Coronavirus update for Victoria - 18 May 2020

The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria is 1,567, a net increase of six since yesterday.

There were no new deaths reported. To date, 18 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.

There have been 161 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that may have been acquired through community transmission

Currently nine people are in hospital, including five patients in intensive care. 1,439 people have recovered.

Of the total 1,567 cases, there have been 1,293 in metropolitan Melbourne and 231 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation. The total number of cases is made up of 828 men and 736 women.

More than 345,000 tests have been processed to date. 

There are eight new cases since yesterday – however two cases were removed from the overall total due to reclassification. 

Today’s new cases include a single case of coronavirus in a resident of the Villa Maria Aged Care facility in Bundoora. The resident is being well cared for and has been isolated in their room since developing mild symptoms. Staff have been using full PPE to care for the resident since they developed symptoms.

Comprehensive contact tracing is underway and testing of all staff and residents will take place over the coming days. Residents and families are all being informed, and the department is working closely with the facility to ensure appropriate public health actions have been taken, including isolation, quarantine and cleaning.

A further case has also been linked to the McDonald’s Fawkner outbreak, with the total number of cases in that outbreak now at 12. This case relates to a delivery driver who is a close contact of an existing case linked to the cluster. 

McDonald’s has closed twelve restaurants as a result of this case to undergo deep cleaning. The affected restaurants are Melton East, Laverton North, Yallambie, Taylors Lakes, Campbellfield, Sunbury, Hoppers Crossing, Riverdale Village, Sandown, Calder Highway Northbound/Outbound, Calder Highway Southbound/Inbound, and BP Rockbank Service Centre Outbound. The case attended work during their pre-symptomatic period, and sought testing when they developed symptoms. 

Another of today’s cases has been linked to the Sunshine Hospital outbreak, with a close contact of a known case returning a positive result. Both the existing known case and this new case remain in home isolation. The total number linked to this outbreak is now three.

Of the remaining cases three were detected among returned travellers in mandatory hotel quarantine and two are still under investigation.

There are no new cases linked to the Cedar Meats outbreak – with the total number of cases currently linked to this cluster remaining at 99. 

“Today’s increase in cases illustrates once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against COVID-19 is far from over,” said Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton.

“Restrictions around some activities have now been relaxed in Victoria in recognition of the current low rate of community transmission of this virus.

“While encouraging, we need to remain vigilant. We must maintain physical distancing, practice hygiene and self-isolation when ill. These are common sense actions to ensure we don’t create a second wave of this serious disease, as we have seen in other countries once they have relaxed their stringent regulations.

“Victorians have done a remarkable job so far sticking to the coronavirus restrictions and staying at home has saved lives. But now is not the time for complacency.

“We are also asking Victorians to continue this amazing effort and get tested if they have symptoms, because the more tests we do, the more data we have about the prevalence of coronavirus in the community.

“People with common symptoms of coronavirus including fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or loss of sense of smell are encouraged to get tested.”

Media inquiries

  Department of Health & Human Services Media Unit (03) 9096 8860 or press@dhhs.vic.gov.au

Cases by Local Government Area

Please find the latest COVID-19 notifications by local government areas below.

Note:

• Residential location is the residential address provided when the case is notified. 
• This is not where they were infected and may not be where the case currently resides. 
• Numbers are correct as of 11.59pm last night but are subject to change as cases are followed up and data is analysed.
• The last column shows the number of current active cases in an LGA.  Active cases are defined as someone who has tested positive, is currently in isolation and being monitored by the Department and who has not yet recovered.

*Four cases in this LGA initially returned a positive result but were subject to further testing and subsequently returned negative results