The municipality is now close to registering its 900^th case since the pandemic began in 2020.

Greater Bendigo has had 894 cases since the start of the pandemic, eclipsing similar sized the similarly sized city of Ballarat, which has had 303.

The city has been affected by numerous large outbreaks over the past two years including in schools and among staff working at the region's meat processing facilities.

More news: Kangaroo Flat boy drowns at Lake Nagambie

The most recent large cluster has been connected to White Hills' Holy Rosary Primary School, which for a period this week was the largest active one in the state.

It has since dropped down to 13^th place as people have recovered from their illness.

Five of Greater Bendigo's newest cases were found in the 3550 postcode on Saturday, according to the figures released on Sunday.

That postcode now has 39 active cases.

Two new cases were found in Kangaroo Flat's 3555 postcode, bringing that area's total active cases to 19.

An extra case in the regional 3551 postcode brought its tally to 53.

Earlier

VICTORIA has recorded 980 extra cases as up to 10,000 people gathered in Melbourne for the first mass protest since Victoria passed new pandemic laws.

The state's new cases fell back below 1000 after reaching 1365 the day before.

An extra 65,449 tests were conducted and 2625 people got a vaccination shot on Saturday

A total of 299 were in hospital with coronavirus, including 40 in intensive care and 16 on ventilators.

More: Bendigo's COVID-19 numbers rise | Saturday

Sadly, another seven peopled died.

An update on Greater Bendigo's case numbers is expected later today.

Yesterday, the total number of people in the municipality who had COVID-19 climbed by nine to 129.

In Melbourne, a crowd marched through Treasury Gardens shouting "sack Dan Andrews" and "freedom", with protesters carrying Eureka and national flags, as well as Donald Trump placards.

They sang The Seekers' I Am Australian before hearing speeches from ex-Liberal MP turned United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly and others.

The anti-mandate mob moved to the front of Flinders Street Station, bringing traffic to a standstill at the major intersection. Some later headed for ABC's Southbank studios as police formed a line in front of the building, and asked to speak with the public broadcaster's chair Ita Buttrose, who lives in Sydney.

They then set up outside Government House, the official residence of the state's governor who will sign off on the pandemic bill.

Meanwhile in Canberra, the federal government announced that school-aged children will be able to get their vaccine in the middle of next month.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has declared the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for children aged five to 11.

The Morrison government now expects the rollout to start on January 10, subject to final approval from the nation's expert vaccine panel, known as ATAGI, and the results of batch testing.

- With Australian Associated Press

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