New medi-hotels plan

GREATER Geelong has recorded 766 new cases of coronavirus through PCR tests as the state government announced quarantine hotels would be used to treat Covid patients to ease pressure on the hospital system.

As of Friday, a further 85 new cases were detected through PCR tests across the Surf Coast Shire, three across the Borough of Queenscliffe and 44 across the Colac Otway Shire.

Barwon Health said 1836 new cases were recorded across the Barwon South West region, including 973 through PCR tests and 863 through rapid antigen tests.

As of 9am on Friday, there were 42 patients infected with Covid-19 in hospital, including three in the ICU.

A further two patients, who have recovered from

Covid-19, remained in hospital.

Deputy Premier James Merlino announced hotels once used to quarantine Victoria’s returned travellers were soon set to be filled with Covid patients in a bid to ease pressure on hospitals.

The move follows another spike in the number of Covid patients hospitalised across the state as the number of admitted patients nears 1000.

The plan was discussed by

Health Minister Martin Foley and acting chief health officer Ben Cowie last week and is expected to include patients on the cusp of hospital release.

Mr Merlino confirmed two quarantine hotels – The Pullman, on Swanston St, and The Mantra, in Epping – would now become medi-hotels for recovering Covid patients.

“This is where Covid patients nearing the end of their hospital stay can be transferred to complete their treatment, these medi-hotels will provide care for patients who need a lower level of care with all the benefits of a controlled environment,” he said.

The hotels will transferred into medi-hotels from Monday, taking the first patients from that date.

All patients will be medically accessed in the hospital before being transferred, provided they are well enough to be relocated.