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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Vic fortnightly Covid report: "In the past week, the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive have increased (2.5% to 3.3%)" but reported cases have dropped off. Surprising but welcome reversal of the recent trend upwards. Pity there's no wastewater data anymore for confirmation.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Vic fortnightly Covid report: "COVID-19 activity remains low; however has increased in the last three weeks." Buckle up. One swallow might not make the summer but repeated rising case levels on top of interstate rising data confirms the next wave has started. Autumn wave instead of summer though.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Vic CHO alert: more measles! Another day, another Vic CHO alert released with more measles exposure sites listed. Remember: Measles is airborne and vaccine and N95 work. Sites: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Vic fortnightly Covid report: "COVID-19 activity remains low. In recent years, Victoria has experienced a COVID-19 wave over the summer months, which has not been observed to date in 2025/26." Test positivity ticking up & reported cases are oscillating at relatively low levels, for now.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Vic Covid fortnightly update: "In Victoria, COVID-19, influenza & RSV are at high levels of activity." Covid looks like a bit of a plateau which would be good but we have such a limited view of the real picture now. Anecdotally there is a lot of pressure on the system. Flu & RSV also big problems.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Vic Covid update: "In Victoria, COVID-19 activity is at high levels, with influenza and RSV activity continuing to increase. Indicators of activity have continued to increase for COVID-19, influenza and RSV in this reporting period" Buckle up Mask Up* Ventilate HEPAs on high *N95

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

Vic Covid update: Buckle up folks, it's not looking good. We are back on an upward trajectory, coupled with flu and RSV surging as well.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Vic Covid update: "In Victoria, activity of RSV, influenza and COVID-19 are increasing but remain at low levels. Meanwhile, COVID-19 activity has remained at low levels with increases in recent weeks." Trending back up again after period of relatively low activity. health.vic.gov.au/infectious-d...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Vic CHO alert: more measles "A new measles case has been reported in Victoria in a returned traveller who visited Pakistan. There is currently an increased risk of measles in greater Melbourne." #MeaslesIsAirborne Exposure sites: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

Vic fortnightly Covid update: "In Victoria, COVID-19 and influenza are at low levels of activity, whilst RSV activity is increasing but remains at low levels." Good time to get that important dental work done. Full Vic respiratory report available here: health.vic.gov.au/infectious-d...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

HAI data was leaked & later through FOI. Hospital numbers will only be accessed the same way now. But we are assuming that all this data is still being accumulated despite not being reported. That is not a certainty. You know how it goes, if you don't record/report then there really isn't a problem.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Vic Covid update: Vic has moved to a Respiratory Surveillance report to include flu and RSV. This is a welcome addition with more information but they have deleted the consistent metric of Covid hospitalisations. Very disappointing Vic gov. Full report here: health.vic.gov.au/infectious-d...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Sadly but not surprisingly, we have lost the reporting of Covid hospitalisation data in the change. Another step towards normalising Covid (mixing it in with flu and RSV reports) and the loss of arguably the most reliable metric we had and the only data to be consistently reported for the duration.

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Reposted by AndrewHewat

Mark Ungrin @mark-ungrin.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

TBH this is basically the whole thing. I could probably have just posted this one image and everyone who's paying attention would understand. Pregnant nurses were tested while wearing a spirometry mask, with or without a small piece of N95 material taped over the hole. The...tiny...little...hole.

In Phase II, the respiratory effects of wearing N95 masks were examined. Each subject underwent two 15-minute exercise cycles on a treadmill. Each subject wore a Hans Rudolph mask, similar to that in Phase I, attached to a laboratory-based metabolic cart (Cortex Metalyser 3BR2, Leipzig, Germany) in order to obtain real time respiratory parameters during exercise. In the first (control) cycle, subjects wore the Hans Rudolph mask with the outlet opened to ambient air. In the second (N95) cycle, outlets of the Hans Rudolph masks were covered by materials obtained from representative supplies of N95 masks (3M, St. Paul, MN, USA). N95-mask materials were trimmed to form an airtight seal over the Hans Rudolph mask outlet so that the air flow resistance on inspiration and expiration would come from the mask material, simulating the actual wearing of an N95 respirator (Fig. 2) This experimental design allowed each subject to act as her own control.

