There have been no locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in Victoria over the last 24 hours ending at midnight 18 January. Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), however reported four cases that were internationally acquired and in quarantine over the same period.
This made it the 13th day with no new locally acquired cases.
The department reported that there were 34 active cases in the state with just one case being treated in hospital. Over the same 24-hour period, 15,574 test results were received, the DHSS said.
Meanwhile, the ABC reported that based on responses to previous outbreaks in New South Wales, the current COVID-19 outbreaks in the state were near their end. The analysis of responses to 18 COVID-19 outbreaks in the state since July 2020 showed that it has taken state authorities an average of three weeks to bring an end to each outbreak.
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Over the past week (ending at 8pm on 17 January), NSW Health reported that there were 10 cases compared to 19 in the previous week. Of these cases, nine from known sources compared to 15 in the previous week. There was just one case reported from an unknown source compared to four the week before.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Twitter today, that there was one new locally acquired case and three overseas-acquired cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the number of active cases in the state to 26. The total number of cases is 1,297. One person is receiving care in an Intensive Care Unit and 24 people were receiving care in hospitals.
Ms Palaszczuk was quoted by Nine.com as saying that if the situation stayed on track, then restrictions in Greater Brisbane could be removed by Friday. Yesterday was the 11th day since the last infectious case was discovered.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that Brisbane and Sydney were “probably a few weeks away” from being downgraded to green zones.