Covid-19 in Victoria

see also:

• COVID-19 coronavirus (2019-nCoV / SARS-CoV-2)
• Covid-19 in Australia
• Covid-19 management at Western Health
• Covid-19 modeling for Victoria
• https://www.covid19data.com.au/
  • in Victoria:
    • Victorian DHHS government website on coronavirus
      • vulnerable patient planning - homelessness, disabled, mental health patients:
        • https://fac.dhhs.vic.gov.au/covid-19-plan-disability-services-sector
        • https://fac.dhhs.vic.gov.au/covid-19-family-and-community-services-0
        • https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/mental-health-resources-coronavirus-covid-19
      • Vic Stage 3 restriction laws (pdf)
        • https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/work-and-study-restrictions-covid-19
      • DHHS “Hotel for Heroes” for HCWs
      • Vic. Worksafe guidelines for managing Covid-19 HCW risks
      • Vic. Uni Melbourne Webinar - Beyond Covid
      • Covid vaccine information:
        • Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre

Covid-safe workplaces (source ABC)

• population 6.4 million
  • 4.5 million live in Greater Melbourne
    • Western Health with Werribee Mercy services:
      • 255,000 in City of Wyndham
      • 209,000 in City of Brimbank
      • 157,000 in City of Melton
      • 97,000 in City of Hobsons Bay
      • 91,000 in City of Maribyrnong
      • plus NW regions such as Sunbury, Gisborne
      • by comparison, the population of the whole of Tasmania is 522,000
  • 188,000 live in Geelong
  • 104,000 live in Ballarat
  • 94,000 live in Bendigo
• pre-Covid19 healthcare capacity
  • Victoria has very limited ICU capacity with only 476 ICU beds, much fewer per capita than NSW, Italy and far fewer than Japan and South Korea, but the Victorian govt is planning to at least double capacity and hopes to secure 2000 ventilators from overseas and may consider converting the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre into a makeshift intensive care hospital and morgue ¹⁾
  • Doubling the number of ICU beds means finding another 10,000 intensive care nurses if one wishes to maintain a 1:1 patient to nurse ratio. In reality, when it comes to this the system will operate in crisis mode and nurse ratios may need to be changed and standard of care reduced.
  • in March 2020, the Vic. Premier announced it will create and additional 4000 ICU beds to bring the capacity to 4500. The Victorian government will spend $1.2 billion on buying machines and personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals. A further $65 million will be spent on capital works and upskilling the health workforce.²⁾ Unfortunately, it is hard to see how the number of ventilators, accessories and critical care enabled staffing could practically be uplifted to support anywhere near this level given global demands.
    • in May 2020, the proposal for a 750-bed intensive care unit at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was put on hold given the excellent response to the govt's restrictions, contact tracing and quarantining processes.
• Aged Care facilities
  • over 50,000 residents in Aged care facilities in Greater Melbourne with most of these in private facilities with funding and oversight by the Federal Govt not the State Govt
• legislation to assist the Victorian government in a pandemic
  • Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act
    • this empowers the State's Chief Health Officer whose main job is to provide advice on infection control to the government who is then potentially able to pass laws to act upon that advice but it is the State Controller who is then empowered to oversee implementation and compliance of that advice
  • Commonwealth Biosecurity Act
    • this is intended to manage the risk of the importation of human diseases at ports of entry into Australia.
    • this empowers the State's Chief Human Biosecurity Officer (who is usually also the State's Chief Health Officer)

• DHHS epidemiological data of the pandemic in Victoria

• 1st March: 9th case in Victoria; DHHS starts to drive hospitals to increase capacity, use telehealth³⁾ and consider introduction of fever clinics when testing demand ramps up.
• 11th March 2020: WHO declares it a pandemic
• 14th March: 1st Victorian case to have been acquired in Australia without a known local contact with an overseas traveler
• 19th March: mass gatherings of more than 100 people indoors and 500 outdoors banned in Australia, resulting in sports being played without crowds, tourist destinations such as The Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre, the 1000 steps, Werribee mansion and Buchan Caves closed.
• 20th March: Australia bans entry of all non-residents and residents arriving will have to self-isolate for 14 days
• 21st March: Stage 1 restrictions introduced
• 24th March: WA, SA and NT close borders to eastern states
• 24th March: Vic and NSW Stage 2 lock down - only essential services open, while schools and non-essential retail, gyms, etc to close
• 28th March 2020: 1st Covid-19 patient to die at Western Health, 2 others intubated in ICU
• 29th March: all residents arriving in Australia enforced quarantine in hotels on arrival for 14 days
• 30th March: Stage 3 social distancing restrictions put in place - no more than 2 people together outside; beaches, outside gyms and playgrounds closed;
• 31st March: 917 confirmed cases of which only 37 have been acquired in Australia without a known local contact with an overseas traveler (536 from OS travel and 281 local contacts of these travelers, and most cases are those in their 20's and live in CBD, inner eastern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula); 4 deaths; over 45,000 tested;
• 1st April: massive funding boost for ICU beds as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 51 overnight, bringing the state's total to 968. The Health Department believes 39 people acquired the disease through community transmission. 32 people in hospital, including six in intensive care, and 343 people have recovered.
• 22nd April: minimal community transmission evident; R_eff estimated to be 0.5 due to the strict social distancing laws⁴⁾; re-introduction of some elective surgery, particularly cat 1 priority cases;
• 24th April: notification of a small outbreak with 16 positive cases at Albert Road Clinic, a private mental health facility in Melbourne
• 30th April: four residents and one worker tested positive in Hawthorn Grange aged care facility
• 1st May: voluntary screening of asymptomatic HCWs begins and plans to screen 100,000 people in next 2 weeks to ascertain degree of community spread
• 2nd May: notification of 8 employees at a meat processing plant testing positive after one had presented to hospital with initially asymptomatic disease. Facility was closed for further cleaning and contact tracing.
• 7th May: 62 cases now connected with the Cedar meat processing plant ⁵⁾ as HCW's at two aged care facilities test positive - Bacchus Marsh and Footscray. Victoria's known active cases rise to 114.
• 9th May: 76 cases now connected with the Cedar meat processing plant outbreak;
• 11th May: Premier announces easing of restrictions starting 13th May - 5 family/friend visitors indoors and 10 outdoors; Can now go hiking, golf, fishing but no overnight stays including camping, hotels or AirBnB; Cafes still restricted to take aways only; Communal outdoor gyms and playgrounds remain closed; ⁶⁾
• 14th May: new outbreak amongst workers at MacDonald's Restaurant in Fawkner
• 17th May: Premier announced further easing of restrictions as of 1st June with cafes and restaurants allowed to re-open with max. 20 patrons per enclosed space which will increase to 50 by June 22 and 100 from mid-July but public bars will remain closed only the bistros can open, and restaurants will be required to keep contact details of all patrons and comply with a range of rules. Cedar Meats outbreak now at 100.
• 20th May: re-fit of the former Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in East Melbourne is completed costing $30m and establishing 84 beds over eight floors in readiness for Covid surge

