Victoria's education union has urged the State Government to provide more information to teachers about social distancing at schools, as doctors warn there could be dozens more COVID-19 cases not captured in the state's official tally.

Key points: There are 150 cases of COVID-19 in Victoria with 29 new cases confirmed overnight

There are 150 cases of COVID-19 in Victoria with 29 new cases confirmed overnight Across the state 269 new hospital beds will be opened to deal with the crisis, Daniel Andrews said

Across the state 269 new hospital beds will be opened to deal with the crisis, Daniel Andrews said New cases have been identified in teachers at Middle Park Primary School and the University of Melbourne

Kensington Primary School has become the latest school to close in Melbourne due to coronavirus.

A Department of Education spokesman confirmed on Thursday night that the school would close on Friday, after two parents from the school community tested positive for COVID-19.

The spokesman said contact tracing would begin and the department would investigate whether any staff or students were required to self-quarantine.

Across Australia, state schools are being kept open, after advice to the Federal Government that closing schools could see 30 per cent of the healthcare workforce taking time off to care for children.

Brendan Ricci, a geography and history teacher at Ringwood Secondary College in Melbourne's east, said some teachers at his school felt they had been ignored in this week's government announcements that schools would remain open.

"Teachers are concerned that they obviously can contract this from kids who may be asymptomatic or may be mildly sick from it," he said.

He said while teachers were "generally happy to do their bit", it was important that the issue of their health was addressed in the public conversation about keeping schools open.

Mr Ricci said there were many teachers older than 60 or who had compromised immune systems through things such as cancer treatments, who were at increased risk of severe symptoms if they contracted COVID-19.

"They just really don't understand why their health is being ignored in this issue," he said.

In a letter to members on Wednesday, the Australian Education Union's Victorian branch president Meredith Peace said its member teachers were "rightly concerned" that health officials had not provided enough information on how to safely practice social distancing in a school setting.

Ms Peace said the Government had taken the concerns seriously and the union expected "further support and resources announced in the coming days".

She said the union had also requested the Government ensure that there was sufficient soap, alcohol-based hand sanitisers, toilet paper, tissues and sinks as well as regular, thorough cleaning.

An education department spokesman said any staff who may be at increased risk were "encouraged to seek medical advice about the steps they can take to protect their health and wellbeing and to discuss working from home with their principal".

As a ban on large gatherings dramatically reduces the number of people in Melbourne's CBD, Victorian state schools are being kept open. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

At a press conference on Thursday, Premier Daniel Andrews said schools were doing "an amazing job" and thanked the teachers and staff.

"My kids are at school, the chief health officer's kids are at school, because that's the advice," he said.

"It's the best place for them at this time. I'm not criticising people for being anxious but that's the medical advice. And we get into a very, very dangerous place when governments start ignoring consistent and consensus medical advice."

The Victorian Parliament has risen for the week, but set no date for when it will return.

It was due to resume on May 5 for the Budget.

The Government moved the indefinite adjournment, arguing it gave flexibility to resume early if needed to pass laws to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parliament was already truncated this week over coronavirus fears, and the place was unusually quiet with the public and non-accredited staff banned.

Meanwhile, Parks Victoria announced the closure of the Twelve Apostles, the penguin viewing platform at St Kilda Pier and several other popular sites due to coronavirus.

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Number of cases likely higher than official tally

Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said there were 29 new cases of coronavirus confirmed yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 150.

That included the first cases recorded in regional Victoria: three cases in Greater Geelong, one in the Latrobe Valley and one in Ballarat.

But president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association, Julian Rait, warned the true number of cases could be much higher.

He said mathematical modelling showed the official number of people in Victoria with COVID-19 could represent only a third to half of the total number of infections.

Professor Rait said the reason more cases were not being picked up was most likely because people's symptoms were mild and not raising suspicion.

The Victorian Government has announced a $437 million boost to the state's hospital system to tackle the pandemic. ( ABC Melbourne: Kristian Silva )

Regional doctors staying quiet on positive cases

University of New South Wales infectious disease expert Bill Bowtell said communication to regional communities about how many people had the virus had so far been "utterly confusing".

Multiple regional health services indicated they were not releasing information about people testing positive and were waiting for the health department to announce it.

Up until Thursday, daily updates from the department had not included information about confirmed cases outside Melbourne.

"People in regional communities particularly are getting on with their lives and doing other things — farming, work and driving long distances — and it's terribly difficult to keep up with these things," Professor Bowtell said.

He said the department's decision to release regional locations was commendable but urged communities without confirmed cases to remain vigilant.

"People can't fool themselves that it can't happen here because you're a long way from Melbourne," he said.

Hospitals brace for wave of virus patients

The Victorian Government today announced $437 million in funding for hospitals, which is in addition to $100 million announced earlier this week and will add 269 extra hospital beds to the state's health system.

Seven are currently in hospital but none are in intensive care.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) is preparing for a surge in patients by using a spare pod of 10 intensive care beds that was built two years ago to prepare for a booming population.

Royal Melbourne Hospital's spare pod of 10 intensive care beds will be used to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. ( ABC News: Simon Winter )

Intensive care director Chris MacIsaac said the hospital was trying to double its intensive care capacity as soon as possible.

"I expect we could fully operationalise within a few days if we needed to. And plans are well advanced for another 22 beds," Professor MacIsaac said.

