Six more people have died from COVID-19 in Victoria as the state recorded 300 new cases in the past 24 hours.
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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said all six deaths were related to aged care outbreaks.
It is the state's deadliest day since the pandemic began.
Watch him speak below
Seven new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the past 24 hours in NSW.
Mr Andrews said of the 300 new positive tests, 51 were related to known outbreaks, and the origin of 249 cases were under investigation.
There is no metro-regional breakdown of cases available yet.
There are 206 Victorians in hospital, including 41 in intensive care.
Mr Andrews announced there would be 28 teams of Australian Defence Force personnel that would be deployed to doorknock new positive cases, and conduct a contact tracing interview on their doorstep, if they did not respond to the initial phone calls from the government.
He said the defence personnel would be particularly visible across Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, which remain in stage three lockdown.
"If ADF or public health staff visit you and you're not at home, they will continue to keep visiting you, but you will have some clear explaining to do as to why you were not at home isolating," he said.
"On today's numbers, I think it's best we note that number is lower than yesterday, but no one should be moving to provide commentary we have turned a corner. Ultimately it is in our hands, all of us."
On Thursday, a Wangaratta resident was among 403 new cases of coronavirus recorded in Victoria.
The Department of Health and Human Services would not clarify if the resident was currently in Wangaratta or just registered their address as within the city.
The Wangaratta resident was not tested at the city's major coronavirus clinic.
North East Health Wangaratta, who have undertaken the majority of COVID-19 testing in the region, told The Border Mail they were not aware of the case.
Interim Chief Executive Tim Griffiths said the positive case did not come through their clinic or in-patient facilities.
IN OTHER NEWS:
On Thursday, a Junee resident currently quarantining in Sydney tested positive for COVID-19 and brought MLHD's tally to 50.
Scott Morrison will meet with state and territory leaders on Friday to look at the national impact of the Victorian coronavirus outbreak.
On Thursday five deaths were recorded, taking the national toll to 133.
- with Australian Associated Press and The Ararat Advertiser