Victoria's deadliest COVID-19 day: State records 459 new cases and ten deaths
On Victoria’s deadliest COVID-19 day, Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the death of a man in his 40s was the youngest death in the state from the virus since the pandemic began.
It was one of 10 COVID-19 deaths in Victoria overnight. Another 459 new cases were recorded.
Mr Andrews said it was not yet clear if the man had an underlying condition, but that information would be made available once more data had been gathered, and if the family was comfortable with it being released.
A masked Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on his way to his press conference on Saturday. Credit:Simon Schluter
“We send our best wishes to each and every one of those families,” he said on Sunday, before reminding younger Victorians they are not immune.
"There is no reason for anybody to think that because they are otherwise fit or because they are not in their 80s, then somehow they have essentially got a vaccine for this. They just don't. Everybody is susceptible."
There are now 228 Victorians in hospital with the virus, with 42 in intensive care.
The seven men who died were aged in their 40s to their 70s, while the three women who died were aged in their 70s and 80s.
Seven of the overnight COVID-19 deaths were related to aged care outbreaks, while three were not related to the aged care sector.
Despite the pandemic, there has been less demand on Ambulance Victoria since it began, but due to additional personal protective equipment for paramedics and vehicle cleaning, the time to finish cases has been longer.
Ambulance Victoria CEO Associate Professor Tony Walker said if there is an increased need for ambulance assistance as the pandemic continues, it would have a “significant impact” on how the health system functions.
“We look overseas to places like London, look over to places like New York, et cetera, where they've seen exponential growth in ambulance service demand. We are prepared for that,” he said.
In preparation, Australian Defence Force members will now be given first responder training, like that given to community first responders in country Victoria, and will be able to carry equipment and drive while paramedics deliver care. Twenty members will be trained from Monday, with 150 total ADF members to be commissioned over the next ten days.
“We've worked with Defence closely, particularly during the bushfires, and the relationship we found working with them is phenomenal,” Associate Professor Walker said.
“We find that the nature of the military approach fits in nicely with the same approach that we're taking in supporting care in the community.”
Off-roster paramedics and para-medicine students have also bolstering public health teams and have been deployed to assist with contact tracing of COVID-19 cases.
Around 200 third-year students and graduates on direct duties are now working with the Department of Health and Human Services to help contact positive cases and identify possible infection sources.
There have been 8881 coronavirus cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Jenny Mikakos made the announcements at a press conference at Treasury Theatre.