Mildura COVID-19 case numbers continue to decline

MILDURA recorded just one new COVID-19 case on Tuesday as its outbreak continued to stabilise.

After recording six new cases on Monday, Mildura now has 106 active cases of the virus, bringing its total number to 462.

It came as Victoria recorded 1069 new COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths on Tuesday, as the state is nearing 100,000 total infections cases since the pandemic began.

The health department confirmed on Tuesday the state is managing 15,607 active cases.

It was the sixth day in a row that Victoria has recorded a number above 1000.

There are 579 Victorians in hospital, of whom 90 are in intensive care including 55 on ventilators. The seven-day hospitalisation average has fallen by 13 to 615.

Another 47,794 tests were processed on Monday and 11,269 vaccines administered at state-run hubs.

About 84 per cent of people over 12 are fully vaccinated.

The state has reached 99,199 total cases as of Tuesday.

Based on current trends, it is expected to reach 100,000 by the end of this week.

Meanwhile, the state government says rapid tests will be trialled by up to 20 outbreak-stricken schools, before being rolled out to all schools across the state from November 15.

The approved at-home tests, part of a stockpile of 200,000 secured by the state government, will be offered to unvaccinated students deemed primary close contacts of a positive case at school.

It will allow students to return to face-to-face learning after seven days in isolation, rather than the current requirement of 14.

But they will still need to provide a negative PCR test on day six and return a negative rapid test before school from days eight to 14 after exposure.

– with AAP