Victoria records 15 local Covid cases, more mystery infections
Victoria recorded 15 new local Covid-19 cases on Friday, as Melbourne endures the second week of its sixth lockdown.
Of the new cases, 11 were linked to current outbreaks. However the source of infection for four new cases is still being investigated, the Department of Health said this morning.
Eight of the new cases were in quarantine throughout their infectious period.
In the last 24 hours, 40,737 test results were received and 27,427 vaccine doses were administered.
Of the unlinked cases reported on Friday is a delivery truck driver who lives in Wyndham Vale, a person in Middle Park and a person in Roxburgh Park, who is possibly linked to a school where an outbreak has recently occurred.
Victoria recorded 21 locally-acquired Covid-19 cases on Thursday, six of the new cases had spent time in the community while infectious.
Four were unlinked to exisiting clusters.
The "mystery" cases in Melbourne were cited as the reason the city-wide lockdown was extended until at least Thursday next week.
Victoria aims to vaccinate 60 per cent of state by September
On Friday, Premier Daniel Andrews announced the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be available to everyone aged 18 and above at all 50 of the state's vaccination hubs from Monday to help reach the target.
"It is the most important thing to come forward to get vax, to play your part, to protect not just yourself but the people you love the most and give us the freedom all of us want," he told reporters on Friday.
"Getting to 70 to 80 per cent (vaccinated), that is what we have to work towards and these one million jabs over the next five weeks are the best way that Victoria can make a contribution, not just to our state's fortunes, but to our national strategy."
Mr Andrews said there had been incredibly strong demand at the nine vaccination hubs where AstraZeneca has been available since Monday to people aged between 18 and 40.
Demand has been slower for people aged in their 50s and 60s, who are currently eligible for Pfizer at all state hubs.
Mr Andrews expects 60 per cent of Victorians will be vaccinated by the end of September.
With AAP
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