Victoria records 11 new local cases as St Albans hospital joins exposure sites

Victoria recorded 11 new locally acquired cases on Monday as the state’s health department listed a major women’s and children’s hospital as a COVID-19 exposure site.

The new local cases are all linked to previously reported transmission chains, however, only one has been in quarantine throughout their infectious period.

Authorities received 38,987 test results and more than 17,000 doses of vaccine were administered across the state.

The figures come after the Maternity Assessment Centre at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital was listed as a tier-1 exposure site after a positive case visited for more than six hours on Friday. Dorevitch Pathology, on the ground floor, was also listed as a tier-1 site.

The Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine.Credit:Penny Stephens

Health authorities also listed the Cafe Bar (in the main corridor of the hospital) as a tier-2 site, and the entire facility has been listed as a tier-3 site.

The Joan Kirner building is on the campus of Sunshine Hospital, where COVID-19 vaccinations and tests are also being carried out. It’s the first time a hospital has been added as an exposure site in this outbreak.

Authorities have instructed anyone who went to level three on August 6 between 8.15am and 2.45pm to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.

The concern over the new exposure sites comes as young Victorians come forward in significant numbers to book an AstraZeneca jab at the state’s mass vaccination hubs after the Andrews government announced a change in approach to make the vaccine available to all adults at nine of the 50 sites from Monday.

Victoria has not previously allowed younger people to access AstraZeneca at the state-run hubs, instead referring people to their GPs.

But the Health Department has now confirmed doctors would be in attendance at the hubs to provide advice to people aged between 18 and 39.

Those at the hubs who provide informed consent will be required to sign a document showing they are aware of the rare risk of the extremely rare blood clotting side effect, thrombosis thrombyocytopenia syndrome.

The news came as the state government also announced Australia’s first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination hub in Melbourne’s west as Victoria ramps up its vaccination efforts after it fell behind NSW in recent weeks.

More to come

David Estcourt is a court and general news reporter at The Age.

Sumeyya is a state political reporter for The Age.

Share this post