Victoria has recorded 11 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, but health authorities fear there are more cases in Melbourne's north-west who have not yet come forward for testing.
(file image) Pedestrians wearing face masks walk through Melbourne's Southbank on 16 July 2021. Photo: AFP
All the new cases are linked to known outbreaks, but only one of them was in quarantine while infectious.
They were detected from 38,987 test results processed on Sunday.
The Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital at St Albans is among the latest exposure sites linked to the state's Delta outbreak.
Western Health's executive director of operations Natasha Toohey said in a statement a patient who visited the hospital last Friday had tested positive and contact tracing efforts were under way.
Health authorities were continuing to issue alerts over "strong, repeat detections" of Covid-19 in wastewater from Melbourne's north-west.
The catchment covers Attwood, Broadmeadows, Campbellfield, Coolaroo, Essendon Fields, Gladstone Park, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Greenvale, Jacana, Meadows Heights, Oak Park, Pascoe Vale, Roxburgh Park, Somerton, Strathmore, Strathmore Heights, Tullamarine and Westmeadows.
In the Sunday Covid-19 update, health authorities said "it is likely there are undetected positive cases of Covid-19 in that catchment".
"Anyone who lives, works or has visited the above suburbs between 28 July and 6 August is urged to watch for the slightest of Covid-19 symptoms and get tested as soon as possible if any symptoms develop," the update said.
Over the weekend, Premier Daniel Andrews repeatedly stressed that people without paid leave who lost income by isolating after a Covid-19 test were eligible for a $450 payment from the government.
The same group of people are eligible for payments of $1500 if they are required to isolate for a full fortnight.
Andrews said he was concerned not everyone with symptoms was getting tested.
"There is a certainty that there are more cases out there, that's why getting tested if you've got any symptoms at all is so, so important," he said.
Virus fragments have also been detected in the Healesville and Benalla regions.
Renewed push for younger Victorians to get AstraZeneca
From Monday, Victorians aged 18-39 were be able to book in for the AstraZeneca vaccine at nine state-run sites which will offer an informed consent process.
Andrews said the rollout, which added to existing GP clinic access to the vaccine, would be expanded to more mass vaccination hubs in the future.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton encouraged Victorians aged 18-39 to consider the vaccine. "The best vaccine to get is the one that's available to you today," Prof Sutton said on Sunday.
- ABC
