BALLARAT COVID UPDATE | Monday, January 17
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NEW CASES: 211 (down from 283 yesterday)
ACTIVE CASES: 1118 (up from 1041 yesterday)
IN HOSPITAL: 10 (down from 14 last monday)
IN ICU: 0 (no change)
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in Ballarat has fallen to 10, four fewer than the same time last week.
Ballarat Health Services released the latest update on hospitalisations at the Base Hospital on Monday afternoon and also confirmed none of the patients are in ICU.
Further information on the cases has not been provided for privacy reasons.
Last Monday fourteen people were receiving treatment at the hospital, while on January six there were eight.
EARLIER:
Ballarat's COVID case rollercoaster continues, with 211 new infections reported in the city in the 24 hours to midnight, Sunday.
The cases are down from the 283 reported on Sunday, as new daily infections continue to bounce around.
The number of active cases in the city has increased once again, standing at 1118 as of Monday.
Despite the number of new cases for the city being listed as 211, the total number of new cases across each postcode in the latest data from the department of health adds up to 233.
- 3350 - 135 new cases
- 3351 - 10 new cases
- 3352 - 42 new cases
- 3355 - 17 new cases
- 3356 - 26 new cases
- 3357 - 3 new cases
In neighbouring shires:
- Moorabool - 75 new cases, 393 active cases
- Golden Plains - 32 new cases, 231 active cases
- Hepburn - 21 new cases, 87 active cases
- Pyrenees - 3 new cases, 42 active cases
VICTORIAN COVID UPDATE | Monday, January 17
NEW CASES: 22,249 (down from 28,128 yesterday)
DEATHS: 6 (down from 13 yesterday)
ACTIVE CASES: 245,050 (up from 237,599 yesterday)
IN HOSPITAL: 1,229 (up from 1,114 yesterday)
IN ICU: 129 (up from 122 yesterday)
ON VENTILATOR: 38 (up from 35 yesterday)
Victoria has recorded 22,429 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths as authorities begin handing out millions of rapid antigen tests to essential workers and vulnerable people.
The new infections confirmed by the health department on Monday include 12,059 from PCR tests and 10,370 from RATs.
It brings the total number of active cases in the state to 245,040, including a record 1229 patients in hospital.
Monday's patient number is a 115 increase on the 1114 reported on Sunday.
The number of people in ICU has grown by seven to 129 with 38 on ventilation, three more than the previous day.
In Ballarat, the number of COVD cases is not showing any sign of abating.
There were 283 new cases confirmed on Sunday, the highest daily figure throughout the entire pandemic.
Today's figures will be released later in the morning.
Importantly, the confirmed cases do not include rapid tests when it comes to location data, so the caseload in Ballarat is certain to be much higher.
There are now 1041 active cases in the city, according to the health department.
Meanwhile, Victorian health and emergency workers, community groups and people with pre-existing health conditions will begin receiving their share of millions of free rapid antigen tests on Monday.
The state received a "significant" first batch of RATs on Sunday from its order for 44 million test kits earlier this month.
Premier Daniel Andrews says three million will be distributed to essential workers in health and aged care, disability and emergency sectors.
"Three million is a very important start, we are working very hard to make sure that each and every one of the orders that make up the 44 million are honoured," he said on Sunday.
"That will be three million tests that don't need to be sourced elsewhere, so that alleviates some pressure."
Victorians with pre-existing conditions, which make them susceptible to severe illness, will also be prioritised for a RAT to ensure they are diagnosed so that care can be quickly provided.
Sixty community and multi-faith organisations will also receive a share of the tests.
The state will also begin transferring the first of up to 300 patients to two new "medi-hotels" to free up hospital beds on Monday.
Two Melbourne quarantine hotels - Pullman on Swanston and Mantra in Epping - have been transformed into medical facilities to treat patients battling COVID-19.
The state government hopes the medi-hotels will alleviate some pressure on hospitals, as hospitalisations continue to rise.
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