Victoria records 29 new local Covid cases - with NONE of the infections in isolation - sparking fears of another long lockdown as stricken teacher reveals his harrowing fight for life
Victoria has recorded 29 new locally acquired Covid-19 infections with fears that the jump from six yesterday will see the state have to endure a longer lockdown to avoid case numbers as high as NSW.
Health authorities say all the cases are linked to current outbreaks but were not in quarantine during their infectious periods.
Victorians are bracing for more exposure sites spread across wider parts of the state amid the race to contain the Indian delta variant.
The state administered 22,335 vaccine doses in the 24 hours to Friday evening and conducted 43,618 tests.
Victoria has recorded 29 new locally acquired Covid-19 infections in the 24 hours to Friday evening
Health authorities said the positive cases were not in quarantine during their infectious period as Victorians brace for more exposure sites to be announced
Residents have woken to another weekend in lockdown and with more than 10,000 close contacts of positive cases now isolating.
Meanwhile the NSW capital case numbers jumped from 28 on July 7 to 116 just five days later and are now nudging 300 per day despite six weeks of lockdown.
Four new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the Victorian community on Friday, all of which were infectious in the community before testing positive. All were linked to previous cases.
The exposure site list grew to more than 75 venues on Friday, including two tier one sites - a medical centre and a pathology collection centre, both in Caroline Springs.
Several schools were also added as tier two sites, including Heathdale Christian College in Werribee and Warringa Park School in Hoppers Crossing, after positive cases were found in students.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA'S NEW LOCKDOWN
- The lockdown is scheduled to run from Thursday August 5 at 8pm for seven days
- There will be only five lawful reasons to leave home
1. Essential shopping
2. Two hours of daily exercise within a 5km radius
3. To seek or provide medical care
4. Work or study that cannot be done from home.
5. To go and get vaccinated.
- Face masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors
- Schools will return to online learning
- 5km travel limit for essential tasks, including shopping and exercise
- If your business was closed during the last lockdown, they must close this lockdown
- Hospitality open for takeaway only
- General retail is closed, as well as all non-essential businesses
- Visitors to the home are banned
- Funerals capped at ten people, while weddings are banned
- Professional sport can proceed but with no crowds
- Outdoor parks and play areas are open, but those indoors must close
The statewide seven-day lockdown began at 8pm on Thursday, with the same stay-home rules that applied during last month's lockdown reimposed
Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar warned Victorians the number of exposure sites would continue to grow.
'We'll see exposure sites start to spread across wider parts of the city and potentially regional Victoria,' he said.
The statewide seven-day lockdown began at 8pm on Thursday, with the same stay-home rules that applied during last month's lockdown reimposed.
Health Minister Martin Foley warned the state was in 'a precarious position' and said lockdowns would remain a feature of Australia's public health response until enough of the population is vaccinated.
VICTORIA'S NEW EXPOSURE SITES
Anyone who has visited a Tier 1 exposure site during the times listed must immediately isolate, get a COVID-19 test, and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.
Altona North - Bayfit Leisure Centre - Anyone who entered the pool or used women's change rooms - August 2 between 8:54am and 10:30am
Caroline Springs - Active Medical Centre - August 2 between 2:15pm and 3:40pm
Caroline Springs - Dorevitch Pathology Collection - August 2 between 2:15pm and 3:40pm
Anyone who has visited a Tier 2 exposure site during times listed should urgently get a COVID-19 test and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Altona North - Bayfit Leisure Centre - August 2 between 8:54am and 10:30am
Hoppers Crossing - Warringa Park School - August 4 between 8:30am and 4pm
Hoppers Crossing - Warringa Park School - August 5 between 8:30am and 4pm
Hoppers Crossing - Warringa Park School - August 3 between 8:30am and 4pm
Werribee - Heathdale Christian College - August 5 between 8:30am and 4pm
Werribee - Heathdale Christian College - August 4 between 8:30am and 4pm
Werribee - Heathdale Christian College - August 3 between 8:30am and 4pm
Tarneit - Oporto in Tarneit Shopping Centre - August 2 between 5:30pm and 6:30pm
Tarneit - Western Fresh Fruit & Veg - Wyndham Village Shopping Centre - August 3 between 4:15pm and 4:45pm
Tarneit - Aldi - August 4 between 4:45pm and 5:30pm
Tarneit - Coles - Tarneit Shopping Centre - August 2 between 6:25pm and 6:55pm
Truganina - United Petroleum - August 2 between 5:10pm and 5:40pm
Richard Murgatroyd 27 days after he caught Covid at an AFL game at the MCG
The new cases were announced after a Melbourne teacher just released from intensive care after testing positive for Covid-19 spoken about his harrowing ordeal, admitting he thought he was going to die.
Richard Murgatroyd, 51, who works at Bacchus Marsh Grammar, about an hour north-west of Melbourne, caught the Delta variant after he went to a footy game at the MCG with a friend on July 10 - a day Victoria had zero cases.
After going to the Carlton v Geelong match, he said he felt fine and went to work on the following Monday but on the Tuesday he noticed a tickle in the back of his throat.
Mr Murgatroyd, who had received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, went to get a Covid test as a precaution and while waiting in line his footy mate told him his apartment building had been listed as an exposed venue.
The Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong had been visited by two Covid infected removalists from Sydney. The residents in the apartments were plunged into isolation for 14 days during the state's fifth lockdown.
Mr Murgatroyd said on day seven of the virus, he had to call an ambulance and was transferred to hospital where he was put into intensive care.
'I was really scared because I couldn't breathe. I couldn't get my breath back, so I knew it wasn't good,' he told ABC radio.
His first two days in the ICU were a fog and on the second night he was gripped with fear that he would die in hospital.
The fit and healthy teacher (pictured before Covid) said he was shocked at how 'random' the virus was and urged the public to get vaccinated as soon as they were able
'A doctor about 3am in the morning held my hand and looked me in the eye and said: "You're strong enough. We'll get you through this".'
He said despite being healthy and going to the gym regularly, the virus had wiped him out.
In addition to losing 15kg, he said the simple task of pulling himself up from the bed requires at least a few minutes to recover and catch his breath.
Mr Murgatroyd said he struggled to comprehend going from being at the AFL game to fighting for his life.
'10 days later I was in intensive care. The sheer random nature of it,' he said.