Australia 'victim' of own COVID-19 success as more locals want to come back: Minister
15 November, 2020
Australia's triumph in reining in COVID-19 while infections spiral up in many elements of the world is making the country a "victim of our very own success", as Australians overseas want to get back, a cabinet minister said on Sunday (Nov 15).
Australia closed its borders in March to all or any but citizens and residents, and the federal government has kept entries capped and put those allowed into the country in a two-week mandatory quarantine.
Over the weekend, Australia saw its first week of no locally acquired coronavirus infections and no related deaths because of the start of the pandemic. Victoria, the hotspot of the pandemic, recorded on Sunday its 16th consecutive day of no new cases no deaths.
"With what's happening with COVID-19 in other parts of the world, we're almost learning to be a victim of our very own success within Australia, with more persons wanting to keep coming back," Education Minister Dan Tehan told Sky News tv on Sunday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that with a growing number of Australians attempting to return, there are not enough quarantine facilities for others, such as for example thousands of international students.
"Within the prevailing caps, priority needs to be directed at returning Australians," Tehan said on Sunday.
He said, however, that states and territories have already been asked to submit plans for a safe return of international students. With foreign students contributing A$35 billion (US$25 billion) a year to the Australian economy, Canberra had hoped to slowly allow their return in 2021.
Australia has recorded about 27,700 infections of the brand new coronavirus and 907 COVID-19 deaths, a fraction of what a great many other developed nations have observed, thanks to an extraordinary early response and strict measures that included sending Melbourne, the country's second-largest city, into months-long lockdown.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
TAG(s):