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Coronavirus Australia live updates: Outbreak at New Zealand school helped Australia plan for virus outbreaks

Australia's slow escape from the coronavirus pandemic won't be easy - but a massive outbreak in another country has helped health authorities see a way out.

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Australia is planning its slow exit out of the coronavirus pandemic with health authorities looking to other countries for lessons and advice.

One of the lessons Australian health authorities looked to was an outbreak in New Zealand, where a cluster of 93 coronavirus cases were detected at an Auckland school.

Speaking on ABC Radio tonight, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said authorities had looked to Marist Girls' College in Auckland as a "great example and lesson for us all".

It is unknown how the virus got into the school and while much of what happened remains a mystery, they have linked the first case to a teacher.

"Marist College in Auckland is a great example and a lesson for us all on what needs to happen when an outbreak occurs," Professor Kidd said.

"This past week the Prime Minister has announced that we have another four weeks of restrictions aheads of us."

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As of Sunday night, there are more than 6500 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia, with 2936 in New South Wales, 1328 in Victoria, 1019 in Queensland, 435 in South Australia, 545 in Western Australia, 191 in Tasmania, 103 in the Australian Capital Territory and 28 in the Northern Territory.

The death toll stands at 71, after two elderly residents at the Newmarch House nursing home in western Sydney died.

Sunday's live blog has now closed.

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Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/coronavirus-australia-live-updates/live-coverage/1059af0fc17eaeb28292fc76c9fd07a8