Australia continues to ease restrictions that were put in place to stem the spread of the CCP virus at a steady pace, but there are concerns about an escalation of the spread of the virus overseas.
World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus believes the world is in a “new and dangerous place.”
“Many people are understandably fed up being at home, but the virus is still spreading fast,” he warned on Friday, a day after 150,000 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, were confirmed globally—a record daily number.
There have been 8.5 million infections around the world with a known combined death toll of 450,000.
Meanwhile, the Australian toll remains at 102, with confirmed virus cases since the initial outbreak topping 7400 on Friday.
However, there are some hotspots, with Victoria reporting 13 new cases on Friday. It’s the third day in a row the state has recorded double-digit infections.
That hasn’t stopped Victoria from going ahead with the easing of restrictions that will lift the number of people allowed to gather outdoors or visit cafes, restaurants, cinemas, and stadiums to 50 people from Monday.
Canberrans are now able to join together in larger gatherings over the weekend, with restrictions lifted to allow cinemas and indoor play centres to reopen and gatherings of up to 100 people.
In NSW, Thredbo will open its ski slopes on Monday and Perisher from Wednesday.
South Australia announced on Friday it was throwing open its borders to people coming from Queensland, after lifting restrictions on visitors from Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory earlier in the week.
NSW and Victorian residents are expected to be allowed to travel to SA from July 20.
Queensland is expected to reopen its borders on July 10 and the NT will follow suit on July 17.
Colin Brinsden and Katina Curtis
