Victoria's healthcare system is underneath "excessive pressure" because of mass workers shortages attributable to staff being struck down by COVID-19 or isolation guidelines.
Appearing Well being Minister James Merlino mentioned there are actually greater than 6600 healthcare staff who're unable to work attributable to both being contaminated with COVID-19 or because of shut contact isolation necessities.
"This can be a system underneath pressure," he mentioned.
"We're taking a look at what different measures we have to put in place."
The brand new determine is a rise from the just about 4000 staff Premier Daniel Andrews revealed yesterday, made up of 3392 hospital workers and 422 Ambulance Victoria workers.
"That does put nice stress on our system," Mr Andrews mentioned.
An additional 21 folks have died with COVID-19 in Victoria after one other lethal day of the pandemic.
There have been 40,127 new coronavirus circumstances recorded as we speak as hospitalisations grew to 946 sufferers and 112 in ICU.
Of the brand new circumstances, 21,693 have been detected from PCR exams and 18,434 have been reported from speedy exams.
The grim demise toll comes as New South Wales additionally recorded 21 fatalities and 34,759 new circumstances of COVID-19 as we speak.
For New South Wales, the 21 deaths make it the state's deadliest day.
However Victoria's stays September 4, 2020, in the course of the second wave, when 59 folks died, with the federal government saying greater than 50 historic deaths in aged care.
Whereas on October 28 final 12 months, Victoria recorded 25 COVID-19 deaths.
Regardless of the state being confronted by widespread hospital workers shortages, Mr Merlino mentioned whereas "there aren't any ensures", a lockdown was at present not within the playing cards.
"Nobody is speaking about lockdown," he mentioned.
The variety of Victorians who've had their booster shot has grown to 18 per cent of the inhabitants aged over 18.
The Victorian Authorities can also be recruiting first-year well being college students, retired nurses and others with healthcare expertise to affix an expanded workforce of COVID-19 vaccinators to be skilled and deployed throughout state-run vaccination clinics.
The recruitment drive is concentrating on as much as 1000 Victorians to affix the vaccination workforce, who will likely be skilled and supervised in administering vaccines to folks aged 18 and above.
Purposes open subsequent week to affix the workforce.
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