Tight fitting Hans Rudolph respirator masks used in Phase II. (a) Control cycles with outlet open to air, and (b) N95 cycles with outlet covered by N95 mask materials

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Reposted by AndrewHewat

Mark Ungrin @mark-ungrin.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Unfortunately, none of the authors, reviewers, funders, ethics board, editors or citing authors appear to have bothered to understand the core concepts, so it has zero real-world relevance. Preprint: osf.io/preprints/me... H/T Dr. Ruzycki, an aerosol expert who first called this out.

Fig. 1: Determination of average work intensity of Health care workers: In phase I pregnant subjects performed simulated patient care activities while breathing through a tight fitting mask with a pneumotachometer. Oxygen content was sampled at every breath and measured with a portable telemetric metabolic cart

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Vic CHO alert: measles "A new locally-acquired measles case has been identified in Victoria. This case has no history of overseas travel or links to recent measles cases, and most likely acquired their infection in the Melbourne area." Exposure sites: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Vic CHO alert: measles "A new measles case has been identified interstate who has been infectious at multiple locations around Melbourne. The case had attended a previously listed exposure site in Victoria." Measles is airborne. Full details & exposure sites: www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Vic Covid fortnightly update: "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has decreased this week. The 7-day average is 49 (week ending 18 March), compared to 63 last week." Very welcome period of relatively low cases reaching hospital. Vic Covid test positivity continuing to stay low.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Vic avian flu update: "Diagnostic tests done at CSIRO’s Aust Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong confirmed high pathogenicity strain of H7N8. This is a new outbreak & not related to the 2024 outbreaks in Vic, NSW & ACT which were successfully eradicated" agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

It is hard to believe. AUS aims for 95%+ vax rate for measles. I think we have dropped below that but still in the 90s. I have not seen confirmation that all current cases were unvaccinated and would like to know that they def are.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

How we look out for those who are struggling is a measure of society. We need to do far more to recognise, research & stop Long Covid & support those suffering from it. Today is an important day to remind us that we are all only one infection away from potentially suffering debilitating Long Covid.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Vic CHO alert: MEASLES "Five further measles cases have been identified in Victoria. Two of these cases are locally acquired and three cases acquired their infection overseas in Bali. These cases have been infectious at multiple locations around Melbourne" Details: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Vic Covid update "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has increased this week. The 7-day average is 80 (week ending 04 March), compared to 75 last week." Vic Covid hospitalisations - it appears that we are still in a trough.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Vic CHO alert: Japanese encephalitis in Victoria "A second confirmed human case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been identified in a resident of northern Victoria, with likely exposure in the Riverina region of New South Wales on the Murray River." Details: www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Vic CHO alert: MEASLES "An outbreak of measles has been identified in Vic after two new cases were reported who likely acquired their infection in metropolitan Melbourne. These cases have had no history of overseas travel or known contact" More details: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Vic bird flu update "H7 avian influenza (bird flu) is confirmed at a fourth poultry property in northern Victoria near Euroa. All infected properties are within the restricted area and under quarantine." Note this is a different strain to HPAI overseas. Details agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/...

agriculture.vic.gov.au

Avian influenza (bird flu)

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Vic Covid fortnightly update: "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has remained stable this week. The 7-day average is 68 (week ending 18 February), compared to 67 last week." We seem to be holding in a trough for now. Let's hope it lasts for a while. But sadly #CovidIsNotOver Stay safe.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Vic CHO alert: measles (again) "A new case of measles has been reported in Victoria. This is in addition to the measles case reported on 7 February 2025." Full details of exposure sites: www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Vic CHO advisory: "Victorians planning overseas travel should ensure their routine vaccinations are up to date. Any returned traveller who develops illness after returning home (such as a fever, new rash or diarrhoea) should seek medical advice." health.vic.gov.au/health-advis...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

