Melbourne's postcode 3029 continues to top the chart for the area with the highest number of active coronavirus cases for the fourth week running.
The postcode in Melbourne's west, which includes the suburbs of Tarneit, Hoppers Crossing and Truganina, has 278 active cases this week but that is down by 185 cases on last week's concerning high of 463.
Source: ABC Australia
Nine postcodes with over 100 active cases
The postcode data is being released each Thursday by Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services and this week reveals that despite the drop in case numbers, postcode 3029 has comfortably retained its unenviable crown.
It has 68 more active cases than the second-highest postcode on the updated list, 3030 which includes Werribee and Point Cook.
But here too, active COVID-19 case numbers have shrunk.
The area has recorded 210 active COVID-19 cases, down from 331 active cases this time last week.
There are now only nine Melbourne postcodes with more than 100 active cases
Coming in third on the list this week is postcode 3064, with the suburbs of Craigieburn, Donnybrook, Kalkallo, Mickleham and Roxburgh Park.
It now has 163 cases, 133 fewer than a week ago.
Postcode 3037, encompassing Sydenham, Delahey, Taylors Hill and Calder Park, has 138 active cases, down from 181 last week.
In postcode 3020, which includes Albion, Sunshine and Sunshine West, there are 136 cases, down by 84 on last week's tally of 220 active cases of the virus.
In 3023, which includes Caroline Springs, Deer Park, Ravenhall, Cairnlea and Burnside in Melbourne's west, there are 124 cases, again down on last week's figure of 210 cases.
Marked drop in some hotspots
Postcode 3021, which encompasses St Albans, Albanvale, Kealba and Kings Park, now has 119 cases, which is significantly lower than last week's high of 304 cases.
Cases have not dropped by such a notable margin in postcode 3073, home to Reservoir, where there are 106 cases, compared to 124 cases last week.
Postcode data on active COVID-19 cases can be heavily affected by large clusters such as nursing homes like Epping Gardens Aged Care Facility, which has suffered a coronavirus outbreak linked to at least 162 residents and staff.
Epping, postcode 3076 and home to Epping Gardens, rounds out the top nine postcodes with more than 100 active cases.
It has 102 cases this week, down from last week's high of 160.
The postcode data represents the postcode where a COVID-19-positive person lives, not where they were infected.
The latest weekly postcode data was gathered amid concerns that coronavirus testing rates had dropped in Victoria.
Yesterday, figures showed the number of people coming forward to get tested had declined by 17 per cent in a week, amounting to almost 30,000 fewer tests.
This led to concerns that lower testing rates could mean health authorities would not get an accurate picture of how widespread the virus was.
However, Premier Daniel Andrews said today that test numbers during the past 24 hours were back up above the 20,000 mark.
Mr Andrews has repeatedly urged everyone with even mild symptoms to get tested, saying confidence in the data was vital to getting a "complete picture" and easing stage 4 restrictions.
