Victoria has recorded a second-straight day with no new local COVID-19 cases, as the state prepares for a further easing of restrictions.
The Health Department confirmed there were no locally acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, while one new infection was recorded in hotel quarantine.
More than 28,200 test results were processed during the same period and more than 17,200 Victorians received a vaccine dose at one of the state-run hubs.
It is the seventh consecutive day the state has recorded either zero or one new local case, while the number of exposure sites has dropped to 96, paving the way for restrictions to be further eased.
It has been almost a month since the state entered a 'circuit breaker' lockdown, sparked by an outbreak of the Kappa COVID-19 variant in the city's western suburbs that spread to Port Melbourne and an aged care home in Maidstone.
An outbreak of the more infectious Delta virus in West Melbourne also emerged.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Tuesday said about 98 per cent of people connected to the City of Whittlesea, Port Melbourne and West Melbourne clusters had been cleared, while the aged care outbreak has officially ended.
The state has 51 active cases, of which just 24 are local.
"We're absolutely on the right track. I also have strong expectations that we can go that next step, both metro Melbourne and regional Victoria, and that we'll do it this week," Professor Sutton said.
It is expected Melbourne will move to settings currently in place in regional Victoria, with density limits in offices, hospitality venues and gyms to increase.
The positive news comes after Victoria effectively shut its border to large parts of Sydney at 1am on Wednesday.
Authorities declared seven NSW local government areas - the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, the Inner West, and Randwick - 'red zones' under the state's travel permit system.
"If you enter at an airport or seaport from a red zone without a permit, you will be fined and will stay in hotel quarantine until return transport is arranged," the Health Department said.
Victorian residents who have been in a red zone - other than for transit - can still return to the state with a permit but must self-isolate at home for 14 days.
Wollongong has been listed as an orange zone, meaning incoming travellers to Victoria must get tested soon after arrival and isolate until receiving a negative result.
Non-essential travel into Victoria from red or orange zones is being strongly discouraged.
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said the government should have provided more warning of the border closure.
"(The government) seem to literally make it up as they go along," he said.
"That makes everyone else's lives so much harder and unfortunately a lot of people are going to be really put out as a result of the change."
However, Victorians are being welcomed back to other parts of the country in time for the southern state's school holidays.
South Australia and Queensland will reopen their borders to Victoria from Friday.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory have opened to Greater Melbourne, while a travel bubble with New Zealand resumes from Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Herald Sun reports a new, $200 million quarantine facility in the north Melbourne suburb of Mickleham has moved a step closer.
The state and federal governments signed a memorandum of understanding on June 4 to build the facility.
Mickleham was Victoria's preferred option, while the federal government was keen on a site near Avalon Airport.
