Coronavirus Victoria: Another huge surge in virus cases
There have been 165 new coronavirus cases announced in Victoria on Thursday.
The total number of cases has now reached 3098.
A statement released by Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said 30 of the new cases were linked to outbreaks while 135 are under investigation. It is the fourth day in a row the state has reported triple-digits.
None of the new cases have been detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
There have been no new deaths and the state’s death toll stands at 22.
The latest batch of cases comes after the state confirmed 134 new cases on Wednesday, and a record 191 on Tuesday.
There are 932 active cases in Victoria, and 477 may indicate community transmission. There are currently 40 people with coronavirus in hospital, including nine in intensive care.
Just 270 of the total number of cases are from regional Victoria, while 2,723 are from metropolitan Melbourne.
New coronavirus cases linked to Melbourne towers
As the 3000 residents in nine of the Flemington and North Melbourne towers await coronavirus results, Professor Sutton said on Thursday 18 new cases were linked to them.
The outbreak now stands at 111, with more results expected later on Thursday.
The residents have been confined to the towers after they were locked down on Saturday due to fears the high-density "vertical cruise ships" have "explosive potential" to spread COVID-19.
Melbourne’s largest cluster has hit 113, with six new cases linked to the outbreak at the Al-Taqwa College in Truganina.
The first case at the school was identified on June 27, with more than 2000 students and hundreds of staff sent into quarantine.
Two healthcare workers at Sunshine Hospital and two at the Royal Melbourne Hospital have also tested positive, with contact tracing underway.
Another staff member at Northern Hospital in Epping has also contracted the virus, taking the total to 11.
Seven new cases are staff members at aged care facilities across Melbourne.
Trio tests positive for coronavirus on border
NSW reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday – 11 in travellers in hotel quarantine and two family members in Albury, on the NSW-Victorian border, flagged earlier in the week.
An additional family member in Albury tested positive to COVID-19 after the 8pm deadline for case numbers, NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Thursday.
One of the three Albury people who came down with the virus had previously visited Melbourne, where hundreds of new COVID-19 cases are being reported daily.
with AAP
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