New COVID-19 cases listed in south-west overnight

The hospital confirmed the location of the case to The Standard on Wednesday afternoon.

Update, 12.30pm: New COVID-19 cases have been identified in the south-west today.

There was one new case in Moyne, bringing active cases to four, one in Surf Coast and one in Corangamite Shire.

South West Healthcare hasn't announced where the new case is, but appears to coincide with the new Moyne case recorded by the DHHS overnight.

SWH said the new case is a close contact of a previously identified case, in one of the existing households and the person is aware and isolating at home.

This takes the total to 26 active cases linked to this cluster:

The cases are across eight households.

There are no new exposure sites.

There were 247 tests completed yesterday in Warrnambool across the various sites.

Turnaround times for the majority of tests is between 24 and 48 hours.

Today's testing sites are:

"Thanks for all your support and for doing the right thing," SWH said.

"To stop the spread of COVID-19: don't visit anyone in their homes or let anyone into your home if they don't live there.

"Limit how much you move around the community, social distance and keep up your hand hygiene."

Update, 11.30am: Victoria now has 14,410 active COVID-19 cases.

A quarter of total cases are in Melbourne's south-east.

There are 80 new cases in regional Victoria, with a total of 611 active infections outside Melbourne.

They include 15 additional cases in Shepparton and eight more in Ballarat.

Rapid response testing teams have been deployed to Warrnambool to assist with the COVID-19 response, Victorian COVID-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar said on Wednesday morning.

Related news: Region's outbreak spans eight households, elective surgeries paused as two new COVID-19 cases recorded

Of Victoria's 25,000 or so coronavirus cases since the middle of July this year, 84 per cent have not been vaccinated, health authorities say.

Mr Weimar says 11 per cent of the cases had one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and only 5 per cent were fully vaccinated.

"So whilst the vaccine doesn't make you immune from catching COVID, it does massively reduce the risk of you catching COVID or transmitting it on to another person," Mr Weimar said during today's coronavirus update.

Almost half of the nation's vaccines were delivered yesterday in Victoria.

There are 8000 Pfizer, 5800 AstraZeneca and 28,000 Moderna vaccine appointments available across Victoria right now, Health Minister Martin Foley said.

"I would encourage anyone to get that safe vaccine and do their bit to make sure they get Victoria to those 70 and 80 per cent double dose vaccinations as soon as possible," Minister Foley said.

"And of course, it massively reduces your risk of ending up in hospital."

The border arrangements between Victoria and New South Wales will be changed.

Areas in NSW and the ACT that are not in lockdown will be downgraded from red to orange zones under Victoria's travel permit system.

That means both Victorians and non-residents in those areas can travel into Victoria, but must have a test within 72 hours of arriving in the state, and isolate until they receive a negative test result.

New South Wales, particularly Sydney will change from extreme risk zones to red zones, meaning Victorian residents can return through an online application and would need to get a test and quarantine at home for 14 days.

Rapid antigen testing will be rolled out across Victoria, after the TGA approved the use of the testing method on a wider basis from November 1.

The Victorian Government will purchase 2.2 million rapid antigen tests for a range of settings including in hospitals, schools, childcare, corrections and emergency services.

READ MORE: How at-home COVID-19 tests work, and what they mean for you

"While it's not necessarily the gold standard of the 24-hour PCR test, in the changed risky environment and in line with a vaccinated Victoria, it's time now to use it, particularly now that the TGA have approved a much wider approach to rapid antigen testing," Minister Foley said.

The tests have a 15-20 minute turnaround time.

He said that 33 rapid antigen tests had been authorised for use in Australia.

Dozens of Victorians infected with COVID-19 have been linked to the violent protests outside the CFMEU's Melbourne headquarters last month.

Four students from schools in Melbourne's north and west who sat the General Achievement Test in Melbourne on Tuesday have also tested positive for coronavirus.

Earlier, 9am: There were 1420 new cases of COVID-19 recorded yesterday from over 71,000 tests.

Sadly, the Department was notified of 11 deaths.

Yesterday about 36,000 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services.

A summary of Tuesday's case numbers is below:

South West Healthcare's COVID coordinator Sue Anderton said the current outbreak now spanned across eight households.

Chief executive officer Craig Fraser added one of the five COVID-positive people that had been re-directed out of the region is in hospital.

More news: South West Healthcare backflips after media requested to 'refrain' from sending COVID related queries

Health authorities say COVID-positive people are being asked to contact their secondary close contacts themselves.

It comes as Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton said yesterday Tier 2 exposure sites would no longer be listed on the website.

Victorians are encouraged to book their COVID-19 vaccination through their local GP or community pharmacy, community health service or state vaccination centre. To find a GP or pharmacy provider and make a booking, visit www.health.gov.au.

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