• 26th May (“day 0”): 1st security officer involved in hotel quarantines to become +ve goes largely unnoticed but in retrospect is the start of the second wave which primarily spread through work places.⁷⁾
  • 90% of cases of the 2nd wave can be traced to a family of 4 who arrived back from overseas on 9th May and who were quarantined at Melbourne's Rydges on Swanston Hotel where they became ill and diagnosed as +ve 9 days later with 3 staff becoming +ve on 25th May, while the remaining 10% can be traced to three more travellers who were quarantined at the Stamford Plaza in June - a man commenced quarantine 1st June became ill that day and was +ve on 4th June, while another couple arrived from OS on June 11th and were diagnosed on 15th and 16th June ⁸⁾
• 160 Victorians died from influenza in 2019, none so far this year to end of May despite 4500 confirmed cases compared with 15,358 in same period in 2019.
• 9th June: only 6 new cases in past 4 days as previous known outbreaks are under control - the calm before the storm!
• 17th June: highest daily infections in past month as 21 new cases recorded, although 15 are in returned travelers
• 24th June: a further 20 new cases in a day sees R rising to 2.5 creating major concern; Victoria has requested logistical support from the Australian Defence Force and help from other states as it tries to tackle an increasing number of coronavirus infections in the community; Commence door-to-door testing of high prevalence suburbs including Keilor Downs, Sunshine West, Brunswick West, Hallam.
• 29th June: daily new cases hit 75; Outbreak appears to stem from security staff employed to enforce hotel quarantine of returned travelers failed to ensure quarantine and claims have been made that they not only allowed some to go shopping but had sex with some of them - genomic analysis seems to confirm the hotel quarantine as the source of the outbreak which is causing the highest level of community transmission in Victoria to date.

• 30th June: Premier announces 10 individual suburb lockdowns for next 4 weeks, occupants must have a valid reason for leaving the house - post codes and details here
• 1st July: 73 cases;
• 2nd July: 77 cases;
• 3rd July: 66 cases;
• 4th July: 108 new cases past day with 23 from high rise towers in Kensington and Nth Melb, 9 of which have been fully locked down while testing and cleaning is performed. Flemington and Kensington are added to the lock down suburbs.
• 5th July: 74 cases;
• 6th July: daily cases jump to 127 bringing the towers outbreak to 53 as Premier announces the NSW-Vic border to be closed on the 8th July.
• 7th July: 191 more cases and the Premier announces a return to Stage 3 Restrictions for whole of Melbourne and Shire of Mitchell for the next 6 weeks and you now can't leave metropolitan Melbourne to get your daily exercise.
• 8th July: 134 cases;
• 9th July: 20 health care workers test +ve impacting Northern Hospital ED in particular; Victoria hits 1 millionth test and now 0.4% +ve, 7% of the +ves are asymptomatic; risk-balanced partial reductions in elective surgery re-introduced to provide capacity;
• 10th July: 288 new cases past day, only 26 linked to known outbreaks; active cases exceed 1000 for 1st time; Govt requests wearing of masks in public;
• 11th July: 216 new cases, 1 death;
• 12th July: 1 death, 273 new cases brings active cases to 1484 in more than 100 active outbreaks; 138 cases linked to the high rise towers which have a cross-over with the 134 cases linked to Al-Taqwa College; 28 new cases in Carlton high rise towers; several Aged Care facilities now have outbreaks; 16 cases in ICU; 8 HCWs at Alfred Hosp test +ve as well as 11 at Brunswick Private; new outbreak in Somerville Meats meatworks in Tottenham as well as JBS Meats abbatoir; Schools to remain closed (excl. year 11 and 12) after the school holiday break ends today;
• 13th July: 177 cases;
• 14th July: 270 cases, 2 deaths;
• 15th July: 238 cases, 1 death;
• 16th July: 317 new cases; over 150 cases in HCWs; 32 pts in ICU; 2 deaths;
• 17th July: 428 new cases; 122 in hospital; 3 deaths;
• 18th July: 217 cases; 3 deaths;
• 19th July: 363 cases; 3 deaths; wearing masks in public to become mandatory on 23rd July. R0 apparently is 1.3.
• 20th July: 275 cases, 1 death;
• 21t July: 374 cases, 3 deaths;
• 22nd July: 484 new cases; over 300 cases now in Aged Care;
• 23rd July: 403 new cases, 13 in regional victoria; 201 in hospital, 40 in ICU; deaths now at 49 after 5 deaths in 24hrs;
• 24th July: 300 new cases; 3734 active cases; 7 more deaths;
• 25th July: 357 cases; 5 deaths;
• 26th July: 459 new cases; 4233 active cases incl.381 HCWs; 10 more deaths; 228 in hospital; 42 in ICU; 1.5 million tests done; 8191 total cases (0.5% of all tests);
• 27th July: 532 new cases; 6 more deaths to total 77 and 161 deaths Australia-wide; 683 active Aged care sector cases; this “second wave” mainly driven now by workers in aged care, distribution centres, meatworks, cool stores and warehouses exacerbated by the pre-existing casualisation of the workforce and concerns over lost income and presenteeism if don't go to work with mild symptoms;
• 28th July: 384 new cases; 6 more deaths; 20% of Aged care facilities affected with 764 active cases across private residential aged care facilities, 100 residents have been moved to hospitals; 400 active cases in HCWs; all non-urgent elective surgery halted
• 29th July: 295 new cases; 9 more deaths; 4839 active; 92 deaths in total;
• 30th July: 723 new cases; 13 more deaths; 312 in hospital; 34 in ICU; 5835 active cases incl. 255 in regional Vic.; new restrictions for regional Victoria - Geelong-Colac areas. Masks to become mandatory in all of Victoria as of 3rd Aug and this intervention is expected to reduce R0 by 15%.
• 31st July: 627 new cases;8 deaths; 928 active cases with 61 deaths in Aged Care facilities - only 5 cases are in a public run facility with mandated nurse ratios and less casualisation of nurses although public makes up only 10% of beds and these are mainly in regional Victoria. 2 doctors are now in ICU - an ED registrar and a GP.
• 1st Aug: 397 new cases; 3 deaths; 5919 active cases of which 1008 in Aged Care and 311 from the housing tower blocks; 379 in hosp; 41 in ICU; 637 active HCW cases (1075 total)

