Victoria recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 but three in international travellers already in hotel quarantine and 17 active cases in Victoria.

COVID-19 fragments were found in Melbourne’s wastewater after the collection of samples from sewer catchments in Moonee ponds and Ringwood.

Victoria’s Health Department said people who live in or have visited the following areas should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested should these develop. Areas in the west include: Ascot Vale, Brunswick, Brunswick West, Coburg, Essendon, Essendon Fields, Flemington, Kensington, Moonee Ponds, North Melbourne, Parkville, Pascoe Vale, Pascoe Vale South, Strathmore and Travencore. Areas in the east includeBayswater, Bayswater North, Boronia, Croydon, Croydon North, Croydon South, Heathmont, Kilsyth, Kilsyth South, Montrose, Ringwood, Ringwood East, Sassafras, The Basin, Tremont and Wantirna.

In an alert, the Health Department said: “The unexpected detections may be due to a person or persons with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase or it could be because they are continuing to shed the virus after the infectious period. While it is possible that these detections are due to a visitor or visitors to these areas who are not infectious, a cautious approach is being taken.”

 

AstraZeneca shots will be provided at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Geelong’s former Ford factory for anyone over 70 without bookings.

Pfizer and Moderna could be produced in Australia for the first time following the announcement that Victoria’s Government would invest $50 million into the domestic manufacturing of mRNA vaccine technology.