"Agriculture Victoria has confirmed the presence of avian influenza (high pathogenicity H7N8) at a poultry property in northern Victoria, which has now been placed into quarantine. ...different from the strains that impacted Vic poultry farms during 2024." agriculture.vic.gov.au/about/media-...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Vic Covid update "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has decreased this week. The 7-day average is 76 (week ending 04 February), compared to 116 last week." Definitely numbers are heading in the right direction. Let's hope for a long and low trough. Test positivity falling as well.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Vic CHO alert: measles "A new case of measles has been reported in Victoria with the total number of cases linked to travel in Vietnam since December 2024 now standing at eight. Growing outbreaks continue to be reported in Vietnam and Thailand." Exposure sites: www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Vic Covid update: "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has decreased this week. The 7-day average is 122 (week ending 21 January), compared to 184 last week." Hospitalisations, positivity rate and reported cases continued trending lower.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Vic gov abandoned wastewater surveillance of Covid in June 2024. There is still wastewater surveillance in place for other pathogens (eg polio) but they decided to cease tracking Covid. They also ceased reporting the Vic Covid deaths and now refer them to the ABS aggregated data.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Vic DH restarted Covid reporting: "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has increased this week. The 7-day average is 191 (week ending 07 January), compared to 165 last week." Deaths are no longer reported-now only avail thru ABS data. Wastewater was switched off June 2024. Happy new year.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Vic CHO alert: Buruli Ulcer is spreading "Patients usually develop a painless lump or wound which can initially be mistaken for an insect bite. Over time the lesion can slowly progress to develop into a destructive skin ulcer which is known as Buruli ulcer." www.health.vic.gov.au/health-advis...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Vic Covid update: (A week early due to break & next update will be 10Jan25) "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has decreased this week. The 7-day average is 151 (week ending 17 December), compared to 160 last week." Numbers fairly stable but hold your beer with xmas travel starting.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Vic CHO alert: MEASLES "A new case of measles has been reported in Queensland, involving a returned overseas traveller who transited through Melbourne Airport whilst infectious. This is in addition to a Victorian case reported in early December 2024" More details: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Vic Covid update: "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has decreased this week. The 7-day average is 160 (week ending 10 December), compared to 196 last week." Good to see a drop in hospital numbers & positivity rate but don't let your guard down - still significantly high. Stay safe.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Vic CHO Alert: MEASLES warning "A new case of measles has been reported in Victoria in a returned overseas traveller. See the full alert for exposure site details of this case." Full details here: health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Vic CHO Alert: "Victoria is currently experiencing increased COVID-19 infections in the community, which is resulting in an increase of people being hospitalised with COVID-19." www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alert...

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Vic gov health is an embarrassment. A cynic might think they are on a program to wind down and end all covid reporting.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Chatting with teacher friend: Me: You know we're in a new Covid wave, right? Friend: No but there's so much gastro at school. One parent dropped their kid off who was vomiting. The teacher got sick & also missed her mum's 80th birthday. What are they thinking? Me: They're not.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

As AUS enters a new wave (you know, another of those xmas presents from Prof Kelly), just reminding people that this will be the 11th Covid wave in AUS, regardless of what media (if any) reports. Ok I know wave 1 looks insignificant, but that's only because of the overwhelming waves ever since.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Very doubtful. As far as I can tell it was the only one to resist returning to universal masking in the last wave.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

The reality is that this could be any hospital given the lack of mitigations in healthcare atm with a new wave building. Sadly, they will all wait until they have exposed sufficient patients and staff before reintroducing masks, one by one.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Alan the source of the information works there & is worried about being identified & targeted for sharing hospital information. Very few still regularly wear N95s so those calling out Covid issues would be prime suspects. To ensure this kind of information still get shared, I need to respect wishes.

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

PSA ALERT: major metro hospital in Melbourne triggered escalation of COVID settings back to highest level today. Outbreaks of Covid in wards & community led to upgrade of mask requirements. Also high levels of gastro. Masks back on again but only after infecting staff & patients. Complete PH failure

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AndrewHewat @andrewhewat.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Vic Covid update: After 1 month hiatus in reporting there's no surprise that numbers are going up, reflecting recent anecdata. "The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has increased this week. The 7-day average is 173 (week ending 12 November), compared to 112 last week."

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