Premier Daniel Andrews warns closing Victorian schools over coronavirus could be harmful

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has warned closing every school in the state to combat the spread of coronavirus could do "more harm than good".

Another 23 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Victoria overnight, taking the state's total number of positive tests to 94.

The new cases include 11 men and 12 woman, aged from their early twenties to mid-sixties, Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed.

Despite the advice, a group of private schools – including Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne Girls Grammar, St Kevin's, Lauriston Girls' School – have decided to shut down, with some opting to transition into online learning.

Toorak Primary School in Melbourne's inner south-east will also remain closed "until further notice", from today after a teacher tested positive to the deadly virus.

Prof Sutton and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) today recommended the school close for 14 days.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference today, Mr Andrews stressed schools remaining open was the right decision.

"I know many, many parents are anxious, they're concerned, and I know to a certain extent it's a bit counterintuitive that schools remain open," he told reporters.

"But the advice is, closing schools now … that could make a very difficult set of circumstances even worse. It could do more harm than good."

However, he said it was possible they may "close at some stage" in the future.

Some of Victoria's largest universities have also announced closures, moving classes online to reduce the risk of infection.

Monash, La Trobe and Swinburne universities have suspended all classes until the end of the week from today, while staff prepare to transition into remote learning.

Mr Andrews said the decision not to close schools was based on how the disease presented in children and to avoid busy health and emergency workers being forced to stay home and look after their children.

"We are following the best health advice," he said.

"This disease presents very mildly amongst children."

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said teachers would continue to be paid and work on their laptops if government schools closed.

Mr Merlino said advice recommended it was best to close schools closer to the peak of the infection.

Meanwhile, 9News can also reveal a large number of aged care homes in Melbourne suburbs will go into lockdown from today.

Villa Maria Catholic Homes and BlueCross have restricted visitor access for the health and wellbeing of its residents.

In a statement, BlueCross said they would restrict "all non-essential visits in the short term" as a protection measure.

The mass closures come after a state of emergency was declared in Victoria yesterday, following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's 14-day isolation sanctions on all international arrivals on Sunday.

Overseas travellers must self-isolate upon arriving into Australia or risk facing fines of up to $20,000, with police obtaining special powers to detain and arrest people, restrict movement and prevent entry to premises.

Non-essential mass gatherings of more than 500 people have also been banned.

Mr Andrews said the National Cabinet was due to meet tonight to consider further issues ranging from aged care and decreasing the mass gathering figure of 500 to a lower number.

63 of Victoria's confirmed cases of coronavirus have been acquired overseas or through close contact with known, confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 29 cases are still being investigated.

Two confirmed cases may have been acquired through community transmission. Seven people are currently recovering in hospital.