GREATER Bendigo has recorded its lowest number of active COVID-19 cases since the early days of the municipality's Omicron spike.

It comes as Victoria's health minister warns it is too early to say whether there might be a second Omicron spike as school starts.

"Yes, the [Omicron] peak has passed but we have just seen a million kids return to schools yesterday," Martin Foley told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday when asked about when Victoria might downgrade hospitals' "code brown" settings.

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The settings were brought in as the Omicron wave hit in January.

"We are seeing higher levels of movement around the community," Mr Foley said.

"We hope that the trends will continue on. Every indication is that that is the case but the system wide stresses on our hospital networks still should not be underestimated."

Greater Bendigo had 567 COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to data released this afternoon by the Department of Health.

That included 57 new cases.

The municipality has not recorded so few new cases since January 3, when it had 162 total cases.

That number exploded to 1334 within 17 days and has since been steadily receding.

Of the new Greater Bendigo cases recorded on Monday, 18 were uncovered in Bendigo's 3551 postcode.

Another 15 were found in the rural 3551 postcode, 13 in Eaglehawk's 3556 and seven in Kangaroo Flat's 3555.

Elsewhere in the central Victorian region, Echuca's Campaspe Shire recorded nine cases, Kyneton's Macedon Ranges five and Castlemaine's Mount Alexander Shire eight.

The Gannawarra Shire recorded two new cases.

The Central Goldfields Shire recorded zero cases, as did the Loddon Shire.

Earlier

Victoria has recorded just over 11,300 new COVID cases along with another 34 deaths overnight.

The daily number was made up of 7,060 positive rapid antigen tests and 4,251 PCR test results. There was a total of 17,799 PCR tests done on Monday.

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The new cases take Victoria's active cases to 72,710 down from the 76,335 active cases listed on Monday.

Hospitals are caring for 851 COVID-positive cases including 106 in intensive care and 30 on ventilators.

It comes as the Federal Government is expected to announce a system which will see aged care staff soon be able to access two bonus payments of up to $400 each under a $209 million package.

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It will be paid pro rata on the hours worked, with the first payment to be made in February and the second in May.

Those eligible include aged care workers in government subsidised home care and aged care workers providing direct care, food or cleaning services in government subsidised residential care.

Mr Morrison is expected to unveil the plan during his speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday.

- AAP

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