It comes as the University of Melbourne recorded its first case of the virus in a staff member who was working at its building at 207-221 Bouverie Street in Carlton.

Bourke Street Mall, usually full of shoppers and CBD workers, was largely empty this morning. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

In an email to staff, the university said everyone who had been in close contact with the staff member had already been contacted and advised to self-isolate and the space was being given a "deep sanitising clean".

The staff member had only experienced mild symptoms, the university said.

Meanwhile, Melbourne's Middle Park Primary School will close for 24 hours, after a teacher there was diagnosed with COVID-19, as authorities trace contacts to see if others need to go into self-isolation.

Toorak Primary School closed earlier this week when another case was diagnosed there.

Middle Park Primary School is the second Victorian state school to close due to a coronavirus case. ( ABC News: Ron Ekkel )

At a press conference on Thursday, Premier Daniel Andrews said new medical spaces would be opened to deal with the number of cases anticipated.

Baxter House at Geelong, which used to be a private hospital, will be opened as a COVID-19 clinic and the old Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre will open 84 beds to provide treatment for high care patients.

Mr Andrews said an additional 45 beds would be opened at Bendigo Hospital.

"It's exactly what's needed, more staff, more beds, more equipment so we can do more for those who are sick," he said.

"We know that we will see a significant increase in demand to our public health system," Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the new resources would triple the state's intensive care capacity. ( ABC Melbourne: Kristian Silva )

There have been concerns about whether hospitals could cope with the number of beds and ventilators that would be required to cope with an influx of patients if COVID-19 cases rise at the rate predicted by some.

The funding will pay for extra staffing and resources to accommodate 45,000 extra emergency department visits, 5,000 extra hospital admissions and 2,000 extra admissions to intensive care for a three month period.

The Government is also purchasing more ventilators, dialysis machines, oxygen machines and hospital monitors.

Mr Andrews said the state was "preparing for the worst", including a record number of patients, as they looked into "novel" ways to manufacture medical equipment onshore in Australia.

Ms Mikakos said the new equipment being purchased "effectively triples our intensive care capacity".

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She said the funding would help pay for backfill positions if healthcare professionals were unable to work during the outbreak.

Protective equipment being purchased 275 million pairs of gloves

275 million pairs of gloves 8.6 million face masks

8.6 million face masks 1.7 million gowns

Ms Mikakos said the Government was purchasing an additional 8.6 million face masks and boosting the public health team responsible for contact tracing from 57 people to 230.

"We'll be calling on people like retired doctors and medical students to help us at this critical time," she said.

Ms Mikakos said the Government was "pulling out all stops".

"At this point in time we only have six patients who are admitted to a public hospital from COVID-19 but we do expect that number will increase over time," she said.

New treatment facilities will be opened to screen for coronavirus cases. ( ABC News: Kristian Silva )

The Premier said the funding was just as important as people practicing good hygiene and listening to expert advice about the virus.

"There is a big unknown in this," Mr Andrews said.

He reiterated calls for people to stay home if they were sick, wash their hands regularly and practice social distancing measures.

"This is not a normal virus. This is an absolute health emergency, and everyone has a part to play.

Cruise ship passengers tested

The passengers on the ship will be required to self-isolate for 14 days when they disembark. ( ABC News: Freya Michie )

More than 2,000 passengers on the Golden Princess cruise ship, which arrived at Melbourne's Station Pier, have begun disembarking from the ship.

A number of passengers on the ship had become unwell but tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday.

Ms Mikakos said it was not believed the passengers were ill with the virus, but they were being tested out of an "abundance of caution".

The passengers will have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Gambling at Crown continues under 'appropriate' protocols

Crown Casino will continue to be exempt from the rules banning gatherings of more than 100 people.

The casino is currently turning off every second poker machine to address social distancing requirements.

Mr Andrews said the casino must adhere to agreed health protocols, including cleaning.

Crown Casino told the ASX it had reduced the number of patrons in individual facilities from 450 people to 100. ( ABC News: Jane Cowan )

"The chief health officer is confident that the arrangements that have been put in place are appropriate," Mr Andrews said.

"The moment that advice changes we will change the arrangements for them."

Gambling researcher Charles Livingstone, from Monash University, said he was concerned that older people addicted to poker machines may be putting themselves at risk of infection.

"We are talking about an addictive product here," Associate Professor Livingstone told ABC Radio Melbourne.

"They sadly lack the ability to make rational decisions about their gambling."

Mr Andrews had earlier said Victorians should not conflate moral or ethical objections they held against the casino with a health debate.

"It's a unique space. Whether people like that space, whether people go to that space, let's not get into that debate. That's a separate debate," he said.

Sorry, this audio has expired Associate Professor Charles Livingstone tells ABC Radio Melbourne he is concerned vulnerable gamblers are putting themselves at risk

In a statement to the ASX, Crown Casino said it had revised its social distancing policies at Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth.

"Following consultation with the Victorian and Western Australian Governments, Crown's social distancing policies … have been amended to revise the restriction on the number of patrons in individual food & beverage, banqueting and conference facilities from 450 persons to 100 persons."

Victoria's Catholic bishops have suspended all masses across the state in a move that could see changes to the way weddings and funerals are organised.

Despite the suspension, churches will remain open to individuals, Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli said.

"People can come and pray. We'll have all the protective [equipment] that is available," he said.

"But we're also putting up a whole pile of online resources, in prayer and in encouraging people to reach out to one another."