The availability of personal protective equipment will be crucial to whether elective surgery can resume, according to an Albury region medical authority.
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Murrumbidgee Local Health District director public health Tracey Oakman said on Monday there had been no further cases of COVID-19 in the district, but people needed to keep observing the restrictions in coming weeks.
"If we want these social distancing rules to be relaxed, it's going to be really important that we adhere and don't become complacent," she said.
"Elective surgery can increase the amount of people that need to be hospitalised, so we do have to balance that with bed space that we have available, but the critical thing is the PPE available."
Australian government leaders are expected to discuss elective surgery this week, with Health Minister Greg Hunt saying he hoped the medical expert panel and the national cabinet could make decisions soon.
MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS:
Monday's Murrumbidgee update showed cases had not risen from the total of 45 reported last week.
Thirty-three people have recovered and no coronavirus patients are in hospital at present. More than 2800 people have been tested.
Victoria's latest figures on Monday indicated no new North East cases and only one new patient statewide.
Mrs Oakman said increased testing was needed to discover if anybody mildly unwell actually had the virus.
"Because currently we're not picking those people up," she said.
"We need to continue to be vigilant for the next four or five weeks and test everyone who has any symptoms at all, so that we can make sure we don't have anyone unbeknownst to themselves spreading it in the community."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Murrumbidgee COVID-19 hotline can be contacted on 1800 831 099.
"Having no new cases and lots of testing over two or three weeks would give us quiet optimism that we might be getting on top of it," Mrs Oakman said.
"But we're not there just yet."
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