Coronavirus: Small spike in infections ‘likely’ if restrictions eased

If the government relax­es restrictions as expected on ­Friday, health experts predict infections will remain within manageable ­parameters.

The nation is likely to see a small spike in the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus if the government further relax­es restrictions as expected on ­Friday but health experts predict it will remain within manageable ­parameters.

Australian National University infectious disease specialist San­jaya Senanayake said national cabinet was carefully balancing ­social distancing measures to ­ensure the health system would not be overwhelmed.

“If social distancing methods are lifted in the coming week, there’s definitely a very good chance we could see a surge of cases, but it’s not a certainty,” Professor Senanayake said. “If there was a certainty of a big surge of cases, we probably wouldn’t do it.

“If we gradually lift them and monitor those new cases, we will see only a small increase, relying on Australia’s capacity to test cases and track potential contacts.”

Australia has recorded almost 6900 cases of COVID-19, after the discovery of 28 new infections on Wednesday took the national total of active cases to 984.

A cluster of the virus at a Melbourne meatworks rose to 49 on Wednesday, with those infected including a nurse at the Sunshine Hospital in St Albans. Victoria’s number of cases stands at 1440, with 17 new cases recorded.

A 30-bed residential aged-care facility northwest of Melbourne is in lockdown after a worker tested positive to the virus. Djerriwarrh Health Services, which operates Grant Lodge at Bacchus Marsh, said the employee tested positive to coronavirus on Saturday and was isolating at home.

NSW recorded nine extra cases, bringing the state’s total to 3042. One new case had attended a healthcare facility, with all staff involved tested since. Two cases are linked to returned overseas travellers quarantined in hotels.

Professor Senanayake said it was unlikely coronavirus would be eliminated without the arrival of a vaccine. “We might be able to control it and it could even disappear for a period, but it’s possible it will return,” he said.

Tasmania recorded two new cases of the virus, taking its total to 223, of which 42 are active cases.

Ten medical staff at the Launceston General Hospital are being tested for COVID-19 after a staff member tested positive for corona­virus.

It follows a deadly outbreak in two of the state’s hospitals in ­Burnie, which claimed the lives of 12 people.

No new cases were recorded in Queensland or the ACT.

Western Australia also recorded its seventh consecutive day with no additional diagnoses.

In New Zealand, two new cases of coronavirus and one death were confirmed on Wednesday.

The latest fatality was a woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions who lived at an aged-care facility.

It follows two days of the country reporting no new cases.

The country’s coronavirus death toll stands at 21.