GREATER Bendigo has recorded 61 new coronavirus infections but active case numbers have dropped.

Data from the Department of Health released on Thursday showed there were 160 active cases in the region.

That is down from the 176 listed on Wednesday.

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The new Bendigo COVID-19 cases were from the 3550, 3551, 3555, 3556, 3557, and 3558 postcodes.

There were also new coronavirus infections in other parts of central Victoria.

The Macedon Ranges has recorded 100 new COVID-19 cases, the Campaspe Shire has 34 new infections, and the Buloke Shire has 11 new cases.

There is also 10 new cases in the Mount Alexander Shire, while the Central Goldfields has three new cases and the Gannawarra Shire has one new infection.

Earlier

Victoria has seen its daily COVID-19 cases skyrocket with another 21,997 cases recorded since Wednesday.

The municipality saw a massive spike as its total active cases rose to 176 on Wednesday after Greater Bendigo recorded 91 cases.

Another six people have died from the virus and its complications, according to Department of Health statistics released on Tuesday morning.

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A total of 631 spent Monday in hospital with COVID-19, 100 in intensive care and 22 on ventilators.

Health workers tested 64,861 people and vaccinated 20,078.

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison granted concessional access to rapid antigen tests through pharmacies, with a maximum of 10 tests given over three months on Wednesday afternoon.

This change is for concession card holders, and universal free access to rapid antigen tests was not agreed to at national cabinet, Mr Morrison said.

This includes healthcare, pension and DVA card holders.

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Mr Morrison said this would provide free tests to more than six million Australians.

Rapid antigen tests will now be used to confirm positive COVID-19 cases. A PCR test will not be required to confirm a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Mr Morrison said 200 million rapid antigen tests were coming to Australia within the next month.

Elective surgery will temporarily be reduced to urgent procedures only at Bendigo Health and other public and private hospitals across Victoria to help hospitals respond to the increasing number of patients with coronavirus.

From January 6, all emergency surgery and urgent elective surgery will be the only procedures to continue in hospitals across the state.

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The Department of Health made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, saying this would help keep hospitals up and running.

The reductions will apply to public health services in Melbourne and Barwon Health, Ballarat Health Services campus of Grampians Health, Bendigo Health, Goulburn Valley Health and Latrobe Regional Hospital.

Private hospitals and day procedure centres in Melbourne and private hospitals in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, the Latrobe Valley and Shepparton will also be required to follow the same restrictions.

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