Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Australia to Increase Testing as Coronavirus Battle Continues Phil Mercer SYDNEY - Health authorities in Australia are going to widen COVID-19 testing for anyone with even the mildest symptoms. Officials believe they are controlling the outbreak. There have been about 6,650 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Australia, and 74 people have died from it. More than 444,000 COVID-19 tests have been carried out across Australia. In the state of New South Wales, authorities plan to increase the rate of screening in an effort to further control the spread of the disease. They now want to examine people who are displaying only mild symptoms that include a persistent cough. Testing for COVID-19 has been a key part in Australia's fight against the new coronavirus. Officials say strict physical distancing measures, with cafes, parks and many shops being forced to shut, also have been instrumental. .