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Officials Hopeful Australia Is Flattening COVID-19 Curve

Phil Mercer

   SYDNEY - Health officials say there is more evidence that Australia's
   efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak are working. While they are
   hopeful Australia can avoid the kind of devastation the coronavirus has
   caused in countries like Italy and the United States, they caution
   there is no room for complacency. There are more than 5,600 confirmed
   coronavirus cases in Australia. Thirty-four mostly elderly people have
   died.

   Health officials are cautiously hopeful that Australia is "flattening
   the curve" of COVID-19 infections. The rate of new cases fell to three
   per cent over the weekend.

   Almost 300,000 coronavirus tests have been carried out. Strict social
   distancing measures are also in place. Australians are not allowed to
   leave their homes without good reason or gather in groups of more than
   two, although households are exempt.

   Fines are being issued by the police for those who flout the
   regulations.

   Cafes, bars, cinemas and many beaches have been closed in an attempt to
   slow the spread of the highly infectious disease. Australia has closed
   its international borders, and some states, including Western Australia
   and Tasmania, have shut themselves off from the rest of the country.

   Community transmission of COVID-19 remains the authorities' biggest
   concern.

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