Victoria records 216 new cases and 12 deaths but dozens in new hospital virus outbreak

Victoria has recorded 216 new coronavirus cases, including a fresh outbreak of dozens at a Melbourne hospital, and 12 deaths over the past 24 hours.

The figures mark another continuous fall in daily cases and the death toll, with the case number the lowest in over a month.

All of the deaths are linked to aged care facilities.

READ MORE: Victoria's seven-day moving average proves coronavirus cases are 'trending down'

The dead include three males in their 70s, four females and one male in their 80s and three females and one male in their 90s.

There are 675 Victorians in hospital, with 44 critically sick in intensive care, including 29 on ventilators.

"Our thoughts and prayers and best wishes are with the families of those 12 people and we wish them well at this very difficult time," Premier Daniel Andrews said.

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The state's death toll has risen to 363.

Hospital outbreak in Frankston

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton confirmed an outbreak has been detected at Frankston hospital in Melbourne's south-east.

About 50 patients and staff had been infected, he said, and there was an "immediate response".

Another 82 mystery cases were added to the state total of 3751 cases where the source of infection was unknown.

READ MORE: Frankston hospital cluster infects dozens, creates staffing dilemma

The state has 1065 active cases among healthcare workers and 2050 active cases in aged care settings, as well as 7155 active cases across the state.

In aged care, five of the active cases were in public sector aged care and 2045 were from private sector aged care.

Melbourne was originally meant to come out of lockdown today, before stage four was announced.

Yesterday the state recorded 222 cases and 17 deaths.

Victoria's latest coronavirus outbreaks

Active aged care outbreaks with the highest cumulative case numbers:

•             205 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping

•             191 cases have been linked to St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner

•             157 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer

•             147 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee

•             131 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth

•             111 cases have been linked to Outlook Gardens Aged Care Facility in Dandenong North

•             110 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg

•             108 cases have been linked to Cumberland Manor Aged Care Facility in Sunshine

•             103 cases have been linked to Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir

•             100 cases have been linked to Japara Goonawarra in Sunbury

Cases linked to key outbreaks:

•             207 cases have been linked to Bertocchi Smallgoods in Thomastown

•             150 cases have been linked to JBS in Brooklyn

•             147 cases have been linked to Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park campus

•             64 cases have been linked to Woolworths Distribution Centre in Mulgrave

•             64 cases have been linked to the Linfox warehouse in Truganina

•             46 cases have been linked to Nino Early Learning in Bundoora

•             44 cases have been linked to Catholic Regional College in Sydenham

•             35 cases have been linked to Hazeldene's Chicken Farm in Bendigo

•             34 cases have been linked to Ingham's in Thomastown

•             33 cases have been linked to Ausfresh in Broadmeadows

The department is also investigating cases linked to Frankston Hospital, Spotless Cleaning at Chadstone Shopping Centre and AB Oxford Cold Storage in Laverton.

Decision on school term four looms

No decision has been made regarding Victorian schools and remote learning in term four, Mr Andrews said.

It was a "little early to talk about what term four will look like" but making a decision as soon as possible was important, he said.

"Our approach has always been let's try and give parents, teachers and staff, school communities, as much notice as we possibly can, including students."

During today's briefing, the premier was asked repeatedly about ADF troops and hotel quarantine.

Mr Andrews said he has never questioned whether ADF troops were on stand-by in March, however they were not offered to assist with hotel quarantine security.

"The point here though is the comments I have made are in no way - no way whatsoever - inconsistent with the statement Andrew Crisp has put forward and he is the Emergency Management Commissioner and I would direct you to those statements," he said.

Testing must increase for 'complete picture'

Mr  Andrews said as virus numbers continued to fall, the number of tests would likely drop as well, due to less people developing symptoms.

But he urged Victorians, even with the mildest of symptoms, to continue coming forward for testing.

"We've got to keep those numbers as high as we possibly can so we've got the most complete picture of what is going on out there."

About $1.3 billion in funding and support grants has been provided to more than 75,000 small business owners in Victoria, Mr Andrews said.

More than 19,000 Victorians have been paid the $450 isolation payment upon taking a COVID-19 test, with $6.5 million worth of payments made.

"I am pleased to see so many people accessing that payment," Mr Andrews said.

WorkSafe has visited 724 workplaces and issued 62 notices to employers in Victoria since the COVID-19 inspection blitz began on July 19.

A total of 168 notices have been issued to employers since the pandemic began.

Failures in quarantine, focus on contact tracers

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded Victoria's second wave of coronavirus has suffered at hands of failures in contact tracing and hotel quarantine.

When asked by Today host Karl Stefanovic whether he knew how many contact tracers Victoria had, the PM said: "I don't know the specific number off the top of my head Karl, no.

"I know that it is less than it is obviously in other states."

But the situation in Victoria was improving despite high death rates.

"That the numbers we are seeing coming out of Victoria on cases is improving," Mr Morrison said.

"Obviously the number of deaths we have seen is very upsetting and disturbing and again our sympathies to all of those families affected.

"But those numbers look like we are getting on top of it now which is welcome and we have got to stay the course."

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