• 2nd Aug: 671 new cases; total to date now 11,557; 7 deaths; 6322 active cases incl. 649 HCWs; 385 in hospital; 38 in ICU; Premier announces State of Disaster and Stage 4 restrictions including 8pm-5am curfew and exercise and shopping restricted to within 5km of home, schools, non-essential retail and most industries are closed while others are reduced
• 3rd Aug: 429 new cases; 13 deaths (8 from Aged Care) taking deaths to 136; 6489 active; 416 in hospital, 45 in ICU;
• 4th Aug: 439 new cases; total 12,335 with 6706 active incl. 731 HCWs and 1186 in Aged care; 11 deaths taking tally to 147; 456 in hospital; 38 in ICU;
• 5th Aug: 725 new cases; 15 deaths incl. a man in his 30's; 538 in hospital; 42 in ICU; 7227 active cases incl. 1435 in Aged Care;
• 6th Aug: 471 new cases; 8 deaths;
• 7th Aug: 450 new cases; 11 deaths; 7637 active incl. 911 HCWs 1548 in aged care; 607 in hospital, 41 in ICU;
• 8th Aug: 466 new cases; 12 deaths incl. a man in his 30's; 636 in hospital, 44 in ICU; “Premier states there are adequate supplies of PPE” R0 appears to have dropped to 0.9;
• 9th Aug: 394 new cases; 17 deaths incl. 2 men in 50's; 634 in hospital; 43 in ICU; 7854 active incl. 994 HCWs;
• 10th Aug: 322 new cases; 19 deaths; 640 inpatients, 47 in ICU; 1065 active HCWs;
• 11th Aug: 331 new cases; 19 deaths; 557 inpatients;
• 12th Aug: 410 new cases; 21 deaths; 7877 active incl. 1079 HCWs, 1929 in aged care; 662 inpatients; 43 ICU;
• 13th Aug: 278 new cases; 8 deaths incl 1 women in 50's; 664 inpatients; 37 ICU; in past 2wks, new cases Geelong 176, Ballarat 23, Bendigo 51;
• 14th Aug: 372 new cases; 14 deaths incl. a man in his 20's; 7842 active cases;
• 15th Aug: 303 new cases; 4 deaths; 7875 active cases incl. 1178 HCWs and 2041 linked to Aged Care; 54 ICU incl. 9 younger than 50;
• 16th Aug: 279 new cases; 16 deaths; 309 total deaths; 7671 active cases include 2075 in Aged care and 1164 HCWs;662 inpatients, 40 in ICU; cumulative total now 16,764; 451 active cases in regional Vic.
• 17th Aug: 282 new cases; 25 deaths total now 334; 657 in hosp; 44 in ICU; 7474 active cases;
• 18th Aug: 222 new cases; 17 deaths;
• 19th Aug: 216 new cases; 12 deaths; 676 in hospital; 45 in ICU; 7155 active including 1065 HCWs, 2050 aged care
• 20th Aug: 240 new cases; 13 deaths; 4864 active cases;
• 21st Aug: 179 new cases incl. 15 in regional Vic; 9 deaths taking total to 385; active cases incl.668 HCWs;
• 22nd Aug: 182 new cases; 13 deaths incl. man in 50's ; 610 in hospital; 36 in ICU; 4293 active cases: 1689 aged care, 63 in disability centres, Geelong 98; 2.07 million tests to date; total confirmed 18,029;
• 23rd Aug: 208 new cases; 17 deaths;
• 24th Aug: 116 new cases; 15 deaths; 629 in hosp; 31 in ICU; 3731 active; total confirmed 18,330;
• 25th Aug: 148 new cases; 8 deaths; 2692 HCW total cases - 91% in July and Aug; 70-80% acquired at work (22% in 1st wave), in 2nd wave, 42% in Aged care, 32% in hospitals, 1.5% in GP clinics. ⁹⁾
• 26th Aug: 149 new cases; 24 deaths;
• 27th Aug: 113 new cases; 23 deaths;
• 28th Aug: 113 new cases; 12 deaths now 496 deaths; 3141 active; 18,822 total cases; 513 in hospital; 29 in ICU;
• 29th Aug: 94 new cases; 18 deaths; Vic. Coroner - no increase in suicide rate as yet.
• 30th Aug: 114 new cases; 11 deaths;
• 31st Aug: 73 new cases; 8 deaths (but added an additional 33 aged care historical deaths to tally which is now 565);
• 1st Sept: 70 new cases; 5 deaths; still over 100 active aged care outbreaks;
• 2nd Sept: 90 new cases; 6 deaths; Premier manages to get State of Emergency extension approved in Parliament;
• 3rd Sept: 113 new cases a third were HCWs; 6 deaths and a further 9 added to historic toll retrospectively making 591 deaths of which 447 linked to Aged Care; State of Disaster extended to Sept 13; 2295 active cases; 16,370 recovered; 361 in hospital; 20 in ICU;
• 4th Sept: 81 new cases; 9 deaths plus a further 50 added to historic toll retrospectively making 650 deaths
• 5th Sept: 76 new cases; 11 deaths;
• 6th Sept: 63 new cases; 5 deaths; Premier announces plans (see below)
• 7th Sept: 41 new cases; 9 deaths;
• 8th Sept: 55 new cases; 8 deaths;
• 9th Sept: 76 new cases; 11 deaths taking total to 694; 1632 active cases; 19,688 total cases; 196 in hospital, 20 in ICU;
• 10th Sept: 51 new cases; 7 deaths;
• 11th Sept: 43 new cases; 9 deaths;
• 12th Sept: 37 new cases; 6 deaths taking tally to 716;
• 13th Sept: 41 new cases; 7 deaths;
• 14th Sept: 35 new cases; 7 deaths;
• 15th Sept: 42 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 16th Sept: 42 new cases, 14 day average drops below 50; 8 deaths taking tally to 737; 991 active cases;
• 17th Sept: 28 new cases; 8 deaths; 97 in hospital; 12 in ICU; 947 active cases;
• 18th Sept: 45 new cases; 5 deaths;
• 19th Sept: 21 new cases; 7 deaths;
• 20th Sept: 14 new cases; 5 deaths;
• 21st Sept: 11 new cases; 2 deaths;
• 22nd Sept: 28 new cases; 3 deaths;
• 23rd Sept: 15 new cases; 5 deaths;
• 24th Sept: 12 new cases; 2 deaths;
• 25th Sept: 14 new cases; 8 deaths;
• 26th Sept: 12 new cases; 1 death; Vic. Health Minister resigns in wake of judicial inquiry into hotel quarantine failures.
• 27th Sept: 16 new cases; 2 deaths; Minor release of some restrictions, removal of curfew; Primary school students to re-start in Oct; R is 0.65 to 0.75;
• 28th Sept: 5 new cases; 3 deaths;
• 29th Sept: 10 new cases; 7 deaths;
• 30th Sept: 13 new cases; 4 deaths;
• 1st Oct: 15 new cases; 2 deaths;
• 2nd Oct: 7 new cases; 2 deaths; 38 in hospital; 4 in ICU; a butcher at the Chadstone shopping centre has now been linked to 11 cases; 14 day unknown source cases now at 14, down from 19 prior day;
• 3rd Oct: 8 new cases; 3 deaths;
• 4th Oct: 12 new cases (aged care and HCWs), 1 death;
• 5th Oct: 9 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 6th Oct: 15 new cases including 2 in Kilmore cafe linked to the 28 from the Chadstone outbreak; 2 deaths;
• 7th Oct: 6 new cases; 2 deaths;
• 8th Oct: 11 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 9th Oct: 11 new cases, 6 from known outbreaks; 0 deaths; 195 active incl. 12 mystery cases;
• 10th Oct: 14 new cases, incl. 1 more from Kilmore and an outbreak at Box Hill Hospital; 21 in hospital, 1 in ICU; DHHS announces it will substantially expand regional waste water testing for Covid-19; scarves and bandanas no longer acceptable as “masks”, masks must be “fitted”.
• 11th Oct: 11 new cases; 1 death; 21 in hospital, nil in ICU
• 12th Oct: 15 new cases incl. 1 unknown source; nil deaths; 14D average now back up to 9.9; unknown sources now 11;
• 13th Oct: 12 new cases; 1 death taking toll to 811; 186 active cases including 13 unknown source and 30 in aged care; 23 in hospital, nil in ICU;
• 14th Oct: 7 new cases; 5 deaths;
• 15th Oct: 6 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 16th Oct: 2 new cases; 0 deaths; 14 in hospital, nil in ICU;
• 17th Oct: 1 new case; 0 deaths;
• 18th Oct: 2 new cases; 0 deaths; Level of restrictions eased across Victoria. Melb Metro can no travel to 25km from home instead of 5km for exercise or social reasons with limitations but the 2hr time limit now removed which allows tennis, golf, outdoor photography and limited outdoor pools. Hairdressers can re-open;
• 19th Oct: 4 new cases; 1 death;
• 20th Oct: 1 new case; nil deaths;
• 21st Oct: 3 new cases; nil deaths;
• 22nd Oct: 5 new cases; nil deaths; 16 active cases across six households in the new cluster, and about 800 people are now self-isolating for 2 weeks, including 400 people from the East Preston Islamic College community after a quarantined student went to school and then tested positive and had 73 close contacts. Positive case in a residential block of 120 residents in Broadmeadows.
• 23rd Oct: 1 new case; nil deaths;
• 24th Oct: 7 new cases; nil deaths;
• 25th Oct: 7 new cases, 6 from the northern suburbs cluster of which there are now 39 cases across 11 families and including 2 HCWs at an Aged Care facility; nil deaths;
• 26th Oct: nil new cases or deaths; Premier announced substantive release of restrictions to be phased in over next 2 weeks.
• 27th Oct: nil new cases or deaths; 87 active cases incl. 7 HCWs and 4 in Aged Care; 5 in hospital, 1 in ICU; ABC news article by Stephen Duckett comparing Victoria with the rest of the world
• 28th Oct: 2 new cases; 2 deaths;
• 29th Oct: 3 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 30th Oct: 4 new cases; 0 deaths;
• 31st Oct: 1 new cases; 0 deaths;
• ABC: summary of the two waves

