Victoria records 384 new coronavirus cases, changes to elective surgery in Melbourne

GREATER Bendigo has recorded three new cases of COVID-19.

Data from the Department of Health and Human Services released on Tuesday showed 11 active cases in Greater Bendigo, an increase from eight on Monday.

Two new cases have also been reported in the Macedon Ranges, bringing the shire's number of total active cases to 12. A new case has also been recorded in the Campaspe Shire.

Read more: New coronavirus cases recorded in Greater Bendigo, Macedon Ranges, Campaspe

Earlier

VICTORIA has recorded 384 new COVID-19 cases, a drop from the 532 cases reported on Monday.

Another six people have died from coronavirus - two people in their 90s, three people in their 80s, and one person in their 70s.

Four of those deaths were from aged care outbreaks.

A total of 769 of Victoria's 4475 active cases are in an aged care setting. More than 400 cases are among healthcare workers.

Forty-five Victorians are being treated in intensive care for COVID-19.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday announced changes to elective surgery in metropolitan Melbourne to meet the rising demand in hospitals.

"Elective surgery other than for category one and the most urgent category two patients will be suspended forthwith," Mr Andrews said.

"We will do our level best to honour those booked surgeries, so scheduled surgeries, but that will not run for very long.

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"If you're outside the most urgent of category two or in category three... then we will attempt to have your surgery done, but very soon, all of that surgery will stop.

"So only the most urgent patients will be treated. That is appropriate because that will free up beds and it will free up staff."

There would be no changes to elective surgery in regional Victoria, but Mr Andrews said regional cases would be monitored to ensure regional hospitals had the resources and capacity to deal with any outbreaks.

The latest Department of Health and Human Services data came as the coronavirus cluster at Don KR Castlemaine increased to 10 people.

The most recent local government area breakdown, released on Monday, showed two new COVID-19 cases in Greater Bendigo, bringing the region's total number of active cases to eight.

There were also 10 active cases in the Macedon Ranges after two new cases were confirmed on Monday.

Case numbers in the Loddon and Mount Alexander Shires remained steady. There were no active cases in the Central Goldfields, Campaspe, Gannawarra, and Buloke Shires.

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