While Victoria remains clear of COVID, the state has recorded its first coronavirus-related death since the two reclassified fatalities announced on October 28.
The woman, aged in her 70s, had reportedly been cleared of the virus in September after first being diagnosed with COVID in late July.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed her passing on Monday.
“Having recovered in late September – but the coroner will look at this – our advice is that she passed away very recently,” he said.
“They believe the coronavirus induced damage to her lungs has caused her to pass away, and therefore she is counted as a coronavirus death.”
There have now been 820 deaths in Victoria since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the state recorded its 31st consecutive day with no new cases, from 5,030 tests received in the 24 hours prior.
No new cases in South Australia but quarantine breach sparks concerns
This came as South Australian health authorities encouraged people who attended several sites around Adelaide to get tested after a man aged in his 30s went shopping while contagious.
The man reportedly had been deemed a “casual” contact of a COVID case and hadn’t been subject to a formal 14-day quarantine order.
According to the health authorities, he believed that he no longer needed to isolate after receiving a negative test but a second test proved positive.
“When I spoke yesterday my initial understanding was that the case was in quarantine,” South Australia’s Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier (pictured above) said.
“But unfortunately, they did not spend the whole time in quarantine and at one point they were out and about on one particular day and I need to let people know of some places of concern.”
The state recorded zero new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
Masks remain mandated in high-risk settings in the state including aged care facilities.
