Victoria  has announce its COVID-19 record today with 723 infections and 13 deaths – of which 10 were related to aged care with three men and three women in their seventies, three men and two women in their eighties and two men in their nineties.

The spike follows Wednesday’s more reassuring figures (295 cases) and breaks the previous record of 532 cases on Monday.

The wave is driven by COVID-19 cases sweeping through aged care facilities in Melbourne, which are a major contributor to the high numbers.

The Federal government has intervened with residents being transferred from the worst-affected homes, including St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner which is run by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said there was “significant work that needs to be done” at St Basil’s, whereas the situation has stabilised at Kirkbrae which is being managed by Eastern Health and Outlook Gardens, managed by Monash Health.

The most challenging environments are currently at St Basil’s and Epping Gardens, where two residents were among the emergency transfers to Royal Melbourne Hospital.

“To family members, to residents, please know and understand we are, in a joint sense, doing everything we possibly can to provide the care and support that you or a loved one needs,” he said.

“We send our condolences, our best wishes, our thoughts and prayers to those families. This will be incredibly challenging.”

There are currently 312 people hospitalised, 34 in intensive care, and 913 active cases in Victoria.

READ MORE: 18 coronavirus-related deaths from within the Greek Australian community of Melbourne

 

Australian Defence Force personnel have been called in to help in the crisis. They will be door-knocking to ensure that all confirmed COVID-19 cases are self-isolating.