Coronavirus: Almost 700,000 Victorian students to return to remote schooling

Up to 700,000 Victorian students will return to remote learning as the government shuts down schools for students not completing their VCE or with special needs during the second phase of lockdown.

As of next Monday, July 20 when the holidays finish, students in the metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will return to remote learning until at least August 19.

The move affects students from preparatory to Year 10.

There is an option for children to do remote learning in a classroom.

READ MORE: Eight employees at Melbourne hospital test positive to COVID-19

Students in year 11 and 12, and in specialist schools, will return to face-to-face learning today, as will year 10 students taking VCE and VCAL classes.

Temperature testing will be carried out on those students as they enter the school gates.

Virus cases linked to Al-Taqwa College have soared to 113 infections, with six new cases revealed on the weekend. Health authorities believe it is connected to the outbreak at the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers.

At least 273 cases have been linked to the public housing towers.

Some independent schools have asked parents to give children masks, but its not recommended teachers wear masks in the classroom.

Health teams were monitoring more than 5000 close contacts at the college following the mass outbreak of infections.

READ MORE: Victoria's most COVID-infected areas revealed

Yesterday Victoria recorded 273 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the state's total to 3799 as it experiences a shocking rise in infections.

Fourteen days ago, there were 231 active coronavirus patients. Now, there are 1484.

The case count has jumped by more than 200 each day for the past three days.

This weekend saw 489 positive swabs returned.

Fifty seven Victorians are in hospital, and 16 in intensive care.

Meanwhile, more than more than 100 troops are being deployed to key check points in South Australia to bolster the border closure with Victoria.

They will be stationed in Mount Gambier and Berry, with some also in Bordertown which is the main crossing between Melbourne and Adelaide.