The Federal Government has so far funded more than 20,000 casual shifts to strengthen the workforce in Victorian aged care facilities battling COVID-19 outbreaks, it has emerged.

Some 126 of the 767 aged care homes (16%) in Victoria are currently managing outbreaks, according to the latest update released by the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre.

The virus has claimed 295 lives in the state’s aged care system, and has resulted in more than 700 residents being transferred to hospital.

As of late Monday there were 1568 active cases, down from 1600 cases two days earlier, this number included 96 new cases: 18 in residents and 57 involving staff.