Coronavirus update 18 January 2022

There are 1,152 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria – with 93 active cases in ICU, including 43 on a ventilator, and 34 cleared cases in ICU.

5,319,710 vaccine doses have been administered by Victoria’s state-commissioned services, with 20,562 administered yesterday at state-run centres. 5,211 of these doses were for children between ages 5 and 11.

24.8 per cent of Victorians aged 18 and over have had three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 93.2 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over have had two doses.

Victoria was notified of 20,180 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. This includes:

  • 11,747 who tested positive on a Rapid Antigen Test and who reported their result
  • 8,433 who returned a positive result on a PCR test

Of those who reported a positive result on a Rapid Antigen Test yesterday:

  • Approximately 62 per cent were from tests undertaken yesterday, 17 January.
  • Approximately 16 per cent were from tests undertaken 16 January.
  • With the remainder from tests undertaken over the previous five days.

Sadly, the Department was notified yesterday of 22 deaths of people aged in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. This brings the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 1,718. Of today’s reported deaths, 11 were recorded as occurring in the last two days.

There are 235,035 active cases in Victoria.

39,725 PCR tests were processed yesterday. The total number of PCR tests performed in Victoria since the pandemic began is 18,472,333.

When you test positive on a PCR test, you will be sent a message from the Department asking you to fill out a short online form. Please fill out this form, because it helps us determine your care needs.

Updates

Exemptions to isolation requirements for critical workers

A range of critical workers in emergency services, education, critical utilities, custodial facilities, transport and freight will join workers in the food distribution sector and healthcare workers as being potentially eligible for an exemption from quarantine as close contacts of people diagnosed with COVID-19.

/Public Release. View in full here.