Victoria records 18,167 new cases and 20 deaths as GPs face “chaotic” scenes

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Victoria recorded 18,167 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and 20 deaths, after general practitioners revealed the difficulties they face trying to book in a wave of coronavirus patients as well as those seeking a booster shot.

The Health Department said 10,023 of the new cases reported in Victoria came from PCR tests, while 8144 were self-reported from rapid antigen tests. The new case numbers take Victoria’s active cases to 252,399.

Pedestrians in the Melbourne CBD wearing face masks. Credit:Luis Ascui

There are now 1096 people in hospital with the virus in Victoria, with 34 people on a ventilator and 121 are in intensive care. More than 43,119 PCR tests results were returned on Thursday.

Only days after a code brown emergency was declared statewide to ease stress on the health system stretched by the Omicron wave, Victorian doctors said their phones were ringing off the hook.

“It is chaotic at the moment. Hospitals are overwhelmed and the hotlines are too … we are truly struggling to accommodate everyone,” said Preethi Thennarasu the general manager of the Lalor Medical Clinic in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. She estimated her practice, which has eight doctors, was fielding 800 calls a day.

“Most of the patients have tested positive, and they’re helpless. The hospital is unable to cover all the patients coming in, so they come to the GP,” Ms Thennarasu said.

The troubles in Victoria’s health sector come as Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan delayed his state’s scheduled reopening on February 5, due to fears the Omicron variant would overwhelm the state’s hospital system.

He flagged that a third dose target of 80 to 90 per cent and “a whole range of things” would be required before WA would reconsider reopening to the rest of the world, with no new date set.

At last count, 25.8 per cent of Western Australians aged over 16 had received three doses of a COVID-19 jab, and 88.9 per cent of those aged over 12 were double-vaccinated.

Mr McGowan said allowing thousands of people with COVID-19 into WA now would cause a surge in cases and hospitalisations, “cripple the community”, and result in thousands unable to work or go to school.

“It would be reckless and irresponsible to open now. I understand many people had planned around the date, and it’s important we now provide a pathway for people to enter under compassionate grounds,” he said.

With ?? doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Victoria’s state-run hubs on Thursday, ?? per cent of the population aged over 12 have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while ??? per cent of over-18s in the state have received a booster dose.

With Timna Jacks, Melissa Cunningham

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