14 aged care deaths and 113 new cases in Victoria – but aged care homes no longer considered “high risk”

Victoria’s new COVID case count has risen above 100 for the first time since Sunday.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed 113 new cases in his daily briefing on Thursday, bringing the total number of active cases in Victoria to 2,295, with XXXX linked to aged care.

The state’s death toll rose to 591 with 15 new deaths including three women and four men in their 80s, and six women and two men in their 90s.

Of the deaths recorded today, 14 have been linked to aged care facilities.

Victoria’s major aged care outbreaks include:

• 214 cases linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping (no new cases since Wednesday)
• 213 cases linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee (16 new cases since Wednesday)
• 205 cases linked to St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner (2 new cases since Wednesday)
• 162 cases linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer (1 new case since Wednesday)
• 139 cases linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth (no new cases since Wednesday)
• 127 cases linked to Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir (no new cases since Wednesday)
• 123 cases linked to Cumberland Manor Aged Care Facility in Sunshine North (no new cases since Wednesday)
• 118 cases linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg (4 new cases since Wednesday)
• 117 cases linked to Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility in Sunbury (1 new case since Wednesday)
• 115 cases linked to Outlook Gardens Aged Care Facility in Dandenong North (no new cases since Wednesday)

There are 361 Victorians in hospital with COVID, including 20 in intensive care and 15 on ventilators.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng (pictured above) also appeared at the briefing, saying: “I am reassured that the number of cases is coming down somewhat. It’s not as low as we would like it to be.”

Victorian aged care homes no longer “high risk”

These figures come as the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VARC) confirmed there are no aged care facilities currently categorised as “high risk” – the first time this has occurred since Victoria’s second lockdown.

The joint Commonwealth and Victorian State Government partnership had applied the ranking of “high risk” to 13 facilities in early August.

VARC also confirmed fewer than 100 aged care homes currently have outbreaks – the first time in a month that figure has been in double digits.

A sign that the tables are turning?