More than 550 Victorian aged care residents and staff have been infected with coronavirus, as authorities dismiss calls for all those who test positive to be transferred to hospital.
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Victoria recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic on Sunday, with seven of its 10 deaths linked to outbreaks at aged care facilities.
The deaths take the state's toll from the virus to 71 and the national figure to 155.
There are currently 560 active COVID-19 cases linked to residents and staff of at least 40 homes across the state, including 82 cases at Estia Health in Ardeer and 78 at St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner.
The crisis prompted the federal and state governments to set up a response centre to coordinate efforts to curb the virus spread on Saturday.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said all agencies needed to work together to bring things under control as quickly as possible.
"This is a challenge that we all need to work together to meet quickly for the safety of those who are vulnerable and dependent on care within aged care facilities in Victoria," he told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.
Dr Coatsworth dismissed calls by community groups and aged care providers to transfer all COVID-19-positive residents to hospital.
He said decisions needed to be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the resident's medical needs and clinical advice.
"Every single outbreak is different in regards to COVID-19. It affects different facilities in different sorts of ways when we're talking about aged care," he said.
He said his father had been at three different aged care facilities and COVID-19 would behave very differently in each.
"Based on the number of people who were together - people who were together in rooms, based on the number of single rooms, based on the level of care for those aged care residents, some of whom have very advanced dementia and behavioural issues as well as other care needs," he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said moving residents can be "a very traumatic and sometimes tragic process".
"Whenever we upgrade an aged care facility, we need months and months of time to lead into that to appropriately manage a group of people for whom big profound change like that can be very, very challenging," he said.
He said aged care facilities are people's homes.
"They have the right to have a view about where they want to spend that final chapter of their days, COVID or no COVID."
Earlier in the week, all residents from the Menarock Life Aged Care Centre were evacuated to a private hospital, including those who had not tested positive.
At least 60 cases were linked to the facility on Saturday.
Australian Associated Press
