PHOTO: Reuters
MELBOURNE: The speed of unfold of the novel coronavirus in Australia has halved in current days, Prime Minister Scott Morrison mentioned on Sunday as he introduced an extra A$1.1 billion ($680 million) to develop telemedicine care and different well being companies.
The every day enhance in circumstances in current days was at about 13%-15%, down from 25%-30% seen every week in the past, displaying social distancing measures had been working, Morrison mentioned.
“These are still strong rates of increase, no doubt about that,” Morrison mentioned in televised remarks.
There have been 3,809 confirmed circumstances in Australia early on Sunday, 431 greater than in yesterday, in response to the well being ministry. Sixteen deaths had been attributable to the virus, well being officers mentioned.
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Neighboring New Zealand noticed its first dying associated to the coronavirus on Sunday, with circumstances rising to 514 confirmed infections.
Two-thirds of the circumstances in Australia have been traced to contact with individuals getting back from abroad, authorities officers mentioned.
State leaders, nevertheless, are apprehensive concerning the current rise in group transmission, particularly in essentially the most populous New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the place greater than half of Australia’s 25.5 million individuals dwell.
Australia has launched a sequence of measures to fight the unfold of Covid-19, however state and federal governments have despatched some combined messages about social distancing and different containment measures, resulting in widespread confusion.
Morrison mentioned on Sunday that every one of Australia’s six states and two territories had been working to maintain actions constant, however rising case numbers might require particular person states to take further actions “sooner than other states”.
Australian media reported on Sunday a lot of fines got to individuals for breaching quarantines after states moved final week to implement advert hoc fines and even jail phrases for people and companies not complying with the principles.
Financial measures
Morrison additionally mentioned that further cash shall be spent on telemedicine care choices, home violence assist and psychological well being companies aimed toward supporting “the most vulnerable” Australians.
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The spending comes atop earlier introduced measures, which equated to about 10% of Australia’s annual gross home product, to assist the financial system climate the turmoil brought on by the pandemic, which began in China and has unfold to over 200 international locations.
A recession in Australia could be the nation’s first in practically three a long time. Morrison mentioned extra monetary help shall be thought of on the authorities’s assembly afterward Sunday.
“This is part of the hibernation strategy of ensuring we keep people connected with their businesses and with their jobs, so on the other side of this, Australia can bounce back stronger,” he mentioned.
