Gippsland's COVID-19 cases continue to fall

THE number of reported COVID-19 cases across Gippsland, and in the six local government areas (LGAs) continues to fall, down to 1197 active cases in Gippsland, reported on Sunday, January 30.

That represents a slight rise in the number of reported cases from Saturday, when 1156 were reported, but the trend is going down.

The six LGAs are as follows:

• Bass Coast 149 active, 25 new
• Baw Baw 307 active, 41 new
• East Gippsland 74 active, 13 new
• Latrobe City 386 active, 57 new
• South Gippsland 115 active, 11 new
• Wellington 166 active, 21 new
• Gippsland 1197 active, 168 new.

By postcode, the numbers the reported numbers are falling as well:

• Inverloch (3996): 19 active, 3 new
• Wonthaggi (3995): 45 active, 5 new
• Foster (3960): 12 active, 0 new
• Leongatha (3953): 26 active, 1 new
• Korumburra (3950): 19 active, 1 new

No hospitalisation data for Gippsland.

State-wide COVID-19 update

It was reported on Sunday, January 30 that there were 889 cases of COVID-19 in hospital in Victoria with 69 active cases in ICU, including 35 on a ventilator, and an additional 42 cleared cases in ICU.

On the vaccination front, 38.1 per cent of Victorians aged 18 and over have had three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and 93.5 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over have had two doses.

The Victorian Government has reported 10,589 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, January 30 including 6110 who tested positive on a Rapid Antigen Test and 4479 who returned a positive result on a PCR test.

Sadly, the Health Department was notified of 20 deaths of people aged in their 40s to 100s. The number in NSW was 52, more than 30 of them in aged care. In the past week there have been 193 deaths in Victoria and 280 in NSW.

Of the deaths reported in Victoria on Sunday, 10 were recorded as occurring in the last two days. Two deaths were reclassified due to duplications. This brings the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 1988.

There are 78,294 active cases in Victoria.

Child vaccinations

The state government is still encouraging parents to do everything they can to get their kids vaccinated for the return to school, although it won’t stop kids going back to school.

The weekend’s child vaccination blitz continued on Sunday with 15 pop-up vaccination at primary schools.

In addition, some state-run vaccination centres, including Wonthaggi, are accepting walk-ups for paediatric vaccines.

Book or check walk-up access online at your nearest state vaccination centre before you go, or visit the clinic finder to book through a participating GP or pharmacy.

Community Response Fund

The Community Response Fund is making up to $20,000 available to eligible organisations that deliver engagement activities to support communities to self-manage and live safely with COVID-19. For more information contact: rapidresponseengagement@health.vic.gov.au