Optimism is growing that Victoria has turned the corner in its coronavirus crisis, with Premier Daniel Andrews saying there is good cause for hope.
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Despite another day of tragedy and drama, authorities are increasingly upbeat about what key statistics are showing.
Victoria had a record 25 deaths on Monday, taking the state toll to 334 and the national figure to 421.
But the new case numbers were 282 and there have been no 400-plus days since last Wednesday.
A number of other key indicators are also either steady or falling.
As ever, the premier warned that there was a long way to go before the state is on top of the outbreak.
"We are strong, there is good cause for people to be hopeful about the future - we just can't allow any sense of complacency to creep in here," Mr Andrews said.
"While there is a trend that is positive, today is a very sad day for 25 families and this is a long way from over."
Also on Monday, public hearings opened for the much-anticipated inquiry into Victoria's disastrous hotel quarantine program.
Hotel quarantine is widely acknowledged as the key factor in the state's ongoing second outbreak.
Senior counsel assisting the inquiry Tony Neal QC said the program was set up in 48 hours and was without "precise lines of responsibility, control, supervision and management".
Meanwhile, ongoing problems at an inner-suburban supported residential service again showed the complexities of containing virus outbreaks.
All residents at Albert Park's Hambleton House are to be transferred out of the facility to hospitals, with 10 moved out on Sunday and the remaining 12 to leave on Monday.
One resident created alarm among neighbours on Monday morning when he walked out past security guards, without wearing a mask.
Police later escorted him back to the facility.
Mr Andrews said the challenge was not only making sure that residents at Hambleton House were receiving proper care, but that there is minimal impact on public health.
"There are some very, very complex needs among those residents," he said.
"The site was the subject of considerable attention and every effort is being made to bring a sense of control to that."
While aged care facilities and abattoirs have been the focus of Victoria's outbreak, as of Monday there were also 87 active cases in residential disability accommodation.
Of Monday's deaths, 22 were linked to aged care.
The deaths include one man in his 60s, four women and three men in their 70s, six women and four men in their in their 80s, and four men and three women in their 90s.
Authorities have warned of ongoing fatalities even as new case numbers decline, amid a stage-four lockdown for metropolitan Melbourne and stage-three restrictions for regional areas.
But there are signs of progress in aged care as well.
"The best defence for any aged care system is low community transmission," said federal Health Minister Greg Hunt".
"We are beginning to win that battle on community transmission."
Regional cases have also come down 436, but so-called "mystery" cases in the community increased by 148 on Monday, to 3626, and remain a concern.
Also on Monday, the Victorian government announced a $20.4 million boost to family violence support services to help move perpetrators out of the home.
Australian Associated Press
