A SECOND Victorian aged care resident has tested positive to COVID-19.

Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck confirmed the news in senate estimates on Wednesday afternoon.

The 90-year-old resident from the Maidstone Acare facility was asymptomatic, Senator Colbeck said, but would be transferred out of the centre.

Related news: Bendigo Health's AstraZeneca supply refocused for aged care, disability workers blitz

The resident initially tested negative to coronavirus before returning a positive test on Wednesday.

The 90-year-old has had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine

1.30pm

Regional businesses will be expected to check the IDs of patrons from Friday to ensure Melbourne residents are not in the regions.

"We've also outlined, as part of these new settings, that businesses in regional Victoria will be required to check the ID of patrons coming into a cafe, restaurant, other settings, to make sure that they are able to be in regional Victoria - either because that's the period in which they're staying in regional Victoria at a holiday house, or in accommodation," Mr Merlino said.

"The combination of businesses checking ID and very prominent patrols 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and spot-checks by Victoria Police, as well as Victorians doing the right thing - we think this is the best approach."

"If it's clear that the person who's coming into the cafe or restaurant shouldn't be in regional Victoria, then the expectation that we have on those businesses is that those people are not served, and quite clearly told, you know, it's not appropriate.

"We want to support businesses doing this."

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Mr Merlino also confirmed the ring of steel would not be in place.

He also hoped the change would be supported by regional Victorians.

"In terms the previous setting, the 'Ring of Steel', it's resource intensive and you do not get the coverage that you would with mobile patrols travelling around between outer metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, doing spot checks on regional Victoria," he said.

"We accept the advice of Victoria Police that that is the best approach.

"Regional Victorians don't want the virus to spread into regional Victorians, and we think this is an easy thing for people to do."

Earlier

AUTHORITIES are urgently testing or retesting a number of people connected to Bendigo and Axedale COVID-19 exposure sites as an easing to regional restrictions is in sight.

Restrictions in regional Victoria are proposed to ease from Thursday night, as the state's lockdown is extended for Melburnians for at least another week.

Acting Premier James Merlino announced the extension to the lockdown for Melbourne residents on Wednesday afternoon.

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Regional Victoria will still have restrictions, but at a different level.

Mr Merlino said with wastewater detections in Bendigo and Axedale and new exposure sites in Anglesea and northern Victoria, health authorities were in the process of urgently testing or retesting a number of people who might have been exposed.

If all goes well, the state government plans to ease regional restrictions from 11.59pm Thursday night.

The new-look restrictions would mean central Victorians could leave home for more than just the five permitted reasons allowed during lockdown.

All year levels and all students would return to face-to-face schooling.

Public gatherings would increase to 10 people, and restaurants and cafes could reopen to a maximum of 50.

Retail, beauty and personal care, entertainment venues and community facilities could also open in line with density limits.

Religious ceremonies and funerals would be capped at 50 people, with weddings at 10.

However, visitors to the home would still not be permitted.

Masks must continue to be worn inside.

Regional Victorians would be able to travel in regional Victoria. Melburnians will not under their extended lockdown.

Mr Merlino said Melbourne residents would not be able to travel to regional Victoria during the Queen's birthday weekend on June 14.

For Melbourne, there will still be only five reasons to leave home: shopping for food and supplies, authorised work and study, care and caregiving, exercise, and getting vaccinated.

People will be able to travel further for exercise and shopping, with an expanded 10-kilometre radius.

Students in years 11 and 12 will return to face-to-face learning. That includes students in other year levels who are doing a Unit 3/4 Victorian Certificate of Education or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning subject, while that class is being taught.

A number of outdoor jobs will be also added to the authorised list, such a slandscaping, painting, installing solar panels, or letterboxing.

Other restrictions - including mask-wearing - will stay the same.

Victoria recorded six locally acquired cases of coronavirus on Tuesday.

New news came as new exposure sites were identified in both Victoria and NSW, after a newly-positive case returned from NSW to Melbourne early last week.

Authorities administered 20,585 vaccinations on Tuesday with another 51,033 people tested for the virus.

Victorian health authorities confirmed late Tuesday they were working closely with NSW Health to test, trace and isolate the contacts of a newly-identified positive case.

The individual is from Victoria and travelled to NSW, returning to Melbourne on May 24.

Investigations are still proceeding but the person has provided initial information about exposure sites, which include Jervis Bay on the south coast and Goulburn in the Southern Tablelands.

The number of exposure sites in Victoria has grown to more than 320.

More news: Loddon Mallee's public health unit gives insight to central Victoria's coronavirus exposure

Meanwhile, new economic research has revealed that Bendigo had fully recovered from the first lockdown just months before the latest one took effect.

It is unclear exactly how hard the current lockdown will effect the economy, but February's snap one-week Victorian lockdown did not drive Bendigo's economic outlook backwards.

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