No new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Western Australia for the second time in three days and eight more patients have recovered.
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The state's total number of recovered cases is 451 and just 88 cases remain active.
"That is an exceptional result," Premier Mark McGowan said on Wednesday.
"A zero result again is just a great piece of news for the state."
Health Minister Roger Cook said only four cases remained active in the Kimberley region, where its large indigenous population is vulnerable to the virus because of high rates of other health problems, including diabetes.
There are 25 patients in hospital, including five in intensive care.
Mr Cook said elective surgery rates at public and private hospitals would resume at about one-quarter of their usual rate on Tuesday, and again urged people waiting for procedures not to swamp hospital switchboards to ask when theirs would happen.
By the end of May, almost 1700 patients would have their surgery done but given a significant backlog, "this will be treading water at best", he said.
Limited notice will be provided and hospitals will book up to two weeks in advance.
Category two patients will be prioritised, particularly previously cancelled cases.
Mr Cook said elective surgery would be suspended again if infection rates picked up and effective use of PPE was vital.
"Overuse of PPE in the coming weeks may potentially curtail future elective surgery."
Mr McGowan flagged the potential for the state government to relax social distancing rules in coming weeks, saying "there is capacity to move" from health advice for fewer than 10 adults in public, with only two people not from the same household allowed currently.
He also urged Catholic Education WA to rethink its decision to implement remote learning for students from kindergarten to Year 10 when classes resume next Wednesday.
That's at odds with public schools, which are giving parents the option of keeping their children at home for remote learning for the first three weeks of term two.
"I am a bit surprised - I would hope they reconsider," Mr McGowan said.
"I understand concern but we have taken the best of health advice."
Only a handful of children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in WA despite about 500,000 kids in school.
"The risk of transmission from children to adults is extremely low," the premier said.
He said only one education staff member out of 68,000 had tested positive for coronavirus.
Both public and Catholic schools are urging Year 11 and 12 students to go to class.
Australian Associated Press
