723 horror number COVID-19723 horror number COVID-19

On the darkest day for Victoria, new cases of COVID-19 have jumped the horror number of 723 with 13 more fatalities. The number is almost greater by 200 of the last worst day with 532 cases last Monday.

It does not look good at all against a relatively calmer number of 295 cases on Wednesday.

The 13 deaths account for the deaths of 3 men and 3 women in their 70s, 3 men and 2 women in their 80s, and 2 men in their 90s. With 13 deaths now added, Victoria’s death toll now stands at 105 which is the higher than the total for the rest of the country.

The highest so far, this horror number of COVID-19 cases of 723, This has prompted Premier Daniel Andrews to extend some virus restrictions beyond Melbourne.  A statement released by the Premier says:

From midnight Sunday August 2, masks will become mandatory for everyone in regional Victoria;

From midnight tonight (Thursday 30 July) visitors will be banned in homes in six local government areas in Victoria’s south-west. The areas are:

  • Greater Geelong,
  • Surf Coast,
  • Moorabool,
  • Golden Plains,
  • Colac Otway, and
  • Queenscliffe.

Hospitality venues in those areas will remain open.

“I know that it may seem counterintuitive that you can go to the pub but you can’t go to your mate’s place, but ultimately that’s where the data drives that decision,”  Premier Andrews said.

“The data drives that decision. That’s where the transmission is. It’s not in cafes and restaurants, but it is, in small numbers, in people’s homes. One family to another”, the Premier added.

Aged care in Victoria in crisis
The Premier said it appeared 10 of the 13 deaths were linked to the crisis in Victorian aged care. More than 900 COVID-19 cases are associated with aged care with 34 elderly people in intensive care.

With the worsening situation, residents are being transferred from Victoria’s worst-affected aged-care homes, including St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner and Epping Gardens Aged Care Facility.

Victorian health authorities have started managing some of the worst-affected homes – including Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth, Outlook Gardens in Dandenong North and Epping Gardens.

The Premier said the outbreaks at Kirkbrae and Outlook Gardens were stable but the Epping Gardens remained “a very challenging environment”.

St Basil’s in Fawkner was being managed by the federal government.

In a joint effort to contain the spread, federal and state government are working together. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Daniel Andrews have assured Victorians they would do whatever it takes to bring things under control. Five specialist Australian Medical Assistance Teams will be working with Victorian authorities to provide disaster relief in this critical health situation. The first team has already arrived in Melbourne to try to quell the deadly outbreak surging through the city’s aged-care homes.

By Singh