• no new community cases from 1st Nov-29th Dec

• Melbourne recommences hotel quarantine for returning international travellers from 6th Dec 2020
• Symptomatic passengers and complex care patients are being housed on separate floors at the Novotel “hot hotel” in South Wharf and at the CBD Holiday Inn with cases needing hospital care managed by the Alfred Hosp.
• 12th Dec: 5 active cases in hotel quarantine, community transmission remains at zero
• 13th Dec: 1033 in quarantine, 7 positive

• 21st Dec: presumed positive traveler from NSW dines in Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant in Black Rock infecting at least 7 others (2 separate diner groups, one staff member) who were found to be positive 9-12 days later.
• 30th Dec: 3 community cases in eastern suburbs (1st in 60 days) linked to the restaurant where a traveler from NSW dined on 21st Dec
• 31st Dec: community cases now at 8 with 70 close contacts now in isolation. Close contacts of the three cases confirmed yesterday are spread across Melbourne, Barwon Heads and Leongatha; New restrictions enforced.
• 1st Jan: no new cases; sewage in Lakes Entrance positive;
• 2nd Jan: 10 new community cases linked to Black Rock taking total of direct exposures in the restaurant to 7 and overall total to 18 all of which were linked to NSW outbreak on genomic testing. Source still not found. 2 new hotel quarantine positives.
• 3rd Jan: 3 new community cases linked to outbreak taking total to 21, 13 of whom were at the Black Rock restaurant, plus 11 active hotel quarantine cases;
• 4th Jan: 3 new community cases linked to outbreak taking total to 24 plus 1 new in hotel quarantine. Over 1000 contacts asked to self-isolate;
• 5th Jan: 3 new community cases linked to outbreak taking total to 27 plus 1 new in hotel quarantine. At least 4 of the international travelers in hotel quarantine have the new, more infectious, UK strain.
• 6th Jan: 1 new community case; 2 new hotel quarantine cases;
• 7th Jan: 0 new cases; 38 total active cases; over 32,000 tests yesterday; 1,300 close contacts and 1,300 secondary contacts of cases linked to the earlier Black Rock outbreak were now self-isolating;

