Coronavirus: Worrying figure looms over Australia's recovery
As Australian states and territories are slowly rolling back their coronavirus restrictions, a concerning figure has loomed over the country’s chance at recovery.
According to figures released by the Department of Health on Tuesday, 732 confirmed COVID-19 cases – or about 10.3 per cent of all cases nationally – have been locally acquired with unidentified contact.
This means hundreds of people have been infected in Australia, but the source of virus is not known.
“Knowing the source of infection assists in stopping the spread of COVID-19,” the department said.
In April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said nationwide restrictions could be eased only when contact tracing capability is improved among others.
“If we can get that in place, if we can get our tracing capability up from where it is, then that is going to give us more options and Australians more freedoms,” Morrison said then.
On Wednesday morning, the PM warned people against overreacting to a coronavirus outbreak on a live export ship in Western Australia.
Six crew members of the vessel docked at Fremantle Port tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.
“We’ve got the systems in place and they can be managed and they can be protected,” Morrison told Sky News.