By Luke Voogt
The Surf Coast recorded its first new COVID-19 case since April 10 as the state total rose by 21 yesterday, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Surf Coast Shire had one new, active case as of midnight yesterday, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 10, the department confirmed today.
The department declined the Independent’s request for information on the case citing the “respect” of “privacy of patients where possible”.
“There are strict procedures in place to protect the public wherever someone tests positive to coronavirus,” a department spokesperson said.
“As part of our contact tracing, any public exposure sites are contacted and provided with advice about the transmission risks and any cleaning that may be required.
“Victorians can be reassured that our actions are aimed at containing the spread of this virus.”
But active cases in Geelong dropped from one to zero yesterday, with 66 cases confirmed in total since the pandemic began.
The rise of 21 state-wide was the largest daily increase in Victoria in several weeks.
Of the new cases, 15 were overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, two were linked to existing outbreaks and four were identified through community testing.
Victoria has confirmed 1762 COVID-19 cases in total, with 70 currently active.
Five people are in hospital after contracting coronavirus, including two patients in intensive care, while 1671 people have recovered.
Nineteen Victorians have died after contracting coronavirus.
In Victoria 190 cases of COVID-19 have been acquired through unknown transmission.
Of the 1762 cases, 1458 occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and 241 in regional Victoria, including 937 males and 825 females.
Several cases remain under investigation and almost 609,000 tests have been processed to date.
One of the four new cases identified through community testing has been detected in a resident of Rosstown Community aged care facility in Carnegie.
Another was detected in a contractor at Stamford Plaza Hotel, a hotel with returned overseas travellers in quarantine.
An additional case detected through community testing has been linked to a staff member at Sunbury Animal Hospital.
“Thanks to Victorians playing their part, staying at home and getting tested, we have made some great progress in slowing the spread of coronavirus,” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said.
“However, we are still seeing transmission in households and other settings.
“Stay 1.5 metres away from anyone you don’t live with and avoid crowds, especially indoors.
“If you can keep working from home – you must keep working from home.”
