The Victorian government has taken over three aged care facilities to stem COVID-19 outbreaks, as the state records eight deaths and 278 new cases.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday confirmed state health services assumed operations of the Glenlyn, Florence and Kalyna aged care centres in Melbourne's west.
"They've essentially taken those three facilities over so that vulnerable residents can get the care they need," he told reporters.
The premier said some 1400 shifts at aged care facilities across the state have already been covered by hospital staff, including nurses, while more than 400 aged care residents have been transferred to hospital.
"In some cases, all of the negative cases have been taken out and have gone to hospital. In some cases, all of the positive cases have been taken out and have gone to hospital. In other cases, it's a mixture of both," Mr Andrews said.
Decisions to move aged care residents is based on individual clinical needs.
"They're not decisions that are made by members of parliament, politicians, members of the government. They are decisions that are, rightly, made by treating doctors, experts in this field," he said.
His comments come after a GP claimed hospitals had refused to take in frail or vulnerable patients from at least one aged care facility in Melbourne.
"We don't have a system that is designed to deliver the easiest outcome for the private operator," the premier said.
"We have a system that is designed to provide the best care for the resident. That is what will always guide us."
He noted one private operator had tried to order 100 ambulances to take patients.
Of the eight deaths recorded on Thursday, half were linked to outbreaks at aged care facilities.
Mr Andrews said a woman in her 50s, two men in their 70s, two women and two men in their 80s, and one man in his 90s had died.
The deaths bring the state's death toll to 275 and the national figure to 361.
Some 664 Victorians are battling the virus in hospital, including 37 in intensive care, with 25 on ventilators.
The premier said a testing drive would begin in the regional cities of Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong following a "significant growth" in new cases.
There are 492 active cases in regional local government areas, which are under the stage three restrictions, compared with 7155 in metropolitan Melbourne.
Thursday marks the lowest number of new cases since July 20, when the state recorded 275 cases.
Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett believes Victoria is beginning to flatten the curve.
"It really looks like we are past the peak now," she told Nine's Today show on Thursday.
She noted active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria dropped on Wednesday for the first time.
"So hopefully this pipeline, if you like, of people being exposed then becoming ill and possibly also triggering workplace outbreaks is now shifting so that we are starting to close down those existing outbreaks," Professor Bennett said.
"We should see the numbers really drop quite rapidly once these outbreaks are contained."
