Victoria has recorded 282 new cases of Covid-19 and 25 further deaths, making it the state's deadliest day since the pandemic began.
Photo: AFP
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said 22 of the 25 deaths were linked to aged care outbreaks.
Victoria's previous highest daily coronavirus death toll was 21, recorded last Wednesday.
But in a sign of hope, today was the second consecutive day where new case numbers were under 300.
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams announced an additional $A20.4 million ($NZ22.4m) in funding for support services that target the perpetrators of family violence.
She said in times of crisis and disaster, there was an increase in domestic violence.
"This investment will essentially get more perpetrators of family violence into alternative accommodation which… supports victim survivors of family violence to be able to remain safely in their own homes," she said.
Yesterday Victoria recorded 279 new coronavirus cases and 16 deaths, pushing the state's Covid-19 death toll over 300.
Eleven of those 16 deaths were linked to aged care.
Andrews yesterday pleaded with Victorians to get tested, saying there was "every chance" even mild symptoms could be coronavirus.
"There's so little flu in the Victorian community this year because of a range of things, not least of which distance, hand hygiene, all of those restrictions and measures we've put in place," he said.
"If you've got symptoms, cold or flu-like symptoms, there's every chance you've got this virus."
Although the daily case numbers continue to fluctuate, the state's seven-day average of new case numbers is going down.
Victoria's state of emergency, which provides the legal framework for the Government to enforce coronavirus restrictions, has been extended until 13 September.
Andrews said it was too early to tell whether some restrictions could be eased after the six-week lockdown.
Meanwhile, the inquiry into what went wrong in Victoria's hotel quarantine program will start hearing evidence today, with experts, including epidemiologists, expected to appear first.
In his opening statements to the inquiry last month, senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Tony Neal QC, noted "comments made by the Chief Health Officer [Brett Sutton] to the media have suggested that it may be that every case of Covid-19 in Victoria in recent weeks could be sourced to the hotel quarantine program".
- ABC