• 8th Jan: 0 new community cases; 1 new hotel quarantine case;
• 9th Jan: 0 new community cases;
• 10th Jan: 0 new community cases; six new positive cases in hotel quarantine, one was an airline crew member;
• late Jan 2021 - NSW-related outbreak under control. Aust Tennis Open goes ahead despite protestation of the hotel quarantine requirements placed upon players and support teams.
• Holiday Inn hotel quarantine UK variant leads to community transmission
• 11th Feb 2021: Tulla airport Holiday Inn hotel quarantine UK variant outbreak now at 11 cases, mainly in Sunbury.
• 12th Feb: outbreak now at 13 including exposure at Terminal 4 Tull airport; Dan introduces 5 day lockdown for whole of Victoria as a circuit breaker - no travel 5km from home except for permitted reasons, outdoor exercise limited to 2hrs ¹⁰⁾
• 13th Feb: 1 new case;
• 14th Feb: 2 new cases from a same social function in Coburg on Feb 6th, one allegedly works at the Alfred Hosp.
• 15th Feb: 1 new case - the mother of the 3yr old positive case from yesterday. 21 active cases including overseas arrivals;
• 22nd Feb: Holiday Inn outbreak seems under control; no further community spread evident; Pfizer vaccine commences;

• 5th May: index Kappa case traveler returning to Wollert from hotel quarantine in Adelaide tests +ve for Kappa strain on 11th May
• 8th May: index Delta case from international flight enters hotel quarantine in Holiday Inn in Melbourne where tested positive and transferred to another Holiday Inn hotel. Released on 23rd May after now testing negative but presumably infected someone during quarantine or before quarantine. Discovered to be Delta strain on 8th June.
• 25th May: new restrictions introduced after 5th community case in Whittlesea which appears to be linked to the Wollert cluster earlier in May.
• 27th May: 7 day stage 4 lockdown commences at midnight after community cases rise to 26 and over 100 exposure sites all east of (apart from one in Bendigo), and including Highpoint Shopping Centre
• 28th May: 4 new cases;
• 29th May: 5 new cases;
• 30th May: 5 new cases including an Aged Care Worker; total now 40 cases;
• 31st May: 11 new cases including a resident and another Aged Care Worker at the Arcare Maidstone facility;
• 1st June: 3 new cases; total now 54; 329 exposure sites;
• 2nd June: 6 new cases incl. 2nd aged care resident;
• 3rd June: 3 new cases incl. 3rd aged care resident; 2 previous “fleeting contact” cases were false positives;
• 4th June: 4 new cases, 3 from W Melb cluster; Delta variant detected on two original cases from family in West Melbourne apparently spread between two grade five students at a Nth Melb primary school and it may have been picked up in NSW on their holiday to Jervis Bay and Goulburn and may have passed undetected through the NSW hotel quarantine system; A total of 7 cases across two families now are linked to this Delta variant.
• 5th June: 5 new cases incl. 2 from W Melb and 1 from AgedCare; Total now 69 cases;
• 6th June: 2 new cases from WMelb cluster incl. teacher at the school;
• 7th June: 11 new cases all linked to known cases, incl. 3 more from Aged Care (one, an aged care worker), 1 more from the school, total 4 are Delta (3 children and 1 adult);
• 8th June: 2 new cases - 1 child from Delta outbreak and 1 household contact of a worker from Aged Care outbreak;
• 9th June: 1 new case in Vic however, a 44yr old Melbourne woman found to be Kappa +ve after traveling via NSW to Sunshine Coast despite Melbourne's lockdown - may have been infectious from 1st June on the day she left Melbourne as symptoms started 3rd June.
• 10th June: 4 new Kappa cases in a Reservoir family apparently without links to +ve cases;
• 11th June: no new cases;
• 12th June: 1 new mystery case;
• 13th June: 1 new case;
• 14th June: 2 new cases;
• 15th June: 2 new cases from Southbank townhouse complex;
• 16th June: 5 new cases incl. nurse at Epping Prvt Hosp caring for +ve Arcare pt;
• 17th June: 0 new cases;
• 18th June: 1 new case - a primary contact; 26% Victorians now had 1 vax dose; 1.8% have had 2 doses;
• 19th June: 1 new case - a primary contact; No subsequent cases from this outbreak;

• 24/6/2021: index case who works as a Dry Cleaner in Sandringham tests positive 3 days after re-commencing work on 21st June after flying back on 20th June having attended a Delta strain “superspreading” birthday party in Sydney on 19th June when Sydney was still a “green zone” and developed symptoms on 22nd June
• 25th June: 2 new cases;
• 26th June: 1 new case but no subsequent cases;

