Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Davey for the question. In Australia, as at 10.30 am this morning there are 5,977 confirmed cases of coronavirus and, sadly, as at 6.30 am this morning there have now been 49 deaths. Globally we have seen over 1.4 million confirmed cases, and over 81,865 lives have now been lost.

Our priority as a government is to flatten the curve and to reduce the number of cases. Australia's health emergency responses are flexible and scalable so that we can respond effectively to the evolving situation. We are well placed to respond to ill travellers and those at risk of contracting infection, with border isolation, surveillance and contact-tracing mechanisms already in place.

We have one of the world's leading testing programs, with just over 313,000 tests conducted in Australia—one of the highest per capita rates of testing in the world. The national cabinet, on receipt of the expert medical advice, is continuing to coordinate a national response, working with the states and territories. We have taken further steps to enforce social-distancing measures, we have implemented further travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus and we have more than 220 fever clinics up and running around the country.

The rates of new cases in Australia have been declining over the past few weeks, which is an encouraging sign. However, as we all know, now is not the time for complacency, and Australians must continue to practise social-distancing measures. Again, as we approach the Easter long weekend, the message to all of us is clear: stay at home this Easter and help save lives.