Victoria’s Friday is grim, following 1,838 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths in the past 24 hours. The surge is the highest tally recorded to date, and there are now 16,823 active infections in the state.

Seven per cent of the 10,000 most recent cases in Victoria were fully vaccinated, 79 per cent of the new infections in the week to Tuesday were unvaccinated and 15 per cent were partially vaccinated, according to data from Victoria’s Health Department.

Acting Chief Health Officer Professor Ben Cowie said the cases were “unfortunate” because 87 per cent of the new cases were eligible for vaccination at the time they were diagnosed as positive for COVID-19.

The new figures came after 36,600 new vaccinations were administered on Thursday, following 77,554 test results.

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A $5 million vaccination blitz for people with a disability begins today as ten new vaccination pop-up hubs are launched to speed up vaccination rates among the disabled.

Ageing and Disability Minister Luke Donnellan said that the “vaccination rates in Victorians living with a disability are still lower than the general population”, and stated “we have to keep pushing through”. As of 30 September, about 71 per cent of the state’s National Disability Insurance Scheme participants aged over 16 had received their first dose of a vaccine. The figure was slightly higher than the 67 per cent national average, but still lower than Victoria’s general population at 84 per cent.

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The Burnet Institute, the independent organisation that links medical research with practical action to help solve devastating health problems, has been tasked with driving Victoria’s road map out of lockdown. According to the Institute, the state was on track to meet its targets despite heightened case numbers.

Professor Mark Stoove said cases were still “within the bounds of our modelling”.

He said, “I think Victorians should be reasonably optimistic about where we’re heading at the moment.”