Victoria remains on track for an easing of restrictions from Friday, with another doughnut day raising hopes that the outbreak that plunged Melbourne into lockdown is coming to an end.
The state recorded no new locally acquired cases on Saturday, out of 19,502 test results.
It is the fourth consecutive day the state has recorded one or fewer new locally acquired cases.
Health Minister Martin Foley said more than 95 per cent of the contacts linked to the City of Whittlesea, Port Melbourne and West Melbourne arms of the outbreak had been cleared.
There are still dozens of quarantined contacts linked to the more recent Southbank apartment complex cluster.
Mr Foley said they could return positive results in coming days but would not pose a major risk to public health because they were already quarantined and were not generating more exposure sites.
Acting Premier James Merlino said no new local cases was good news, but the state could not afford to take its "foot off the pedal" in doing everything it could to crush the outbreak.
"The best thing that people can do, particularly this winter, is go and get tested the moment you have even the mildest symptoms," he said.
"And go and get your vaccine as soon as you are eligible as well."
At its coronavirus press briefing, the Victorian government announced it would spend $5 million to help Monash University and the Doherty Institute manufacture a mRNA vaccine candidate for clinical trials later this year.
More NSW areas declared orange zones
While Victoria's outbreak has been subsiding, a New South Wales outbreak first detected in Bondi has grown to nine cases.
On Sunday evening, the Department of Health issued an alert declaring the local government areas of Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick as orange zones.
Anyone arriving from those areas after 11:59pm Sunday must get an orange zone permit from the Service Victoria website.
The City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra LGAs remain orange zones, meaning anyone arriving from those areas must quarantine on arrival, get tested and stay quarantined until a negative result is received.
Victorian businesses shut down for violating COVID rules
The government also released the results of recent compliance checks on Victorian businesses, revealing seven businesses had been shut down over "blatant violations" of the Chief Health Officer's directions.
The government said a St Albans store was trading during the lockdown, while a health and beauty business in South Melbourne was closed for exceeding density quotients and having no density quotient signage, no COVID-safe plan and no QR code check-in system in place.
Fines of $1,652 were also handed to a hospitality venue in Essendon and a retail venue in Campbellfield for not having the Victorian government's QR code check-in system in place.
Acting Minister for Police and Emergency Services Danny Pearson said the chief health officer's directions were in place to keep everyone safe.
"We expect businesses to be doing their part to follow the rules and help keep Victoria open," Mr Pearson said.
"QR code check-in data is so important for our contact tracers to get on top of outbreaks quickly and there is no excuse for failing to keep these details if you are required to do so.
Over the past three months, authorised officers visited 22,000 businesses across the state handing out 17 infringements totalling $52,867 and issued a further 275 written warnings, 598 improvement notices and 40 COVID-19 notices for non-compliance with CHO directions.
In the past week, there were 168 instances of QR code non-compliance.
Free giveaways to attract people to CBD
Meanwhile, the City of Melbourne and the Victorian government is handing out free giveaways to help more people return to the CBD as restrictions ease.
FOMO Freebies will run from June 21 to July 18 and will provide a chance to enjoy "quintessential Melbourne experiences", from shopping at the Queen Victoria Market to experiencing the hit Broadway musical Frozen, or Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.
The following giveaways will be up for grabs over the next four weeks:
- Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium: 200 double passes to experience an underwater world
- Frozen The Musical: 200 tickets
- Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: 200 tickets to Part 1 and Part 2
- NGV: 100 "Friday Night" double passes
- The Westin Melbourne: 200 overnight staycations
- Sofitel Melbourne on Collins: 200 overnight staycations
- Melbourne Star Observation Wheel: 250 double passes
- O'Brien Ice House in Docklands: 200 double passes, including skate hire
- Imaginaria: 200 tickets for an immersive play experience in Docklands
- Queen Victoria Market: 400 of $50 vouchers
- Rising Melbourne: 100 Aunty Zeta Rain Slickers
- Discovera Hidden Bars & History Tour: 200 double passes
The FOMO campaign is part of the $200 million Melbourne City Reactivation Fund in partnership with the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne.
City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said FOMO Freebies was a great way to thank people for returning to the city and provide a major boost to retail, tourism and accommodation businesses.
"The buzz is coming back to Melbourne and we are encouraging everyone to come and experience the best of what's on offer in Melbourne this winter," Cr Capp said.
"By giving away these freebies we are reminding Melburnians that the city is very much open for business and we're still Australia's cultural capital."
