Australia records zero Covid-19 cases in five months
Australia has recorded its first day of no local cases of Covid-19 in almost five months. Zero cases were reported in the a day between 20:00 on Friday and 20:00 on Saturday - the 1st time this has happened since 9 June.The state of Victoria - epicenter of Australia's second wave - recorded zero cases for the next day in a row after a 112-day lockdown.
Health officials say more restrictions could be eased in the coming days. "Many thanks to all of our amazing health & public health workers & above all else the Australian people," Health Minister Greg Hunt said on his Twitter account.Australia has recorded some 27,500 infections and 900 deaths to Covid-19 because the pandemic started - far less than many nations.
The country of 25 million adopted a strategy of using lockdowns and proactive testing and tracing to contain the virus, and Victoria - where 90% of Covid deaths occurred - imposed a number of the severest stay-at-home and curfew rules on earth. Victoria and its major city Melbourne started to reopen earlier this week after recording no new community-transmitted cases since June.
People were in a position to freely leave their homes, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars could reopen and sets of up to 10 could start gathering.Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews praised the state's six million residents for following such strict rules and said these were well positioned for a "Covid-normal Christmas".
