Staff at seven hospitals and one radiology unit in Victoria have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, with 157 healthcare workers testing positive in the state so far.

Healthcare workers will be given free accommodation if they have tested positive to COVID-19, or been exposed to someone who has the disease, in a bid to reduce the financial burden for frontline workers and protect their families.

Clinical and non-clinical staff, including paramedics, patient transport staff, cooks and cleaners, will be able to access the "hotels for heroes" scheme, and the government expects to support up to 8000 workers.

Ten staff at The Alfred, in the haemotology and oncology ward, have tested positive to COVID-19 where a cluster of cases have broken out. Three cancer patients have died with coronavirus and another two patients have tested positive and are stable.

About 100 staff were sent home and ordered to go into isolation following the outbreak, but the Herald was told this week dozens of them have since been tested and cleared to return to their normal work duties.