Victorian authorities believe there may be a link between Shepparton's COVID-19 cluster and a growing outbreak at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
A new case detected in the regional town of Mansfield, at the foot of the Victorian Alps, has also been linked to the Shepparton outbreak, 125 kilometres away.
Health Minister Martin Foley says it is clear there is community transmission of the virus in locations across the state, saying: "We are throwing everything at this."
Victoria officially recorded 65 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Sunday, 55 of them linked to current outbreaks. Ten cases have unknown sources.
The 65 includes 21 cases that were reported on Saturday and are part of the Shepparton cluster.
Mr Foley warned the Shepparton cluster would continue to grow, along with the one at Royal Melbourne Hospital, which has so far been linked to seven infections.
Health department deputy secretary Kate Matson believes a visitor to the hospital was infected by a Shepparton man who underwent surgery on August 12.
He was not tested for COVID-19 prior to that operation but at that time the Shepparton cluster had not surfaced.
The patient was moving around the hospital and spent time in intensive care and cardiac wards, during his recovery, before he tested positive.
So far seven cases have been linked to the hospital: one reported on Saturday; three in Sunday's numbers and another three that will be officially included in Monday's count.
Mr Foley said pre-operative testing would be ratcheted up in the wake of the hospital cluster.
In relation to Mansfield, that case was detected when the person went to a local emergency department.
Authorities have since established a connection with Shepparton but it's not clear if the person is a member of the three families at the centre of the Shepparton cluster.
Mr Foley announced two new measures to ramp up vaccination rates while denying the outbreak had gotten away from authorities, with new wastewater detections in new parts of the state.
"What this shows is that we've got community transmission; we're still in the realm of holding this back," he said.
All public sector staff will get up to half a day of paid time to keep appointments for the two jabs they need for full protection.
Mr Foley also announced a new vaccination blitz for residential aged care and disability workers at state-run facilities.
SBS is providing live translations of daily New South Wales and Victoria COVID-19 press conferences in various languages. Click here for more information.
Victoria records 65 local COVID-19 cases amid statewide lockdown - SBS News
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