A TOTAL of 1488 new coronavirus cases have been added to the state's coronavirus total overnight in a new record high number.
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The previous record was 1438 new cases, which was marked several days ago by contract tracers recording transmissions related to grand final parties.
Figures released by the Department of Health also showed there were two deaths related to COVID-19.
Victoria now has a total of 11,591 active coronavirus cases.
Cases in Campaspe Shire (one), Gannawarra Shire (one) and Macedon Ranges (one) have been recorded as part of the 62 cases recorded in regional Victoria on Friday.
It comes as residents in two regional Victorian towns awake on Saturday to their first day of seven under a fresh lockdown.
Shepparton and Moorabool were plunged back into lockdown at 11:59pm on Friday to contain growing cases.
Shepparton's active cases have grown to 24, with Moorabool currently dealing with 32 cases.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Victorians have been issued an ultimatum: get vaccinated for COVID-19 in two weeks or risk losing your job.
All Victorian authorised workers must have their first vaccine dose by October 15 and a second by November 26 to keep working on site, as part of a new statewide mandate.
The requirement will cover retail workers, personal trainers, MPs, journalists, faith leaders, judges, police, lawyers, actors and professional sportspeople.
All authorised workers will need to have their second jab by 26 November.
Mr Andrews said the announcement was "not made lightly", but that nobody would be exempt from the new rules, which will be written into law next week.
The announcement came as Victoria recorded 1143 new COVID-19 cases, 46 in regional areas, and three deaths. The number of positive cases in hospital and ICU remained stable.
Of those in hospital just five per cent were fully vaccinated and Mr Andrews said almost all were aged care workers who had been moved to hospital as a precaution.
12pm
REGIONAL Victoria has recorded 71 new cases including 10 in the newly lockdown Shepparton area.
Another five cases have been found in the Macedon Ranges Shire, 13 in the Mitchell Shire and two in the Moorabool Shire.
There are also 12 new cases in the Gippsland area and three in the Barwon area, with five in Colac and seven in Geelong.
More details of regional case numbers are expected later today.
Friday was another "challenging day" COVID commander Jeroen Weimar said.
"[It is] the highest number of COVID cases we have seen and the largest amount of active [ones] that we have seen at any one time in Victoria during the entire pandemic," he said.
11.45pm
VICTORIA will spend $196.6 million in grants to construction payments including in regional areas like Geelong, the Surf Coast Shire and the Mitchell Shire.
But treasurer Tim Pallas says his government is "very, very unhappy" with his federal counterparts for breaking with their practice of co-funding the business support package.
"After all, these are in large measure small business operators who have been impacted because of lockdown orders," he said.
"And I do make the point that this is despite the fact that the Commonwealth funded a similar program to support construction businesses in New South Wales."
Under the state's new package, eligible non-employing sole trader businesses will receive a one-off payment of $2,000, increasing to $2,800 for businesses with an annual payroll of up to $650,000, $5,600 for a payroll of $650,000 to $3 million and $8,400 for a payroll of $3 million-$10 million.
Earlier
Of the 1488 new coronavirus cases announced Saturday morning, Warnambool recorded one new COVID-19 case yesterday but close to 1300 tests are yet to be processed from Thursday and a further 1500 from Friday.
It brings the city's active COVID-19 cases to 18.
The community is urged to check the new COVID-19 exposure sites listed in Warrnambool overnight.
A handful of exposure sites in Ballarat, Ararat and Bacchus Marsh were added to the official list late Friday night, and people are reminded to keep an eye on the list and follow the instructions if they are contacted.
No detections have been made in wastewater for the last couple of days in Ballarat.
More information on the new cases and two deaths is expected later on Saturday.
Also on Friday night, Beaumont Tiles was added as a tier 2 exposure site in Bendigo.
The Strickland Road business had a case attend the venue on September 29 from 4.45pm to 5.30pm.
Chris Pedler
Chris has been with the Bendigo Advertiser for more than 10 years. He has great passion for the performing arts and is very supportive of the Bendigo live music scene. Outside of the news world Chris plays golf and, regardless of the result, loves watching St Kilda play in the AFL. He loves community theatre and has performed on stage with the Bendigo Theatre Company and worked with Baldrick himself, Tony Robinson. Story tips: chris.pedler@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Chris has been with the Bendigo Advertiser for more than 10 years. He has great passion for the performing arts and is very supportive of the Bendigo live music scene. Outside of the news world Chris plays golf and, regardless of the result, loves watching St Kilda play in the AFL. He loves community theatre and has performed on stage with the Bendigo Theatre Company and worked with Baldrick himself, Tony Robinson. Story tips: chris.pedler@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
