Coronavirus: cases spike as two more die

Another two Australians have died as a result of the coronavirus pandemic — taking the national death toll to 95.

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The national COVID-19 death toll rose to 95 on Sunday after another two Australians died in the biggest spike in the number of cases in more than a week.

Anne Fahey, 76, was confirmed as the 14th resident of Sydney’s coronavirus-stricken Angli­care Newmarch House aged-care home to die of the virus. An 83-year-old West Australian woman also died from the virus, bringing the state’s death toll to nine.

The discovery of 18 new cases — the highest daily rise since April 25 — pushed the national total to 6801, with 13 from Victoria, four from NSW and one from Queensland.

Victoria’s jump of 13 cases to 1384 was in part caused by an ongoing breakout of the virus at a Melbourne abattoir, where a further six workers were diagnosed on top of eight confirmed to be ­infected last week.

Three of Victoria’s latest cases were returned overseas travellers, one was the close contact of an ­already confirmed case and ­another three identified through routine testing, including a teacher at the Meadowglen Primary School in Melbourne’s north.

Two of NSW’s four cases were staff at Newmarch House in outer-Sydney Caddens, and Queensland’s sole case in Brisbane’s southern suburbs is currently being investigated. The slight ­increase in both these states brings NSW’s case total to 3035 and Queensland’s to 1035.

Despite the rise in new cases, Australian National University infectious disease doctor and microbiologist Peter Collignon said the national cabinet should not be dissuaded from rolling back restrictions when it meets on Friday.

“We’ve flattened the curve, we’ve more than flattened the curve,” Professor Collignon said.

“The reality is that we are now at a stage where we will continue to have a low level of cases popping up every day over the next 12 months, even in states with strict restrictions, because so many of these cases are asymptomatic.

“If you look at Victoria, who have very stringent restrictions, they continue to have more cases than other states like South Australia, who are far less stringent.”

South Australia on Sunday hit an 11-day milestone without a new diagnosis, with 98 per cent of its 438 cases having recovered.

Western Australia registered its fourth consecutive day with no additional cases, meaning its case count has increased by just two, to 551, in the past week.

The ACT and the Northern Territory also recorded no new cases, and Tasmania had its second consecutive day where its case count remained at223 — a sign that a coronavirus breakout in the state’s northwest is under control.

Professor Collignon restrictions should continue to be rolled back if the nation’s daily case increase remained around 20.

“It’s the best we can expect until we get a safe and effective vaccine,” he said. “When you’ve got low community transmission … going too far with your restrictions is not going to give you extra benefits, but will give a lot of extra economic and psychological harm.”
Coronavirus by the numbers