Could Australia have zero cases of coronavirus?

The ACT has no active cases, and the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia have just a handful of cases.

More populous states like Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales continue to make up the bulk of cases of COVID-19 across the country, mostly due to known outbreaks.

While the economic news continues to be dire, on the health front things seem to be looking up, although 51 people were still in hospital on Thursday, 13 on ventilators.

Could Australia get to zero cases of the virus? What would it mean if we did?

Australia has been more successful than hoped for when it comes to suppressing COVID-19, with health authorities now confident the health system will be able to deal with further cases and outbreaks.

But that doesn't mean the virus is ever likely to be completely gone.

Senator Jacqui Lambie asked the Department of Health through the Senate's COVID-19 inquiry whether eliminating the virus in Australia was a plausible goal and what evidence there was that elimination was possible.

The department didn't entertain the possibility the virus could be eliminated and stay eliminated without a vaccine, saying low levels would continue.

"If there remains a high level of public adherence to all social distancing measures currently in place then there is a high possibility that there will be extremely low levels of the virus circulating in Australia," the department's answer said.

"Borders are closed with the exception of returning Australian citizens and residents who are undertaking mandatory 14-day quarantine.

"In the absence of a vaccine, there remains the possibility of the virus being imported in the future as long as there are ongoing outbreaks occurring globally."

Epidemiology expert at the Australian National University Peter Collignon said getting to zero cases was unlikely.

"We will continue to have a low level of cases but it will jump up a bit in winter because in winter viruses spread more easily," he said.

Professor Collignon said the virus was likely to continue in younger people in their 20s and 30s with mild symptoms, who would then pass it on to others who were more susceptible.

"You can only be confident about no cases if there is no cases for two to three months," he said.

Even countries that are considered some of the most successful in the world at dealing with COVID-19 haven't completely eliminated the virus.

"If you look at Korea, which was at least a month ahead of us, they managed to turn the curve like we did, but they kept on having ongoing low numbers of cases," Professor Collignon said.

"In Taiwan which was successful they are still having low numbers as well."

According to Professor Collignon, countries that were complacent because they believed the virus was yet to arrive - like the United States and some countries in Europe - have experienced the worst outcomes.

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In New Zealand restrictions are largely easing this week after the country enforced a strict lockdown, but there are still fewer than 100 cases active in the country.

"The safest assumption is that we've suppressed this very well but it's not gone, and even if it is gone, it can be so easily introduced," Professor Collignon said.

The simple answer is no, but there will be a new normal.

Restrictions are set to be eased over the next few months, but that will be done gradually so at each step health departments can assess whether the increased activity has led to increased cases.

Even if Australia gets to a point where restaurants, pubs and gyms are open as normal, a few things are here to stay.

"The 1.5 metre rule, washing your hands and don't go to work sick," are the things Professor Collignon wants people to remember, no matter what the legal restrictions are.

"The real danger period is over the next few months because of winter."

The national cabinet's three step COVIDSafe plan includes measures for increased local, regional and interstate travel at each stage, with local travel allowed at first and interstate travel allowed by stage three which is hoped to be introduced by July.

However, it is up to each state and territory when borders are opened up to visitors from other states and the signals from state leaders are that they aren't keen to move.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has signalled interstate travellers may be allowed into the sunshine state after July 10, but details are still being worked out.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said this week that even though restrictions within the state had been lifted further than other states, the border will continue to remain shut.

AFL teams based in South Australia are considering moving interstate to be able to restart the competition as the government there will not grant them exemptions in order to be able to travel.

International travel is off the table for the "foreseeable future," Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Wednesday.

"I can't see, I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour won't be necessary,' he said.

"There is no clear roadmap out of this."

It is precisely Australia's success at suppressing the virus that is contributing to the extended ban on travel.

"The crucial component of that has been the control of the borders," deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly said on Wednesday.

"But we really would be looking to continue with that control element for quite some time ... for the moment our borders are going to remain shut."