.
Confirmed Victorian cases rose to 1687 as of midnight on Sunday, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed today.
Of the two additional cases, one was a returned traveller in hotel quarantine and the other a resident of an aged care facility in Bright.
“The person is currently being isolated in hospital where they were transferred for an unrelated condition,” a department spokesperson said.
“About 25 remaining residents of Hawthorn Village in Bright have been placed in quarantine and contact tracing has begun. “The families of residents have been advised of the situation.”
Currently seven people are in hospital after contracting coronavirus, including two patients in intensive care, while 1595 people have recovered.
Nineteen Victorians, aged from their 50s to 90s, have died after contracting coronavirus so far.
In Victoria 177 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been acquired through unknown transmission.
Of the total 1687 cases, 1403 occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and 236 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation.
The total includes 894 males and 793 females.
More than 543,000 tests have been processed to date.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Victorians staying at home and getting tested had helped the state make “great progress” in slowing the spread of coronavirus.
“Our low rate of community transmission means we have been able to ease some restrictions in time for the long weekend, but it’s still important to stay safe,” Professor Sutton said.
“Although it’s tempting to rush out or have your friends over or head out to a cafe, it is important that we all still use common sense.”
Professor Sutton urged Victorians to maintain physical distancing, practice good hygiene and stay at home and get tested if unwell.
“This particularly applies to people in the west and north of Melbourne where most recent cases have been recorded,” he said.
“This indicates there is on-going community transmission in these areas, although it appears to be at low levels.”
He also urged those who attended the Stop Black Deaths in Custody rally on Saturday to be wary for symptoms.
Symptoms can appear several days after contracting coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisation.
“Our clear advice was not to attend last Saturday’s protest as thousands of people flooding the city in close contact was a risk,” Professor Sutton.
“If you attended and go on to develop any symptoms, no matter how mild – it is critically important that you go and get tested.”
