55 AUSSIES IN INTENSIVE CARE
It comes as at least 55 Australians are currently fighting for their lives in intensive care after contracting severe cases of coronavirus.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said the COVID-19 situation globally was now a “major” pandemic, even as the rate of infection appeared to be decreasing in Australia.
“In Australia, we now have 4093 cases, for sure there will be more announced today and, unfortunately 16 of our fellow Australians have now died,” he said.
“There is some good news in those figures … we have noticed a decrease in the number of cases in terms of the increase every day.”
Prof Kelly said there were currently 55 people in ICU as of Monday.
“We still have a lot of capacity in our intensive care units for those people who need that extra care,” he said.
Prof Kelly said the social distancing measures from about two weeks ago, including banning large crowds, stopping international travel and closing non-essential businesses were starting to have an impact.
“Very few people … are coming back from overseas now and that is decreasing the numbers we are getting from that,” he said.
“A large number of people have come from a cruise ships, over 300 – of which almost 200 from the Ruby Princess.
“So they have been large numbers over recent times but that the stabilisation of numbers is what we are looking to do that flattening of the curve so that we can have enough hospital and intensive care resources over the coming weeks if indeed we need those.”
