Victoria has seen its biggest daily increase in cases since the start of the pandemic, with Premier Daniel Andrews confirming 532 new cases on Monday.
The state now has 4,542 active cases with 683 linked to aged care.
There were six new deaths reported on Monday, adding to the five reported on Saturday and the 10 reported on Sunday. This brings the state’s total death toll to 77.
Of the six new deaths, five were linked to aged care settings.
Confirming Monday’s case tally, Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said outbreaks in aged care were, “a consequence of community transmission”.
“They represent a tragedy for the families involved,” he said.
“The numbers are disturbing.”
Monday’s case tally includes:
- 84 cases linked to St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner, up from 78 on Sunday.
- 82 cases linked to in Estia aged care in Ardeer, the same number as Sunday.
- 77 cases linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping, up from 24 on Sunday.
- 62 cases linked to Menarock Life Aged Care in Essendon, up from 55 on Thursday.
- 53 cases linked to Glendale Aged Care in Werribee up from 52 on Sunday.
- 57 cases linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth, up from 19 on Sunday.
- 50 cases linked to Estia Health in Heidelberg, up from 48 on Sunday.
There had initially been confusion regarding the spike in case numbers at Epping Gardens, as the families of residents had been informed of 83 cases linked to the home on Sundays.
“It’s hard to read these out without considering that the residents in these facilities will be people’s parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and they are at significant risk of dying,” Professor Sutton added.
“That’s an inescapable fact in these settings.
“Where there are outbreaks in aged care, the mortality is extremely high.
“We know that from European outbreaks in particular, where there were a number of people in aged care. Deaths in aged care made up almost half of deaths in the UK.”
There are now 245 Victorians in hospital, including 44 in intensive care.
