Victoria records no new cases of coronavirus for fifth consecutive day
Victoria has now gone five days without recording a new COVID case, with a massive testing turnout on Tuesday.
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Victoria has recorded its fifth consecutive day without a new COVID case.
And the state’s active caseload has dropped into single digits, with just eight infections.
More than 18,800 test results were received on Tuesday.
It comes as the federal government announced it would extend the international border ban until June, citing the emergence of the various mutations of COVID-19 that have been detected in Kent, England, South Africa, and Brazil before spreading globally.
The extension was announced on Tuesday evening.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Governor-General had extended the “human biosecurity emergency period,” which was first imposed on March 17, 2020, to June 17 to “ensure the Australian government has the powers to take any necessary measures to continue to prevent and control COVID-19”.
Hotel quarantine will remain in place until at least the mid-2021, if not the rest of the year.
About 40,000 Australians are overseas and cannot return home, outpriced by airline fares, and then by hotel quarantine fees.
But Emirates is bracing for a winter surge, with the airline’s President Sir Tim Clark predicting a return of global international passenger travel.
The Dubai-based carrier will be one of the first airline carriers to globally trial the International Air Transport Association travel pass.
The pass is a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.
Meanwhile in Australia, a handy $250 will start dropping into the bank accounts of more than 5 million Aussies from next week.
It will be the fourth payment as part of the Federal Government’s Economic Support for those eligible and be a welcome boost to many hip pockets.
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