VICTORIA recorded 14 new COVD-19 cases and eight deaths overnight, taking the state’s death toll to 781.

The deaths include one male in his 60s, one female in her 70s, three females and one male in their 80s and one male and one female in their 90s.

Premier, Daniel Andrews said seven of those deaths were linked to aged care outbreaks. 

There are 58 Victorians in hospital, eight in intensive care and six of those are on a ventilator.

A total of 2,635,282 test results have been received since the beginning of the pandemic, an increase of 12,460 since yesterday.  

Mr Andrews said thanked each Victorian for getting tested.

“It’s the most important thing you can do,” he said.

“It is absolutely critical, these numbers are falling, and the trend is with us… it is very pleasing, and this strategy is working, we need to keep these test numbers up so when we receive the daily numbers each day, they are a true reflection of how much virus is out there in the Victorian community.”

Of the 14 cases recorded today, 12 are in metropolitan Melbourne and two are in regional Victoria.

Mr Andrews stressed that the two cases in regional Victoria were both acquired in Melbourne and they have not returned to regional Victoria.

These cases will not affect the regional rolling average.

Mr Andrews said the 14-day rolling average continues to fall for metropolitan Melbourne to 25.1 as regional Victoria’s rolling average 0.8.

There are just 11 active cases in regional Victoria and 482 in metropolitan Melbourne.

“That is the first time we have been below 500 cases for a considerable period of time and that is very pleasing,” he said.

“Those numbers are a credit to every single Victorian no matter where they live, no matter their circumstances, the amazing work Victorians are doing is what is driving these numbers down, this strategy is delivery outcomes that we wanted.  

“(These numbers have put) us in a position where we are ahead of schedule."