Australia eliminates coronavirus in many areas, to ease curbs

[snoop1130]

Australia eliminates coronavirus in many areas, to ease curbs

By Colin Packham

 

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy a sunny evening by the water in front of the Sydney Opera House amidst the easing of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Sydney, Australia, May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia has eliminated the novel coronavirus in many parts of the country, its chief medical officer said on Friday, clearing the way for sports fans to soon return to stadiums and for foreign students to prepare to fly back to classes.

 

Australia recorded just 38 cases of the coronavirus over the past week, with travellers returning from overseas and already in quarantine accounting for more than half of them, said Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy.

 

"We have effectively achieved elimination at this time in many parts of the country," Murphy told reporters.

 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month announced a three-step plan to remove most lockdown measures by July.

 

But with case numbers falling significantly, Morrison said restrictions on indoor gatherings would be loosened in July with crowds of up 10,000 people allowed in seated stadiums and a trial scheme to allow foreign students to return.

 

Details for students were being finalised but they would require quarantine, he said.

 

The return of international students would be a boost for universities facing big financial losses with the border closed. International education is Australia's fourth-largest foreign exchange earner, worth A$38 billion ($26 billion) annually.

 

The prospect of allowing international students back also reinforces Morrison's call for Australian states and territories to reopen internal borders.

 

He has grown frustrated by the reluctance of several states to open borders and he said if it continued the restart of international education would be delayed.

 

"If someone can't come to your state from Sydney, then someone can't come to your state from Singapore," he said.

 

But the path out of lockdown has been complicated by rallies to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Morrison said gatherings last weekend that attracted tens of thousands had delayed the process.

 

A rally is scheduled in Sydney on Friday despite warnings of on-the-spot fines and arrest and more are planned.

 

Australia has had about 7,300 cases of the coronavirus and 102 deaths.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-12

 

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[Lacessit]

So we'll let international students in, but we won't let Australians out.

[DoctorG]

13 hours ago, Lacessit said:

So we'll let international students in, but we won't let Australians out.

Yes, that is a bit of a weird one. Like many rules in these COVID times, they do not appear to make a lot of sense.

[heybuz]

45 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Yes, that is a bit of a weird one. Like many rules in these COVID times, they do not appear to make a lot of sense.

Not weird, dollars, students bring in dollars, tourists leaving take dollars.

[mfd101]

If people leave to travel in countries where the pandemic is still dangerous (eg India, US ... ), then - if Australian - they will want to return to Oz ...

[Mick501]

One of the BLM protestors in Victoria tested positive.   Remains to be seen whether that can be contained.  Effectively need two more 14 day cycles to be sure now.   Apparently black lives are important, but the economy and everybody else's life is not.   Of course, the protestors would not see the hypocrisy.

[GreasyFingers]

Damn. Not only do the Kiwis beat us at rugby but are already having people travel all over the islands and going to sport events. What is the world coming to.

[Roadman]

13 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Damn. Not only do the Kiwis beat us at rugby but are already having people travel all over the islands and going to sport events. What is the world coming to.

Be thankful you didnt have your economy trashed to the extent if has been here in NZ. The harsh reality of the over kill from our inept NZ government is going to hit home when the free money from Cindy's magic money trees is going to run out and people start having to deal with the reality that not only their job is gone but also the handouts. The reality of the overkill with all out hospitals closed to deal with the imagined tens of thousands of covid cases and deaths is already starting to bite home with cancer suffers now backlogged.