Victorian officials are standing by their position to keep school children learning from home, as the state's coronavirus death toll rises to 17.

Key points: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose by three to 1,349 overnight

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose by three to 1,349 overnight The Opposition is calling for children to be allowed back into schools

The Opposition is calling for children to be allowed back into schools Education Minister James Merlino said face-to-face teaching would not resume until the advice from the Chief Health Officer changed

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said a man in his 90s who had contracted COVID-19 had died a Victorian hospital.

Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the state overnight, out of 2,800 tests on Saturday.

There are 1,349 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Victoria and 1,265 people have recovered from the virus.

The number of community transmission cases, where a diagnosed case of coronavirus cannot be traced to overseas travel, has increased by two to 137.

Of the three new cases, one is a patient at the private inpatient psychiatric facility the Albert Road Clinic, taking the cluster to 16 in total, including 7 patients.

Another is a returned overseas traveller who is in isolation in a Melbourne hotel.

Of the 6,043 people who have spent 14 days in isolation at Melbourne hotels, 47 have tested positive.

Ms Mikakos and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton encouraged everyone with even mild symptoms to get tested.

Stay up-to-date on the coronavirus outbreak Download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the world

'Advice hasn't changed' on schools, Chief Health Officer says

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien says measures can be put in place to restrict the number of adults at schools. ( ABC Newcastle: Robert Virtue )

Education Minister James Merlino has rebuffed calls from the State Opposition and Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan to return to face-to-face learning before the end of term two.

In contrast to much of the rest of the country, Victoria has encouraged parents to keep their children at home for all of term two, with schools open for the children of essential workers and other students who face difficulties learning at home.

Mr Tehan last week said the Federal Government was expecting to see a transition back to full classroom teaching during the term.

Victoria COVID-19 snapshot Melbourne's 14-day average: 34.4

Melbourne's 14-day average: 34.4 Regional Victoria's 14-day average: 1.6

Regional Victoria's 14-day average: 1.6 Current active cases: 657

Current active cases: 657 Active cases in regional Victoria: 23

Active cases in regional Victoria: 23 Active cases in healthcare workers: 79

Active cases in healthcare workers: 79 Active cases linked to aged care: 332

Active cases linked to aged care: 332 Deaths: 763

Deaths: 763 Cases in hospital: 92

Cases in hospital: 92 Intensive care patients: 6

Intensive care patients: 6 Tests since pandemic began: More than 2.58 million

Tests since pandemic began: More than 2.58 million Confirmed cases so far: 20,051 Updated Monday September 21 Latest Victorian Government info

The Victorian Opposition has today called on the State Government to reopen schools to all students, saying implementing appropriate safeguards would allow students to safely return to classrooms.

Mr Merlino has stood firm, saying the advice to parents had not changed and that more than 1 million children, parents and school staff could spread coronavirus in the community.

"Let me be very clear, particularly to the Federal Government who do not run any schools, we will only transition back to face-to-face teaching for all students when that is the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer," he said.

Loading

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said many parents were unable to properly supervise remote learning, which meant students were not receiving full education opportunities.

A report from NSW Health's Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), which was relied on by the Federal Government to fast-track the reopening of schools, indicated there was very limited transmissibility between students and from students to teachers.

In New South Wales, students are expected to begin returning to school one day a week from May 11.

Professor Sutton said while he did not see schools as a dangerous place to be, keeping children at home could "contribute to suppressing transmission at a community level".

"My advice hasn't changed," he said.

Professor Sutton said increased testing — including of school children with symptoms — would help him assess the possibility of an earlier return.

"I think that's a really useful contribution to my decision-making because the more people who can test, the better an understanding we have about how much transmission is going on and how much of that might be unknown or community transmission," he said.

But he said there would not be any substantial changes to the current arrangements until the current state of emergency comes to an end on May 11.

"I'm not ruling out anything because I don't know what transmission will look like this week or next week. But I think that the state of emergency going to May 11 is a nice line-up with National Cabinet process for a real look at changing the restrictions that are in place," he said.

Mr O'Brien earlier said a range of "sensible measures" could be put in place in Victorian schools to limit the amount of time adults were on school premises.

He said steps could be taken to protect teachers who had specific concerns or allow vulnerable teachers to work from home.

"But for others … who are comfortable with their children returning to school, they should have that opportunity," he said.

"Kids in other states are getting that opportunity."

'Vast' amounts of PPE starting arrive

Passengers who travelled on flight VA 341 from Melbourne to Brisbane on April 20 are also being contacted after a passenger tested positive, Ms Mikakos said.

"Specifically passengers seated in rows 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of this flight should contact Queensland Health," Ms Mikakos said.

Ms Mikakos said by working with state medical supply procurement agencies, "vast" amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE) had started to flow through the hospital system to keep patients and medical workers safe from the "very infectious" virus.

"From tomorrow we start to slowly resume some elective surgery and it's important our health services have what they need as we go, I guess, to start to go back to business as usual," Ms Mikakos said.

What the experts are saying about coronavirus: Economic recovery committee looks set to push for a gas-fired future

Immunity passports might create a perverse incentive for individuals to seek out infection

Toyota Australia designers have developed medical face shields for frontline health workers.

The batch has already been donated to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and the production line is capable of making one shield every minute.

The clear plastic medical face shields were developed for frontline health workers by the car company. ( Supplied )

Arts rescue package announced

A multi-million dollar rescue package for the arts sector was announced by the Victorian Government in a bid to save hundreds of jobs.

Arts Minister Martin Foley said the $16.8 million would be spent supporting 100 non-government creative organisations and people to keep them employed, because many are not covered by the Federal Government's JobKeeper scheme.

He said festivals, performing arts companies, museums and galleries like the Heide Museum of Modern Art would be among the organisations receiving funds from the package.

"That's because Victoria's $31 billion cultural economy is in crisis as a result of the coronavirus and we need to sustain the almost 260,000 jobs that that sector supports," he said.