Victoria has reported 1220 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and three deaths as Melbourne prepares to claim the unwanted title of the world’s most locked down city.

The health department confirmed 71,275 Victorians were tested for the virus in the 24 hours to Sunday morning and 36,248 vaccinations were administered at state-run sites.

There are now 11,785 active infections in the state.

More information on the new cases and deaths will be released later on Sunday.

Meanwhile Melbourne has racked up 245 days in lockdown since the pandemic began.

Scores arrested

That draws the city level with Buenos Aires, which has also spent 245 days under stay-at-home orders. Melbourne will surpass the mark set by the Argentinian city on Monday.

It comes with news a contracted service provider at Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation in Broadmeadows was among the record 1488 new local cases in Victoria announced on Saturday.

Contact tracing, quarantining, testing and deep cleaning is underway at the facility, which as of June housed 239 people. It is unclear how many of them have been vaccinated.

More than 100 people were arrested and fined on Saturday when anti-vaccine protesters again took to the streets of Melbourne, a day after the state government announced a vaccination mandate for all Victorian authorised workers.

Treasurer Tim Pallas also announced $196.6 million in cash grants for 70,000 businesses in Melbourne, Geelong and Mitchell impacted by the construction shutdown from September 21 to October 4.

The industry has been closed for two weeks due to concern over rising case numbers, transmission and poor compliance at building sites but will reopen on Tuesday under strict conditions.

-AAP