Protesters gather on the steps of Parliament House on November 27 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo / Getty Images
Protesters gather on the steps of Parliament House on November 27 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo / Getty Images
Three people who contracted Covid-19 at anti-vaccination rallies have been hospitalised, with one in intensive care.
Victoria's Health Department confirmed 39 cases of Covid-19 have now been linked to people who attended the mass gatherings in November.
Just one person was fully vaccinated and three cases had received one dose of vaccine.
Public health investigations have found 14 cases attended the mass gatherings while infectious, with 22 cases deemed to have possibly acquired Covid during the protests.
An additional 32 cases have been linked indirectly to the protests through spread to family members and at other social events from people who attended the protests.
Anyone who has even the mildest Covid-19 symptoms is urged to get tested.
Overall the state recorded 1365 new Covid-19 cases and nine deaths.
Protesters gather on the steps of Parliament House on November 27 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo / Getty Images
With the new infections, there are currently 14,383 active cases across the state.
There are 288 people hospitalised, with 44 in intensive care and 20 on ventilators.
Despite more than 91 per cent of the state being fully vaccinated, the number of daily infections remained relatively stable on Saturday.
Yesterday, there were 1188 new cases of community transmission and 11 people lost their lives.
An anti-vax protester is removed by Police as Pro-Vax Anti Fascist protesters march on Lygon Street in Carlton on November 20 in Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images
Earlier this week, Victorian health authorities warned the Omicron variant could have already leaked into the state.
Health Minister Martin Foley said his team was on high alert.
"We wouldn't be surprised, given the arrangements that we've seen in NSW and around the globe, that it might well be ticking along out there at the moment, but there's been no cases reported so far," he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews believes booster shots will be vital to beating new strains.
"We're still doing that work to firm up our view that while this is much more transmissible and infectious, it is presenting relatively mildly," he said.
"Given the speed at which it moves, it may well replace the Delta variant, and if it does produce more mild disease, then that's not a bad thing."