• 8th July 2021: a family relocated from Sydney to Craigieburn and broke isolation rules by visiting a supermarket, and two removalists transported furniture from the red zone in Sydney to Craigieburn and the Ariele apartment complex in Maribyrnong without wearing masks have sparked an outbreak in Melbourne. The removalists tested positive on returning to Sydney via Adelaide.
• 10th July: a 60yrold man from the Ariele apartment having gone to Highpoint Shopping Centre on the 9th, attends MCG footy match and later tests positive along with 5 of his family members.
• 14th July 2021: 7 new cases including 4 from the same 3rd floor of the apartment complex where the removalists were working and 1 from a person who went to the same supermarket in Craigieburn.
• 15th July: cases rise to 18 incl. 3 “fleeting” contacts at the MCG and cases at Barwon Heads pushes Govt to go into 5 days hard lockdown
• 16th July: 6 new cases;
• 17th July: 19 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; total 54 cases;
• 18th July: 16 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; total 70 cases;
• 19th July: 12 new cases;
• 20th July: 13 new cases; lockdown extended for 1 week
• 21st July: 22 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; total 107 active cases - 19 linked to Cremorne restaurant; 14 linked to MCG; 9 Trinity Grammar; 5 in a group who went to Philip Island;
• 22nd July: 26 new cases all linked to known outbreaks;
• 23rd July: 14 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; NSW outbreak continues to expand and National Emergency called.
• 24th July: 12 new cases, 2 were in community for up to 24hrs;
• 25th July: 12 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; 5000 attend Freedom Rally without masks;
• 26th July: 11 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; 179 active cases;
• 27th July: 10 new cases all linked to known outbreaks; Restrictions reduced from midnight;
• 28th July: 8 new cases including 1 “mystery” case in Moonee Ponds
• 29th July: 7 new cases;
• 30th July: 3 new cases;
• 31st July: 2 new cases;
• 1st Aug: 4 new cases;
• 2nd Aug: 2 new cases;
• 3rd Aug: 4 new cases;
• 4th Aug: 0 new cases;
• 5th Aug: 6 new cases including 3 mystery cases - one a teacher at works at Al-Taqwa College - prompts new lockdown;
• 6th Aug: 4 new cases;
• 7th Aug: 29 new linked but non-isolating community cases including 8 in one household in a Flemington public housing tower
• 8th Aug: 11 new linked cases but all in community;
• 9th Aug: 11 new cases incl. 10 in community
• 10th Aug: 20 new cases incl. 15 in community
• 11th Aug: 20 new cases incl. 6 in community; Metro lockdown extended by further 7 days
• 12th Aug: 21 new cases incl. 10 in community
• 13th Aug: 15 new cases incl. 7 in community
• 14th Aug: 21 new cases incl. 10 in community; 46% Vic have had 1 vax (80% of over 70ys, 70% 60-69yrs, 63% 50-59yrs, 58% 40-49yrs, 21% 30-39yrs, 15% 16-29yrs), 25% have had 2 doses (49% of over 70ys, 28% 60-69yrs, 27% 50-59yrs, 42% 40-49yrs, 12% 30-39yrs, 7% 16-29yrs);
• 15th Aug: 25 new cases incl. 13 in community;
• 16th Aug: 22 new cases incl. 5 mystery cases; metro lockdown extended for 2wks more plus 9pm curfew introduced
• 17th Aug: 24 new cases including total 6 now from the illegal Caulfield engagement party
• 18th Aug: 24 new cases incl. 6 in community; initial Hobsons Bay cluster, first detected through the Al-Taqwa College teacher and her partner, has grown to 211 infections.
• 19th Aug: 57 new cases 13 in community incl. 3 mystery cases;
• 20th Aug: 55 new cases 30 in community incl. 6 mystery cases;
• 21st Aug: 66 new cases only 22 in isolation; 17 in Shepparton; Regional Vic paced under lockdown as well. 4000 anti-lockdown protesters in CBD injuring police; Patient from Shep had surgery at RMH and not tested prior leading to other patient and staff being exposed;
• 22nd Aug: 65 new cases, 55 linked but not isolated; 48% all cases so far are under 30yrs age, 25% are under 9yrs;
• 23rd Aug: 71 new cases, incl. 49 linked, 22 mystery and only 16 were in isolation; 36 cases now linked to Shepparton, 10 linked to RMH;
• 24th Aug: 50 new cases, only 11 were isolating; 7 linked to Shepparton taking its active cases to 68; 522 active cases total, 34 in hospital, 9 in ICU, 1 on a ventilator; 16,612 primary close contacts;
• 25th Aug: 45 new cases, 36 linked but only 17 were isolating;
• 26th Aug: 80 new cases ?40 not isolating;
• 27th Aug: 79 new cases as Aged Care Worker tests positive in Echuca, spreading exposure sites there and to Kyabram.
• 28th Aug: 64 new cases, 49 linked, 36 in isolation;
• 29th Aug: 92 new cases, 61 linked
• 30th Aug: 73 new cases, 52 linked;
• 31st Aug: 76 new cases, 40 not in isolation; 15 on ventilators aged 38-72, median age 49yrs; median age hospitalised patients 48yrs; now unlikely to reach covid zero.
• 1st Sept: 120 new cases, 64 linked; 2 deaths at home;
• 2nd Sept: 176 new cases; 83 linked;
• 3rd Sept: 208 new cases, 96 linked; 1 death; 58% eligible pop. had 1st dose, 36% had 2 doses; 61 in hospital, 20 in ICU, 13 on ventilators;
• 4th Sept: 190 new cases, 103 linked;
• 5th Sept: 183 new cases taking total to 1417 active cases;
• 6th Sept: 246 new cases, 123 linked;
• 7th Sept: 246 new cases, 90 linked;
• 10th Sept: 334 new cases, 149 linked; 1 death, 127 in hospital, 33 in ICU, 21 on ventilator; 64% adults 1st dose vax;
• 11th Sept: 450 new cases, 75 linked; far majority in northern suburbs with prominence amongst construction workers
• 17th Sept: 510 new cases;
• 18th Sept: violent anti-lockdown protests in Richmond after Police lock down CBD and public transport;
• 19th Sept: 507 new cases; Premier announces plans for reduced restrictions when double dose vax target of 70% reached for adults.
• 29th Sept: restrictions reduce mildly to 15km travel after 80% single dose vax target reached;
• 30th Sept: Vic shocked by a sudden 50% jump in new cases to 1438 with at least 500 resulting from illegal AFL Grand Final parties the prior weekend and perhaps the daily anti-lockdown protest marches. 398 in hospital, 83 in ICU of which 57 are on ventilators as 000 calls, ambulance call outs and ramping hits all time high (apart from Thunderstorm asthma event).
• 1st Oct: 1143 new cases;
• 2nd Oct: 1488 new cases; more areas of regional Vic enter snap lockdowns; thanks to higher vaccination rates at same 7 day new case levels (at 1000 7 day average new daily cases, NSW on 30th Aug had 67% single and 36% dbl vaxxed compared to Victoria on 2nd Oct at 81% single and 51% dbl vaxxed), Victoria's hospitalisation and death rates are half that of NSW at same stage. However, much high people movement and lower compliance in Victoria has resulted in much higher ongoing effective R value despite the vaccination being higher. Burnett modeling used by Vic Govt forecast new cases would reach about 2000 a day on October 10 before plateauing, then jumping again when lockdown lifted at the end of October.
• 8th Oct: 1838 new cases;
• 9th Oct: 1965 new cases 5 deaths; active cases 17,199; deaths this wave now 80;
• 14th Oct: 2297 new cases;
• 15th Oct: 2179 new cases 6 deaths;

