Australia eases some COVID-19 borders towards normal

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia took one step closer to normal life on Sunday, opening some internal borders and easing restrictions in areas affected by COVID-19, as the vast majority of the country did not hear any news community infection and no deaths for weeks.

South Australia, which last week became the country’s epicenter of infections, reported no new cases in the community and lifted a drastic lockdown earlier than expected, with the state prime minister saying that swift action had averted disaster.

The number of active cases in the state stood at 37 after an outbreak linked to the return of a traveler from Britain forced 4,500 people into quarantine.

“We have avoided a catastrophic situation in our state by following unequivocal health advice,” Premier Steven Marshall said at a media availability.

Neighbor Victoria, who has fought the pandemic for months and where 90% of Australia’s 907 coronavirus-related deaths have been recorded, relaxed his mask rules on Sunday, saying they are not needed outside and has allowed larger public gatherings.

The state, home to around 6.4 million people, has had no new infections for 23 days, a victory that came after a 111-day lockdown that kept people in their homes and most businesses closed.

New South Wales, the most populous state with a quarter of Australia’s 24 million, reported no new cases in the community on Sunday for a 15th day in a row. The state will open its border with Victoria on Monday.

There have been 12 new cases reported across Australia among travelers in hotel quarantine. The country, which closed its external borders early, is limiting international arrivals and requiring a two-week hotel quarantine for arriving travelers.

With just over 27,800 cases, Australia has done better than most other developed countries in the fight against COVID-19, thanks to its aggressive response. As of Sunday, there were around 88 active cases nationwide.