A young Melbourne doctor is one of at least three Victorian healthcare workers who have been in intensive care after catching coronavirus at work, the ABC understands.

The emergency doctor, who is in his 30s, worked for Northern Health and is currently in ICU.

The ABC also understands a GP in his 30s was intubated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital after catching the virus at a COVID-19 screening clinic, while a 53-year-old personal care worker from St Basils aged care centre in Fawkner was in ICU at the Austin Hospital.

The current status of those two workers has not been confirmed.

A total of 1,030 Victorian healthcare workers have contracted coronavirus since the pandemic began, including 614 active cases.

The ABC has been told 108 staff at The Royal Melbourne Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19 and about 300 staff are currently furloughed.

Healthcare workers demand better PPE

It comes after doctors, paramedics and patient transfer staff claimed they had been put at unacceptable risk and demanded better protective equipment at work.

The Victorian Ambulance Union has written to the Premier requesting “N95” masks be made mandatory when caring for all coronavirus patients, after some staff had been treating and transporting more than a dozen aged care residents suspected of having the virus each day.

The N95 masks are tighter fitting and more protective than the standard surgical masks.

“We fear that being in such close proximity to patients in a confined space for our members in the back of an ambulance is just too higher risk, which is why we need the more protective masks,” union secretary Danny Hill said.

“Our members are transferring between 10 to 15 patients in a shift with suspected COVID.”

Ambulance Victoria’s executive director of clinical operations, Mick Stephenson, said paramedics wore a N95 mask when responding to a cardiac arrest and for every case where an aerosol-generating procedure (AGP), including intubation, was being performed.

“For all other patient interactions, PPE consisting of gloves, protective eyewear and a surgical mask is the minimum requirement,” he said.

“AV paramedics all carry N95 masks and they may choose to wear them if that makes them comfortable.”