• 15th Dec 2021: 10 cases Omicron in Victoria while daily cases of Delta have plateaued around 1000-1200 a day while 92% adults are double vaxxed
• Xmas 2021: over 75% of cases are now Omicron as daily cases exceed 7000
• Oct 13 2022: Victoria's State of Disaster for the pandemic officially ends, mask wearing and isolation now essentially only recommended but not legally enforceable

• this is coinciding with influenza outbreaks
• most cases are relatively mild despite time from last vaccination or notified infection exceeding 6 months for around 80% of the population
• in June 2023:
  • cases seem to be falling after a peak in May; 356 in hospital; 17 in ICU;
  • Omicron recombinant XBB sublineages remain dominant, accounting for 76 per cent of circulating variants from wastewater surveillance. This includes XBB.1.16 (25 per cent), XBB.1.5 (14 per cent), XBB.1.9.1 and XBB1.9.2 (10 per cent), and other mixed XBB sublineages (27 per cent). Other variants include Delta/Omicron recombinant XBC (7 per cent), CH.1.1 (10 per cent), and other strains at low levels.

• source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-14/victoria-coronavirus-cases-update-372-new-covid19-cases/12557666
• July 2 2020: Melbourne postcodes 3012, 3021, 3032, 3038, 3042, 3046, 3047, 3055, 3060 and 3064 given stay-at-home orders
• July 4: Nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne are placed under “hard lockdown”
• July 5: Melbourne postcodes 3031 and 3051 are added to stay-at-home list
• July 9: Stage 3 restrictions re-imposed on all of Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire
• July 20: Prep to year 10 students across Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire return to remote learning
• July 23: Wearing face coverings in public becomes mandatory in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire
• August 2: First Stage 4 rules imposed on Melbourne, including 8:00pm-5:00am curfew and limiting movement within 5km radius of home
• August 5: All students in Victoria return to remote learning, with exceptions for children of permitted workers
• August 6: Melbourne childcare restricted to vulnerable children and children of permitted workers
• August 6: Stage 3 restrictions and mandatory face coverings imposed on the rest of Victoria
• August 6: Stage 4 restrictions on workplaces force many non-permitted businesses in Melbourne to close
• August 9: Stage 4 permitted businesses must now comply with strict rules, such as limiting on-site workers
• Sept 6th announcement: https://www.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-roadmap-metro-melbourne
  • extend Stage 4 with minor modifications (eg single person bubble from 13th Sept) until 28th Sept
  • “Second Step” if avg new cases below 50 for prior 14 days
    • opens childcare, some school grades, 5 people from 2 households can meet, curfew start time 9pm instead of 8pm
  • start “Third Step” if avg daily new cases past 14 days falls below 5 AND less than 5 cases with an unknown source in the prior 14 days (possibly as early as 26th Oct but perhaps more likely in mid-Nov if everyone remains compliant and keeps R around 0.5-0.6):
    • no restrictions on leaving home; outside gatherings to 10 people; visitors allowed - up to 5 people in home; outdoor cafe/restaurant/bar service; most retail re-opens;
    • presumably this will allow local holidays with restrictions?
  • start “Fourth Step” if after 23rd Nov there are no new cases for past 14 days:
    • outside gatherings up to 50 people; visitors allowed - up to 20 people in home; indoor hospitality but seated only; phased return of sports; restricted openings of entertainment venues, galleries.
    • start “Covid Normal” if no new cases for total 28 days:
      • most restrictions removed except for Covid safe work place measures which stay in place
• 18th Oct announcement:
  • Melb Metro: 5km travel limit extended to 25km and the 2hr time limit removed. Hairdressers opened; can now play tennis, golf and limited outdoor pool use. Professional outdoor photography and outdoor house maintenance now permitted. Will not be able to travel to regional Vic until Metro case numbers fall to level of regional Vic.
  • see https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-premier-77
  • also: What is within 25km of your home map
• 28th Oct “3rd step” lift in restrictions start:
  • no requirement for reason to leave home but 25km limit stays.
  • up to 10 people may gather outdoors from any number of households, or more than 10 if all from the same household
  • Retail outlets, beauty services will re-open (masks required)
  • Cafes, restaurants and bars will be able to reopen, subject to patron limits and density quotas, 20 indoor, 50 outdoor
  • Workplaces will no longer need to be on the permitted work list to open but must do so in a Covid-safe manner and the ability to work will change to “if you can work from home you must work from home”.
  • maximum of two adult visitors per house, per day, plus their dependent children; restricted to one visiting event per day for the whole household, meaning those who receive visitors cannot also visit someone else that day and if one member of a household visits someone, another member of the household cannot visit a 3rd household that day - ie. ONLY 2 HOUSEHOLDS can be involved in a household event each day.
• 8th Nov further easing of restrictions for Metro Melbourne:
  • removal of 25km limit and the Metro boundary thus allowing travel within Victoria regions
  • Gyms and fitness studios will open, with a maximum of 20 people per space, one person per 8 square metres
  • Restaurants, hotels, cafes and bars will move to an indoor maximum of 40 with 10 people per space, an outdoor maximum of 70 people with one person every 2 square metres.
  • home visitor events increased to two per day.
  • accommodation will reopen but limited to one household +/- partner or 2 people from one other household per group booking, and other conditions. Members of separately booked groups do not share bedrooms at the facility.
  • 1 person per 4 sq m is the general indoor limit excluding private homes;
  • galleries, museums and cinemas - open with max 20 people per space;
  • creative studios - up to 10 people per space with 1.5 metres distance between patrons
  • live music: requirement of 5m distance from audience, and 2m between performers.
  • masks remain mandatory
  • State of Disaster will not be renewed but State of Emergency will remain in force until 6th Dec.
• 13th Nov: those in Victoria can travel to Tasmania but will require quarantine as now “medium risk”
• 23rd Nov:
  • private gatherings to homes increased to 15 people from any number of households
  • outdoor gatherings increased to 50
  • outdoor cap increases to 200 people for hospitality, indoor cap increases to 150 at one person per four square meters although for smaller hospitality venues, the density limit has been relaxed to allow one person per two square meters, with a limit of 50 customers
