Victoria has recorded 191 new cases of coronavirus, as the state prepares for the closure of its border with NSW.
It is the highest number of new diagnoses in the state since the start of the pandemic and follows an increase of 127 cases on July 6, which was also a record.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 154 of the new cases are under investigation with only 37 linked back to known outbreaks.
None are associated with hotel quarantine.
It brings the state’s total number of cases to 2824, an increase of 164 after 27 cases were reclassified, mainly due to duplication.
There are 772 active cases, with more than half potentially from community transmission.
The number of people in intensive care has almost doubled within 24 hours, from five to nine.
Thirteen new cases have been linked to nine locked-down public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington, with the outbreak now totalling 69.
The Al-Taqwa College cluster has increased to 90 and four new cases relate to an outbreak among emergency department staff at Northern Hospital Epping.
The emergency department remains open with a temporary reduction in non-urgent elective surgery and outpatient appointments.
A new case has also been confirmed in a staff member at Assisi aged care at Rosanna.
A family of four that holidayed in the popular tourist town of Port Fairy has also tested positive for the virus.
The family cut their holiday short and returned to Melbourne after learning a relative had contracted coronavirus.
Moyne Shire Mayor Daniel Meade said two adults and two children were asymptomatic while in Port Fairy and a deep clean of their accommodation is being done.
Professor Sutton said it was more important than ever for all Victorians to follow health directions, particularly those in 12 postcodes where stay-at-home orders are in place.
It comes as the border between Victoria and NSW will close for the first time in a century at 11.59pm on Tuesday.
Benita Kolovos in melbourne
