AN AGED care worker diagnosed with COVID-19 after working at an Echuca aged care home is believed to have only been infectious for a short time while working.

Victoria's COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said the worker had last worked on August 20, so health authorities believed exposure during her infectious period was very short.

The case in the worker at Echuca Community for the Aged Wharparilla Lodge was announced on Friday morning, sending 40 staff into furlough.

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Mr Weimar said the worker was the partner of a positive case in Shepparton, and had also tested positive for COVID-19.

The Shepparton outbreak of COVID-19 was only discovered on Friday August 20.

Mr Weimar said the Commonwealth Aged Care Response Team had moved into the home for a full response, with which the state was assisting.

Mr Foley said a high proportion of residents at the home were vaccinated. He said the COVID-19 worker had personal protective equipment on while they was working, and did all the right things.

Mr Weimar said of the state's new COVID-19 cases announced on Friday, 10 were associated with the Shepparton outbreak and one with the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Nine cases were associated with an existing Broadmeadows cluster, six with inner north, Carlton and Brunswick cluster, two with Caroline Springs Square, 46 with the Western Suburbs, one with Geelong and two with the City of Monash.

Mr Weimar said the Shepparton outbreak was one of the most active, now at 79 COVID-19 cases.

He thanked the community for its phenomenal response, saying three-quarters of close contacts had returned negative tests.

Mr Foley said demand for vaccines from Victoria's young people had been "inedible" after the Pfizer vaccine was opened up to people aged 16 to 39, with 450,000 first dose appointments.

He said just 9000 of the first dose appointments were still available.

Mr Foley said the booking rates showed both that hesitancy was not a problem for young Victorians, but the state needed more vaccine supply.

A full list of exposure sites is available at: coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites.

11.15am

A NEW permit has been introduced in Victoria for people departing hotel quarantine interstate, requiring a day 17 COVID-19 test after their arrival in Australia.

It comes as Victoria reported 79 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases, 53 of which were linked to known outbreaks. It bring's the state's total active locally-acquired to 656.

Nineteen cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, with Health Minister Martin Foley flagging that number would rise as interviews were conducted during the day.

It comes after a staff member in an Echuca aged care home tested positive for COVID-19, and four exposure sites were listed in Echuca and Kyabram.

Mr Foley announced the new Departing Hotel Quarantine Permit for Victorians, saying it applied to people who had completed hotel quarantine in another state.

He said it would require a day 17 test after arrival in Australia, and strongly recommend a day 21 test.

Mr Foley said the permit was a response to the Delta variant, which could quickly get out of hand.

9am

Victoria has recorded 79 new coronavirus cases since Thursday - all were locally acquired cases.

Of the new cases, 53 are linked to known outbreaks and 26 are under investigation.

Wednesday also bought 50,535 test results to Victorians as well as 33,611 vaccinations being administered.

Victoria's active coronavirus case tally now sits at 660.

More details on today's cases will be released by the Department of Health shortly.

8.20am

A STAFF member at an Echuca aged care facility has tested positive for COVID-19.

Echuca Regional Health chief executive Nick Bush said the case was a staff member at the Echuca Community for the Aged Wharparilla Lodge.

The staff member received a positive test result on Thursday, August 26, after going for a test on Tuesday, August 24. They last worked at the aged care home on Friday, August 20.

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Mr Bush said the staff member was fully vaccinated.

"It is a positive that they haven't been at work since Friday," Mr Bush said.

"We think the exposure might be less because of that.

"Staff at the facility are being supported by the Victorian Department of Health and the Commonwealth Department of Health to provide full level support to the lodge.

"They are working through the processes to ensure residents are cared for and the virus spread is minimised."

The Echuca case comes as four new exposure sites in Echuca and Kyabram were listed on the Department of Health website.

Aldi Echuca, Woolworths Kyabram, Baker's Delight Kyabram and Fitzgeralds Farm Fresh Meats in Kyabram have all been listed as Tier 2 exposure sites.

Anyone who visited the sites at the times listed should get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Mr Bush said Echuca testing sites had seen an increase in people presenting for tests since the Shepparton outbreak, which is now more than 50 cases.

"It was between 20 and 30 a day ebfore the outbreak and is not at around 150 a day. We expect it to go higher (following the new Echuca case)," he said.

"I encourage anyone in or around Echuca that has symptom to present at the Echuca testing site at Rotary Park."

"Aldi Echuca is now a Tier 2 site. If you receive a text to get tested, get tested today."

Mr Bush said the Echuca vaccination centre also had a number of Astra Zeneca vaccines available.

"The immunisation site is open on High Street and we have plenty of Astra Zeneca," he said.

"For anyone who would like to be immunised, there's walk-up (appointments) from Saturday."

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