A Department of Health breakdown of coronavirus case data shows no new cases in the central Victoria region.

In regional Victoria there are 103 active cases, an increase of eight since yesterday.

No new cases have been recorded in the Greater Bendigo, Mount Alexander, Macedon Ranges, Campaspe, Loddon, Central Goldfields, Buloke or Gannawarra local govenrment areas.

There were nine active cases across the region: four each in Greater Bendigo and Macedon Ranges Shire, and one in Loddon Shire.

Since the beginning of the pandemic Greater Bendigo and Macedon Ranges have each recorded 14 COVID-19 cases.

Mount Alexander has seen six cases, Campaspe five, Loddon four, Gannawarra two and Central Goldfields one.

Buloke Shire has yet to see a COVID-19 case.

UPDATE, 2.15pm

Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said the population was being affected differently than the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Certainly, we are at a really challenging phase of this pandemic," he said. "The second wave is very different to the first wave."

Dr Sutton said early testing was paramount to helping control the numbers.

"Most infections (are at their worst) in the first few days of illness - a runny nose, cough or low-grade fever," he said.

"So getting tested early on and isolating from the beginning is an important action. Those things are not being done as well as we were during the first wave.

"Victorians have stepped up in so many ways. A lot of the data says people are staying home but a lot are also still moving about. It is critical to reach those ones who need to be at home."

Mr Andrews said insisting on better isolation behaviour during the testing was not about threatening people.

"It's not about threatening people, it's about pointing out if we continue to see this behaviour, we will see numbers continue to go up," he said.

"We don't want to disincentivise people getting tested, we need them to get tested quicker. No one should be waiting for a test result at the supermarket, their place of work or any where else other than their home."

Mr Andrews said further lockdowns would be considered if the state's case data demanded it.

"When we are in a position to make a further announcement about the rules, we will do that," he said. "When the data tells us we need to go further, we will."

EARLIER

Victoria has recorded its highest daily total of new coronavirus cases so far, with 484 confirmed overnight.

It is the highest daily total for any state or territory in Australia since the pandemic began.

Of the 484 new cases, Victorian premier Dan Andrews said 97 were in known outbreaks while 387 were under investigation.

Two more people, both men aged in their 90s and in aged care settings, have died of coronavirus overnight. Victoria's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 44.

Mr Andrews said the case numbers are not coming down as he would like them to.

He said peoples behaviour when feeling sick, getting tested and waiting for results needed to improve.

In analysing data of 3810 tests conducted between July 7 and 21, Mr Andrews said nine out of 10 people failed t isolate between seeing symptoms and getting a test.

"It is sad to report that nine out of 10 cases did not isolate between when they first felt sick and going to get a test," he said.

"People were feeling sick, had the symptoms and still went shopping or to work. That means people felt unwell and still went about their business at the height of their infectivity.

"The only thing you can do when you feel sick is to go and get tested. Nothing else is acceptable. If people don't (get tested), numbers will continue to increase."

Mr Andrews said once tested people should self isolate at home until they receive results.

More than half of the people tested between July 7 and 21 did not self isolate.

"From getting tested to getting the result, every person is provided clear instructions about staying home until the results come through," Mr Andrews said.

"We are grateful to people that get tested but it is sad to report 53 per cent of those (3810) cases did not isolate between having the test taken and getting results.

"It means 53 per cent were continuing to go shopping or go to work and were not willing to stay at home and wait a couple of days to get the result."

Mr Andrews said people's behaviour to isolating when sick or waiting for test results needed to improve.

"Unless we drive down the time from people first seeing symptoms and unless we have people getting tested and staying at home until they are getting test results, we will not see numbers coming down.

"(If it continues) a shutdown will not be six weeks, it will run longer than that."

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