  • gyms to 100 in groups of 20; indoor pools to 50 people;
  • spectators to 25% of capacity;
  • accommodation cap to 10 people from any number of families
  • 1 person per 4 sq m is the general indoor limit;
  • weddings, funerals etc will increase to 150 people
  • galleries, museums and cinemas - open with max 150 people indoors
  • care facility visitation numbers and duration limits removed
  • client masks can be removed for facials, tattoos, etc
  • masks otherwise remain mandatory except if outdoor AND distancing can be maintained, they must be carried at all times outdoors
  • BUT still need to keep working from home if you can
• 24th Nov: NSW-Vic border to open
• 27th Nov: proposed that those in Victoria can travel to Tasmania as now “low risk”
• 7th Dec: international flights and hotel quarantining to re-commence in Melbourne but this time using police and ADF to guard quarantine
• 7th Dec: further easing on restrictions
  • masks will only be required in certain circumstances including public transport, ride-shares vehicles, at shopping centres, in supermarkets and indoor markets.
  • can have up to 30 visitors to heir homes and will be able to gather outdoors in groups of 100. There will be no caps on weddings and funerals subject to density limit.
• 31st Dec 2020: new community cases linked to NSW outbreak spark increase in restrictions including compulsory masks indoors (except homes), reduced visitor caps on home to 15, 14 day quarantine for those returning from NSW green zones. Travel to Victoria from Blue Mountains and Wollongong areas, in addition to Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney and NSW Central Coast regions is banned from midnight Jan 1. Victorians in NSW urged to leave immediately as situation is rapidly evolving. Those arriving from other zones in NSW will need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days. The only people who should be travelling into Melbourne's CBD for New Year's Eve were those who had already made reservations at a hospitality venue. No NYE fireworks.
  • Victorian case locations
• hotel quarantine UK variant leads to community transmission
• 12th Feb: Dan introduces 5 day lockdown for whole of Victoria as a circuit breaker - no travel 5km from home except for permitted reasons, outdoor exercise limited to 2hrs ¹¹⁾
• 9/4/2021: indoor and outdoor venues can now have 100% of seated capacity to max 1000 patrons per space subject to epidemiology and compliance with mandatory QR code usage (larger events designated as Tier 1 and Tier 2 will remain at the 75 per cent limit) and the one person per 2 sq.m rule is lifted including for office spaces allowing return to work for all for 1st time in 12 months.
• 25th May 2021: new restrictions after 5 new cases: no more than 5 people in homes; no more than 30 in public gatherings; masks compulsory indoors;
• 27th May: 7 day stage 4 lockdown commences at midnight
• 4th June: new modified 7 day lockdown starts; Melbourne 10km limits; Regional Vic. most restrictions removed but can't travel to Melb.
• 11th June 2021: Melb lockdown eased, can now travel 25km within Greater metro zone only. Many services re-open;
  • What is within 25km of your home map
• 18th June: restrictions further eased; can now travel throughout Vic without reason but need swab neg to go to ski fields; masks no longer required outdoors; gyms can re-open; 2 visitors to home per day;schools open; still no visitors to Aged Care or hospitals unless special needs.
• 16th July: lockdown again introduced for 5 days after MCG transmissions but on 20th these were extended for further 1 week and a hard lockdown of NSW border enacted.
• 27th July: Restrictions reduced from midnight, can travel throughout Victoria but no household visits yet
• 5th Aug: lockdown #6: lockdown re-introduced after 8 new cases including teacher at works at Al-Taqwa College; travel restricted to 5km and for specified reasons only;
• 12th Aug: Metro lockdown extended by further 7 days;
• 16th Aug: metro lockdown extended for 2wks more plus 9pm curfew introduced;
• 21st Aug: Regional Vic paced under lockdown as well. Tighter restrictions on childcare.
• 2nd Sept: playgrounds opened but a mild reduction in restrictions now linked to a target of 70% vaccinated as very low community rates are now extremely unlikely due to compliance fatigue
• 9th Sept: regional Victoria out of lockdown
• 18th Sept: 70% single vax target reached so Metro lockdown mildly eased to 10km 4hr social/exercise outdoors only;
• 19th Sept: expected peaks with the new roadmaps: late Oct 1400-2900 new cases per day; inpatients may hit 2500 by mid-Oct; 2nd peak in mid-Dec after restrictions released; mandatory vaccinations for various work sectors - construction workers, teachers, HCWs;
• 29th Sept: restrictions in Metro mildly reduced to 15km travel as 80% single dose vax target reached;
• 21st Oct midnight - 70% double vax:
  • no restrictions to travel within Melb Metro
  • up to 10 visitors to homes will be allowed;
  • outdoor gatherings up to 50 including hospitality (one person per four square metres);
  • schools gradually return mainly part-time basis;
  • vaccinated privileges: limited swimming pool/community facilities; hair and beauty; childcare;
• 29th Oct 2021 6pm: 80% double vax :
  • no restrictions to travel within Victoria
  • non-essential shops open to double vaxxed
• 90% double vaxxed 19th Nov Covid normal:
  • mask indoors only for high risk areas and indoor shops; no further contact tracing or publication of exposure sites;
  • essentially no number limits for dbl vaxxed who can now drink at bars go to dance clubs/sports venues etc
  • reduced quarantine for dbl vaxxed with primary exposures - up to community to notify their contacts
• 10th Jan 2022:
  • pending Omicron peak wave
  • dancing at venues banned
• 14th Feb 2022:
  • Code Brown Hospital Disaster for Omicron peak ceased as hospital admissions fall
• 18th Feb 2022:
  • 93% double vaxxed, 53% triple;
  • removal of the QR code check-in system for retail, including supermarkets, as well as in schools, childcare and early childhood education facilities, and at many workplaces BUT remain at hospitality and entertainment venues where attendees must be fully vaccinated
  • density limits for hospitality and entertainment removed (previously 1 per 2sqm)
  • dancing can resume
  • International arrivals will no longer need to apply for a permit to enter the state, and unvaccinated travellers from overseas will have their quarantine periods reduced from 14 days to seven.
  • no longer be mandatory for industries including meat processing and hotel quarantine to employ surveillance testing using rapid antigen and PCR tests.
  • Hospital worker bubbles will no longer be required
  • Masks are still required for everyone aged eight and above in all indoor settings, unless in private homes or when food or drink is being consumed.
• Oct 13th 2022: Victoria's State of Disaster period for the pandemic ends, ending restrictions