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MELBOURNE – Australia took a step closer to normal life on Sunday, opening some internal borders and easing restrictions in regions affected by COVID-19, as the vast majority of the country has seen no new infections or deaths in the community in weeks.
South Australia, which last week became the country’s infection epicenter, reported no new cases in the community and lifted a drastic lockdown ahead of schedule, with the state premier saying swift action had avoided the disaster.
The number of active cases in the state was 37 after an outbreak linked to a traveler returning from Britain forced 4,500 people to quarantine.
“We have avoided a catastrophic situation in our state by following the unambiguous health advice,” Premier Steven Marshall said at a news conference.
Neighboring Victoria, which has been battling the pandemic for months and where 90% of Australia’s 907 coronavirus-related deaths have been recorded, relaxed mask rules on Sunday, saying they are not required outside and allowed more public gatherings. large.
The state, which is home to an estimated 6.4 million people, hasn’t had any new infections in 23 days, a victory that came after a 111-day lockdown that kept people at home and most businesses closed.
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