Premier Daniel Andrews addressed the state this morning. Watch him speak below.

This was the first time the number of cases dropped below 300 in nine days.

It follows Monday's alarming high of 532 and Tuesday's total of 384.

Sadly, however, there were nine deaths recorded, seven of which were related to private sector aged care.

The total amount of active cases in Victoria now sits at 4839, 196 of which are in regional Victoria.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Premier Daniel Andrews said although regional numbers remained low, the danger was far from over.

The latest figures come as hospital staff and army medics are being sent into Victoria's aged care facilities in the wake of the rising death toll amongst the elderly following the coronavirus outbreak in the state.

They will fill staffing gaps at the centres after national Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth noted some senior nurses and managers had to avoid work or comply with isolation orders to avoid spreading the virus.

"No business in Australia has a business continuity plan that accounts for their entire workforce not being able to go to work," he told Nine Network on Wednesday.

"I think in a lot of ways that has led some of the most affected institutions to where they are now."

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday announced elective surgeries would be suspended in metropolitan Melbourne, except for category one and the most urgent category two procedures.

He said the move would free up hospital beds to treat residents and allow health workers to go into aged care homes to cope with the staff shortages.

He said it would also allow staff to provide care and support to the most vulnerable residents in and coming out of private sector aged care, noting resident transfers would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The federal government has defended its response to the "distressing" outbreak of coronavirus cases and deaths in aged care homes in Victoria, promising improvements in the next 24 hours.

"The situation that we have been facing, particularly in recent days and weeks in Victoria for aged, care has been very distressing," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.

Multiple aged care and nursing homes in the state have staffing gaps due to workers being required to comply with quarantine orders to avoid spreading the virus, putting the welfare of residents at risk.

All the homes are regulated by the federal government, which together with the Victorian government is trying to get the outbreak under control.

"The challenges of dealing with aged care are not unique to Australia ... it is inevitable that this (virus) will find its way into aged care facilities," Mr Morrision said.

"When it rains, everyone gets wet. And that is what we're seeing with broad- based community transmission in Victoria."

The homes most affected are Estia Health Aged Care in Ardeer, St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner and Epping Gardens Aged Care.

Federal Health Department Secretary Dr Brendan Murphy said a number of residents were being moved out the homes and into hospitals.

"Our biggest concern at the moment is (the) facility in Epping, Epping Gardens," he said.

"We are putting in some very senior workforce to cope with the loss of the many senior staff in that facility who unfortunately had to quarantine.

"We are very confident we will have that facility stable ... in the next 24 hours."

Mr Morrison said the Victorian aged care situation was very distressing.

"The most vulnerable in our community has always been our highest concern," he said.

Mr Morrison said 750 healthcare workers in Victoria had been infected with COVID-19.

It comes as hospital staff and Australian Defence Force medics were sent into Victoria's coronavirus-stricken aged care facilities, as deaths mount.

- with Australian Associated Press