BALLARAT COVID UPDATE, Sunday, December 26
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New cases: 13 (up from 2 yesterday)
Active cases: 81 (up from 78 yesterday)
Ballarat has recorded a spike in positive COVID-19 cases, with 13 people testing positive in the 24 hours to December 27.
The numbers come as the Ballarat Health Services testing site continues to feel the strain, with hours-long waits.
Of the new cases, seven have been recorded in the 3350 postcode, three in 3357, two in 3352, and one in 3356.
In neighbouring shires, Moorabool and Hepburn recorded three new cases each, with none in Golden Plains or Pyrenees.
The BHS drive-through testing clinic is "experiencing high demand", and will be open until 6pm - people who are symptomatic, and household contacts of positive cases will be prioritised for testing.
"BHS has been advised by the Department of Health that people who received a text message advising they had attended an exposure site do not need to get tested immediately if they do not have symptoms," a media release states.
"This advice does differ from text message advice and has been given as demand for testing far exceeds capacity at this time. As such, the need for testing has been triaged until testing capacity increases."
The UFS testing clinic on Dana Street is booked out and the 4Cyte drive-through testing site is closed.
VICTORIAN COVID UPDATE, Monday, December 27
NEW CASES: 1999 (up from 1608 yesterday)
DEATHS: 3 (up from 2 yesterday)
ACTIVE CASES: 16,467 (down from 17,392 yesterday)
IN HOSPITAL: 368 (down from 374 yesterday)
IN ICU: 80 (up from 77 yesterday)
ON VENTILATOR: 38 (down from 43 yesterday)
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Victoria has dropped by nearly 1000 but another 1999 have tested positive.
There were 57,818 tests conducted on Boxing Day, with three more deaths reported among the figures on Monday.
Active case numbers dropped from 17,392 on Sunday to 16,467 on Monday, despite the new cases.
While the number of people in ICU grew by three to 80, the number of people on ventilators fell from 43 to 38.
The state's testing woes have continue with people turned away before sites opened again on Monday, as demand outstripped capacity at multiple locations.
Authorities have encouraged those needing tests to research less well-known sites to avoid spending long hours in queues.
- with AAP
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