Over the 24 hours to midnight on Tuesday there were 50 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and one from an overseas bringing the total number of active cases to 522 Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services reported this morning.

“Of the 50 local cases recorded, 40 are linked to current outbreaks and 10 are under investigation. 11 cases have been in quarantine throughout their infectious period,” the DHHS said in a statement.

Over the same period 29,810 people were vaccinated bringing the total number of people in the state to receive a vaccine to 2,187,656. A total of 48,424 test results were received over the same period.

In its breakdown of first-dose vaccinations of the population aged 15+, the DHHS reported that 61.4% of people in Geelong have been vaccinated, Bendigo: 61.1 percent, Warrnambool and the South West: 60.8 percent and Hume: 59.4 Percent.

In Melbourne, 43.1 percent of people in the North West have received first vaccinations; South East: 45.3 percent, West: 45.6 percent; and Inner: 46.8 percent.

READ MORE: Victoria records 71 new COVID-19 cases

The latest figures for Queensland and New South Wales had not been released at the time of writing.

On Monday Queensland reported 16 locally acquired cases and all were linked to the Indooroopilly State High School cluster which totalled 47 cases. Of this cluster, four cases were recorded at Brisbane Grammar School and two cases were linked Brisbane Girls Grammar School.

This brought the total of confirmed cases in the state so far to 1,966. There were 38 active cases. A total of 3,922,177 tests have been carried out

Meanwhile, the ABC reported that the vaccination rate in New South Wales was now one of the fastest in the world with are rate 1.4 vaccinations per 100 people per day based on the period from 16 to 22 August. However, the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) rate is higher still at 3.1 per 100 people.

Yesterday Victoria’s Premier Dan Andrews announced that from yesterday to 29 August, all aged care and disability workers could walk up to any state vaccination centre and be vaccinated in a blitz to protect critical care staff from COVID-19/

“From today until Sunday 29 August, all residential aged-care workers and residential disability care workers will be given priority access at any state-run vaccination centre to receive the vaccine of their choice, regardless of age. They will also continue to be given priority access to booked vaccination appointments,” said the premier in a statement.

He said the move was part of the state’s target of vaccinating one million Victorians in five weeks.

“While vaccinating private residential aged care was the responsibility of the Commonwealth, the Victorian Government is stepping in to ensure staff can easily get vaccinated before September 17.

“All private and residential aged care workers in Australia are required to receive their first vaccination dose by September 17 as a condition of employment, as mandated by National Cabinet.

“The majority of Victoria’s residential public sector aged care staff in Victoria have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.”