Premier calls for regional testing push as number of cases stabilise

He noted there were 451 active cases in regional Victoria, down from a peak of 512 a few days ago.

"That is stabilising, we did see some growth a couple of days ago," he said.

"It's really important that people in those communities - the greater communities, not just the city but the smaller communities, come forward, get tested, it's really important.

"If there's one ask, as a takeaway from today's briefing, if people in those regional cities, and across the state, come forward and get tested, that is a really important part of us keeping the numbers in regional Victoria, which are low, to keep them low and drive them lower."

As reported earlier, there were 297 new cases confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Sadly, Victoria's death toll passed 300 today, with the news that a further 16 people had lost their lives to the virus.

Included in the deaths were one woman and two men in their 70s, two women and four men in their 80s and four women and three men in their 90s.

Eleven of the 16 deaths are linked to aged care outbreaks.

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There are now 7671 active COVID-19 cases across Victoria.

Mr Andrews said while the numbers were encouraging and the impacts of restrictions were showing, it was too early to talk about rolling back the rules.

"These numbers are heading in the right direction," he said.

"I am and always was very cautious, but there is on my part at least, a cautious optimism and a sense of real hope that this strategy is working and that we are seeing numbers fall now.

"They speak to a strategy that is working. At the same time, no-one day necessarily guarantees the outcome, that is a long hard slog."

There were no changes for the region in yesterday's local DHHS figures.

Horsham has not reported a new COVID-19 case since July 26, however three active cases remain.

There are two active cases in West Wimmera and one active case remains in the Northern Grampians.

There are no active cases in Ararat, and both the Hindmarsh and Yarriambiack shires.

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