Victoria records 50 new cases of coronavirus as mystery infections fall by half and another hospital is hit by an outbreak forcing dozens to isolate
Victoria has recorded 50 new cases of coronavirus including an outbreak at a major hospital that forced dozens to isolate.
Mystery cases not yet linked to others in the outbreak halved from Monday to just 10 and 11 were infectious in the community.
They were diagnosed from 48,424 tests and 29,810 vaccine doses were administered on Monday, pushing the double-jabbed over 31 per cent.
Dozens of staff from another major Melbourne hospital are isolating after being exposed to Covid-19, as Victoria's coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate.
Victoria is in a harsh lockdown with masks required at all times outside, with no end in sight at least until there are much higher vaccination rates
The state's Covid-19 Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar said health teams are working around the clock 'to run after all these cases'.
But if Victorians continued to work together then 'we can absolutely' put a ring around the outbreak and come out of lockdown on September 2, he added.
'Those numbers will continue to rise but the onus is now on the wider community because this Delta moves wildly quickly,' he said.
St Vincent's Hospital confirmed 24 emergency department staff are now in quarantine after being 'potentially exposed to Covid-19', a spokesman said on Monday night.
The hospital's emergency department has been listed as a tier two exposure site with anyone who visited on August 14 between 7.20am and 5.40pm urged to get tested and isolate until a negative result.
Victoria has recorded 71 new cases of coronavirus , its biggest increase in a single day since the tail end of the state's second wave last September. Pictured are health workers at a drive-through COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in Campbellfield.
Hundreds of staff from Royal Melbourne Hospital have been plunged into isolation as the outbreak grew to 10 cases
St Vincent's continues to operate as normal with no impact on the hospital's wider services, and its infection control team is providing support 'as a matter of urgency'.
Royal Melbourne Hospital is dealing with its own outbreak after five staff and patients tested positive after surgery was performed on an infected Shepparton man on August 12.
Late on Monday, the government added Notre Dame College in Shepparton, Sirius College Meadow Fair Campus in Broadmeadows and a Woolworths supermarket at Altona North to an expanding list of tier one exposure sites.
Meanwhile, new rules around childcare and authorised workers came into effect overnight.
From 11.59pm Monday only authorised workers can access childcare, kindergarten and early childhood services, with workforce permits required to leave home for work.
Workforce caps will apply across several industries including construction, abattoirs, meat, poultry and seafood processing.
Mr Weimar said children were collapsing and vomiting at school with how ill they are and with health officials finding a number of people in the household are also positive (stock image)