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Victoria has today recorded its lowest daily case rate in more than two months at 41, reaching a level in line with conditions for the staged relaxation of restrictions planned for later this month.
The state's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the encouraging figures for the past 24 hours this morning, although it also reported nine lives were lost.
The last time Victoria reported a lower daily case rate was on 27 July with 40 new cases, of which 15 were from unknown community sources.
That proportion of unknown sources, which is more worrying for epidemiologists as they attempt to get on top of the virus, was in stark contrast to the last two days when all cases were from known sources.
Premier Daniel Andrews says the fall in numbers shows the strategy is working, and the goal is to drive them down further so that when the state opens up in slow and steady steps, it can stay open.
"To go from 725 cases to 41 cases in a month, that demonstrates to you that this strategy is working. The sacrifices that we are making, all of us, are worth something. I want that to count and that's why we simply can't open up as quickly as everyone would like us to," he said.
"I'm grateful, I'm proud of every single Victorian and the work that they're doing - without that, we simply can't keep driving these numbers down. Please get tested if you've got any symptoms, and please look out for each other. These are difficult times."
It is a cautious approach that Premier Andrews will help give Victorians not just a sense of normality when the state opens up, but one that is lasting and can be defended throughout 2021 until a vaccine is available.
Victoria currently has 1,781 active cases, with 266 people in hospital of whom 25 are in intensive care, and out of that group 17 are on ventilators.
Updated at 9:22am AEST on 7 September 2020.
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