Of the fresh cases, 17 are linked to outbreaks, 20 have been detected through routine testing, one is in hotel quarantine and 28 are under investigation.

Twenty-three people with the virus are in hospital, with six in intensive care.

There have been 2368 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state since the pandemic began.

More than 880,000 COVID-19 tests have been done in the state since the start of the year, with 24,430 tests conducted on Thursday alone.

Of the total tests done, more than 164,00 were conducted under a suburban testing blitz which started on June 25, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said.

About 95,000 doors have been knocked on that blitz in a bid to warn residents of the risk.

“Disappointingly, however, we have had more than 10,000 people who have refused to be tested,” Mikakos said.

“Now that might be for a range of reasons including that they may have already been tested in a different location – we are analysing that data.

“It is concerning that the reports that I have received are that some people believe that coronavirus is a conspiracy or that it won’t impact on them.”

Premier Daniel Andrews urged anyone who is feeling unwell to come forward and get tested, especially those living in 10 infection hotspot postcode areas.

“I know it is frustrating, I know it is very challenging and people would prefer not to be in the circumstances we are in, we all desperately want this to be over,” Andrews said on Friday.

“But we’ve got to get on top of this spike, we have to get on top of these unacceptably high case numbers.”

The Victorian Government also announced an extra almost $2 million for targeted and localised mental health support for people in the hotspots areas.

-AAP