Victoria records highest number of daily COVID-19 cases for a week

The cases, confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, bring Melbourne's 14-day rolling average to 6.1.

It's the highest daily number in Victoria since last Thursday, when six cases were recorded.

Residents of Broadmeadows, Dallas, Preston, Roxburgh Park and West Heidelberg, including 120 people living in a social housing block, have been urged to get tested if they experience symptoms of COVID-19 after a school student tested positive.

The pupil attended East Preston Islamic College, which has been closed until further notice for deep cleaning, as contact tracing gets underway.

"The college has taken positive steps to manage this situation and is working closely with us," the state's Commander of Testing Jeroen Weimar said in a statement late Wednesday night.

"We need everyone working together to tackle this virus."

IN OTHER NEWS

School staff and students, and their households, will now quarantine for 14 days.

Austin Health and Banyule Community Health will monitor those isolating either at home or in accommodation.

"Extensive contact tracing is underway and we expect that as part of this work, additional cases will be detected," Mr Weimar said.

The 120 residents of a housing block in Broadmeadows have been told to isolate for 48 hours and monitor for symptoms of the infection after authorities established links to the school.

"This timeframe allows for the department to ensure the community is aware of the situation and for residents to get tested and get their results back before determining what the next steps are," Mr Weimar said.

Asymptomatic testing will be offered at a testing station set up on-site.

A close contact linked to the East Preston school has also been identified at Dallas Brooks Primary School, which has also been closed for deep cleaning as a precautionary measure.

A community door-knocking program will start on Thursday to alert residents in the suburbs about the potential exposure to coronavirus and provide information about testing sites.

A text message was sent out on Wednesday afternoon alerting people who live in or were visiting the listed suburbs to get tested.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the outbreak proved the need for vigilance.

Changes in effect from now for regional Victoria

Hospitality venues can increase their capacity to 40 people (four groups of 10) inside and 70 people outside
Two adults and dependents will be able to visit a home once a day - there will no longer be a social 'bubble' where you have to nominate just one household. Infants under 12 months are not included in this cap
Libraries will reopen with a maximum of 20 people
Outdoor religious gatherings up to 20 people (and 50 from November 1) - infants under 12 months not included in cap
Indoor pools will open for people aged 18 and under for up to 20 swimmers
One-on-one hydroptherapy will be allowed
Households can visit care facilities (rather than one person at a time)
Outdoor contact and non-contact sport: allowed for people 18 and under - Limited to minimum number of people to play and facilitate the activity (e.g. cricket may be played with two teams of eleven players and the necessary coaching personnel and umpires)
Outdoor non-contact sport: allowed for adults - Limited to minimum number of people to play and facilitate the activity (e.g. cricket may be played with two teams of eleven players and the necessary coaching personnel and umpires) - Non-contact means participants must be able to maintain distance of 1.5m
'Ring of steel' to continue and being 'strengthened' according to the premier
Melbourne residents who own a house in regional Victoria can apply to regional councils for a permit so they can visit to prepare their homes for floods and fire. Read more about it HERE.

Changes to come into effect from November 1

Non-contact indoor sport for under-18s - such as dance classes - will resume for up to 20 people
Non-contact indoor community sport for under 18-year-olds: spectators limited to one parent, guardian or carer per child

"We are in an extraordinarily strong position but we have to be ever vigilant," he told Nine's Today Show.

"The NSW model has shown us that we can manage case numbers with having a predominantly open society if we have incredibly strong testing and tracing and isolation."

Mr Hunt said Victoria was in a strong position to manage the outbreak.

Elsewhere, a schoolies celebration at Rye on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula has officially been called off by the local council.

The decision follows the cancellation of schoolies festivities on the Gold Coast and Byron Bay.

Although Rye is accessible under the 25km radius coronavirus restrictions rule, Mornington Peninsula Shire chief executive John Baker urged school graduates to stay away.