There are now 253,827 active COVID-19 infections across Victoria. There are 1173 patients in hospital, with 125 in intensive care and 42 on a ventilator. | MartaPascual3 COVID19 COVID19Vicc SpringSt
Announcing the news in a press conference, Acting Health Minister James Merlino said hospitalisations would peak in the coming weeks, with more than 2500 patients in hospital at once and up to 100 new admissions per day.“Our hospital system is under extreme pressure, and the risks we’re now seeing in COVID hospitalisations is testament to that,” Mr Merlino said.
The latest cases come as shortages of at-home rapid tests continue to pose a major challenge across the nation. A survey released by Professional Pharmacists Australia on Tuesday revealed more than 90 per cent of chemists were struggling to secure a steady supply of the sought-after kits.reports retailers are selling repackaged rapid antigen kits for a premium, despite warnings of multimillion-dollar penalties for companies that breach labelling rules.
More than 22,121 Victorians received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at state-run sites on Tuesday, increasing the state’s vaccine coverage to more than 93 per cent for people aged 12 and over. To date, 26 per cent of eligible Victorians have received a booster shot. During a code brown, hospitals can cancel their staff’s leave to ensure an adequate workforce is on hand.This code brown starts at noon on Wednesday. It’s expected to last for between four and six weeks.