Update, 12.30pm: There were 170 new COVID-19 infections recorded in regional Victoria overnight, bringing total active cases across the regions to 1289.
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They include 32 new cases in Geelong - the municipalities' highest daily case number, 30 in Shepparton, 17 in Latrobe, 23 across Robinvale and Swan Hill and 17 in Baw Baw.
There have not yet been any announcements of new COVID-19 cases in the south-west today but there have been a number of Tier 1 exposure sites also listed in the region, including Halls Gap for last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Health authorities say Victoria remains on track to follow its roadmap out of lockdown next week, despite the state recording an all-time high of 2297 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths.
It is the highest single-day total recorded by an Australian state or territory during the pandemic.
There are now 20,505 active cases of the virus in Victoria, and 125 people have died during the current Delta outbreak.
The numbers still land within the projected range of the Burnet Institues' modelled peak of between 1400 to 2900 towards the end of this month, Deputy Premier James Merlino told reporters on Thursday.
There are 706 people in hospital, with 147 in intensive care and 100 on a ventilator.
Of the Victorians in hospital, 90 per cent have not been vaccinated.
Nearly half of yesterday's cases were aged under 30, and 63 per cent were under 40.
There are 1245 newly impacted households, and almost half the new cases are within existing households.
The state government announced all VCE students other than confirmed positive cases will be able to sit their exams.
Year 12 students who are primary close contacts will be able to sit exams in a dedicated room with separate entrance and be supervised by staff in PPE.
Those students will be need to be tested every 48 hours in their first week after exposure and then on day 13.
Vaccinated students will be required to isolate (when not sitting exams) for seven days and unvaccinated for 14 days.
Positive students cannot attend exams.
Tailored mental health support for schools and students
Every government school in regional Victoria now has an indicative budget for next year for their school mental health fund.
The $200 million fund 'menu' will be launched in the regions today.
The support will come in three tiers and is a key recommendation of the mental health royal commission:
- Tier One: positive mental health promotion, including initiatives like Active Schools, mental health first aid, anti-bullying programs and therapy dogs as whole-school investments to help create a positive, inclusive environment, as well as mental health literacy training to ensure mental health issues are addressed early
- Tier Two: early intervention and cohort-specific initiatives including cross-cultural responsiveness training, Arts Therapy or trauma informed care, ensuring programs cater to all students
- Tier Three: targeted support for those experiencing mental health issues such as additional mental health professionals, additional Headspace counselling, or suicide related support
The fund will be implemented in all government schools across regional Victoria from mid-2022 and will be in every state school by 2024.
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