SYDNEY: Australia has reported fewer new daily cases from its virus hotspot in the city of Melbourne than on any single day since last month.
But it has also reported the nation's highest daily death total since the virus outbreak began.
The state of Victoria reported 322 new infections and 19 new deaths on Monday, with 14 of the deaths connected to outbreaks at aged-care facilities.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was more hopeful now that cases are stabilising in Victoria than he has been at any time over the past week.
But state premier Daniel Andrews cautioned that not too much could be read into a single day's worth of data, and that some of the state's most stringent lockdown measures had only come into effect at midnight Sunday.
The number of new cases was the lowest recorded in Victoria since July 29.
The figures did not include new infections and deaths from other Australian states, although Victoria has been accounting for the vast majority of both in recent weeks.
Since the outbreak began, Australia has reported more than 21,000 infections and more than 300 deaths.
The state premier also said that more than 2,700 active cases have no known source and remain the primary concern of health authorities.
Victoria on Sunday saw a welcome drop in its new COVID-19 cases with 394 but a record 17 deaths, including two people in their 50s.
It took the hard-hit state's toll to 210 and the Australian total of deaths to 295.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said confirmed cases also include almost 1,000 health care workers.
The city of Melbourne has been under tough restrictions since a week ago, including an overnight curfew and mandatory wearing of masks, but won't see the results of their efforts for another one to two weeks.
Almost 270 Victorian residents have been fined over the past 24 hours for breaching the restrictions, including a man helping a friend to move a television 27 kilometres (17 miles) across the city.
Victoria Police issued 268 fines to individuals in the past 24 hours, including 77 for curfew breaches and 38 for failing to wear a mask when leaving home.