Australia confident can avoid worst impacts of coronavirus
4302 Mins Read
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said he is “increasingly confident” Australia will avoid the kind of devastation the coronavirus has caused in countries like Italy and the United States.
Declaring Australia was in a “good place”, Professor Murphy said the number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise but the rate of growth was slowing.
As of Sunday, 34 Australians had died and a total of 5,687 cases had been reported — an increase of 139 in 24 hours.
“That is probably the lowest rise we’ve had for a few days and it does tend to continue the trend we’ve seen of flattening of the curve,” Professor Murphy said.
Seeking to allay fears about the horrific scenes unfolding in places like the state of New York, where temporary morgues have been set up and nearly 4,000 people have died, he said Australia’s decision to close its borders, quarantine travellers and impose strict social distancing measures was working.
“We’re in a good place at the moment, we’re achieving good control because the community has done what we have asked,” he said.
With Easter approaching, Professor Murphy urged Australians to avoid the temptation to travel or get together with friends and family to celebrate.
“Easter is going to be very different this year,” he said.
“We’re asking you to stay with your family, in your residence.”
Of the 5,687 people who have tested positive to the virus since January, more than 2,000 have already recovered.
Ninety-one Australians are being treated in intensive care units, 33 of them on ventilators to help them breath.
