Thousands of patients have contracted COVID-19 in Victorian public hospitals over the past two years, data shows. 

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information allegedly indicate that at least 6,212 patients were infected while in hospital care, with 3,890 cases recorded in 2022 and 2,322 in 2023. 

The death toll from these infections reached 586, averaging nearly six deaths per week. 

Notably, men were more affected than women, with a mortality rate of 11 per cent compared to 8 per cent for women.

The proportion of infected patients who subsequently died was alarmingly high, approximately 10 per cent in 2022, decreasing slightly to about 9 per cent in 2023. 

This trend occurred despite a general decline in both hospital-acquired infections and COVID-19 deaths in the broader community.

These figures have sparked a renewed call for enhanced measures to combat the spread of airborne viruses in hospitals. 

Experts and health professionals are particularly advocating for regular COVID screening and the use of N95 masks among staff, suggesting these could significantly reduce the rate of infections and deaths. 

These measures could save the health system hundreds of millions of dollars in the long term.

The stats show that the proportion of hospitalised patients contracting COVID in public hospitals surged from 13 per cent in 2022 to 20 per cent in 2023. 

This increase coincides with a reduction in COVID screening and mask-wearing among healthcare workers across the state. 

Since the revocation of pandemic public health orders in late 2022, many hospitals have independently relaxed their COVID-19 precautions, leading to significant inconsistencies in preventive practices among health services.

Experts say there is a lack of consistency between health services and leadership from the Department of Health.

More details are accessible here.