Victoria has recorded 26 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the number of active cases in the current outbreak to 146.
It is the highest daily total of the latest outbreak to date and comes from more than 43,000 tests over the past 24 hours.
Two new cases of COVID-19 were also reported in hotel quarantine.
Within three days Victoria has gone from only six per cent of new coronavirus cases isolating while infectious to 92 per cent.
Health Minister Martin Foley revealed the figures during Thursday's COVID-19 update, praising Victorians for following the rules of the state's fifth lockdown.
"We are doing what we can to limit the movement of people and with the help of all Victorians during this lockdown, and the fact that we have had the Victorian population so supportive of those restrictions of movements, we remain confident that we can still get ahead of this," he told reporters.
Of the two cases infectious in the community, one connected to Trinity Grammar had only a petrol station in regional Victoria as their only exposure site as they made their way back from East Gippsland to Melbourne to isolate.
The second is connected to the AAMI Park cluster and visited Prahran Market and Market Lane Coffee last Saturday while infectious before isolating.
Those two locations are now tier one exposure sites and about 900 people had checked into the venues. Anyone who visited the venues at the same time as the case must now get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Authorities praised the case who visited the service station for being as careful as possible when they were notified they were a close contact.
"They immediately travelled back home from regional Victoria into isolation, as required, and they only made that one stop for petrol, had limited contact with staff and even disinfected the credit card that they were using before handing it over," Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie told reporters.
"These are the types of COVID-safe behaviours that limit the spread of the virus and that keep all of us safe," he said.
Thursday's numbers are the state's highest daily total of the current outbreak and follows the 22 cases reported on Wednesday.
Four community cases and one international hotel quarantine case are in hospital.
Some 19,000 primary close contacts are self-isolating across the state, while the number of exposure sites has grown to more than 380.
Some 43,674 tests were processed in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, while 14,230 Victorians received a vaccine dose at one of the state-run hubs.
More support for businesses
The state government announced an additional $282.5 million in grants on Wednesday to help 90,000 businesses hit hard by the extended lockdown.
Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund grants will be increased from $3,000 to $7,200, while the state's Business Costs Assistance Program increases from $2,000 to $4,800.
Businesses and sole traders that received support during the fourth lockdown last month will automatically receive the funds to their chosen bank account.
Those who did apply last month, or who had been ineligible or has since become eligible, will be able to apply for a grant online.
Businesses in Victoria's alpine region, the public events industry and community sporting clubs are also eligible for additional grants.
The federal and state governments are jointly funding income support for Victorians who have lost work or income due to the lockdown, the state's fifth.
