Date issued: 2 December 2022
Issued by: Office of the Chief Health Officer
Issued to: Clinicians and the Victorian public
COVID-19 Weekly Data
There were 26,971 COVID-19 cases reported in Victoria this week, an increase of 21.4 per cent on the previous week. The average daily number of new cases this week was 3,853, up from 3,183 last week.
The seven-day rolling average of patients with COVID in Victorian hospitals is 550, a 27.9 per cent increase when compared to the same time last week. There are currently 625 COVID patients in Victorian hospitals, with 28 COVID patients in intensive care including 4 cleared cases. There are 8 COVID patients on a ventilator. The seven-day rolling average of patients in intensive care in Victorian hospitals is 21.
In the past three months, 3,468 COVID patients were hospitalised in Victoria. 40.8 per cent of those patients had not received their third vaccine dose. 1,018 (29.4 per cent) were unvaccinated, 30 had received one dose, 367 had two doses, 786 had received three doses and 1,267 had received four doses.
Of Victorians aged 50 to 64 years, 79.9 per cent have had their third dose and 30.5 per cent have had their recommended fourth dose. Of those aged over 65, 90.8 per cent have had their third dose and 67.5 per cent have had their fourth dose. 70.4 per cent of people aged 16 and over in Victoria have had three doses of COVID vaccine.
A total of 54 COVID-related deaths were reported to the Department in the past week. An average of 8 deaths were reported each day in the past week. There has been a 32.1 per cent increase in the number of daily COVID related deaths in the past month when compared to the previous month.
In the past three months, there have been 596 COVID-related deaths in Victoria. Of those deaths, 39.3 per cent were unvaccinated and 45.8 per cent had not received their third COVID vaccine dose.
The total number of COVID-related deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began is 6,052. The number of COVID related deaths recorded in Victoria so far this year is 4,444.
COVID-19 epidemiological summary
COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations continued to increase this week. Cases have been rising steadily since late October and the total number of COVID-19 patients in hospital has increased three-fold since 19 October.
While the number of people in hospital (625) is the highest it has been since 14 August during the last wave, it is still well short of the 20 July peak of 906.
The number of COVID-related deaths has begun increasing, which was expected following the increasing rate of cases and hospitalisations over recent weeks.
The increase in cases is being driven by a mixture of new Omicron subvariants, which are more immune evasive and are responding to waning immunity from past infection and past vaccination.
Health System Response Framework Update
Given the increasing demand on the Victorian public health system, the Health System Response Framework (HSR) will be escalated to Stage 3, effective Saturday 3 December 2022.
This is a reflection of both high numbers of people with COVID in hospital, particularly across our metropolitan health services, as well as ongoing furlough challenges at all sites leading into the holiday period.
This will enable the enhanced application of levers to best utilise resources, facilitate load balancing and generate capacity in order to relieve system pressures.
The Health System Response was developed to provide the Victorian acute health system a strategy to maintain high-quality COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care, including elective activity.
Steps to protect yourself and others
Protecting yourself is the best way to protect yourself and the community. If you don’t get COVID, you can’t spread COVID.
These six steps can help you stay ahead of COVID this spring:
- Wear a mask: a high-quality and well-fitted mask can protect you from the virus
- Get your booster dose: new bivalent vaccines targeting Omicron variants are available at your GP or local pharmacy
- Let fresh air in: open windows and doors when you can, it reduces the spread of the virus
- Get tested: if you have symptoms, take a rapid antigen test
- Stay at home: if you have COVID, you should stay at home for at least 5 days and until you have no symptoms
- Talk to your doctor: if you are at risk of falling very sick, you may be eligible for COVID medicines.
Advice for cases and contacts
Helpful information is available online for cases and household, social, workplace, education and other contacts.
See the checklists and recommend them to your patients.
General advice
COVID-19 symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and loss or change in sense of smell or taste. If you are experiencing symptoms, wear a fitted face mask when you get tested.
The Department publishes expected wait times at testing sites as well as updated information about locations and hours of operation at Where to get tested.
For more information call the 24-hour Coronavirus Hotline at 1800 675 398 or visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria.
Current advice to clinicians
Clinicians are no longer required to report positive COVID-19 test results. Laboratories continue to be required to report positive COVID-19 PCR results. People who have tested positive using a rapid antigen test (RAT) should report their result to the Department of Health online or by calling 1800 675 398.
COVID-19 testing criteria
Practitioners should test any patients who meet the clinical criteria below:
- Fever OR chills in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that explains the clinical presentation* OR
- Acute respiratory infection (e.g., cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, or loss or changes in sense of smell or taste)
- Note: testing is also recommended for people with new onset of other clinical symptoms consistent with COVID-19** AND who are from the following cohorts: close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19; those who have returned from overseas in the past 14 days; or those who are healthcare or aged care workers. Testing is recommended for those cohorts with onset of other clinical symptoms**.
- *Clinical discretion applies including consideration of the potential for co-infection (e.g., concurrent infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza)
- **headache, myalgia, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Online resources
- Locations of respiratory assessment clinics and testing sites are available online and through an interactive map.
- Protecting our healthcare workers (PDF) sets out the very latest in our understanding of COVID-19 and how it can spread within healthcare settings – both hospitals and aged-care facilities.
- Visit Infection Prevention and Control resource hub for updated guidelines.
Mental health resources
- Many Victorians are feeling fatigued, isolated or lonely. If you need support for your mental health there are mental health resources you can access on our website.
Consumer information
- Financial support – for COVID-19
- Translated resources in over 50 languages
- Checklist for COVID cases
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