Coronavirus Outbreak: Australia limits funerals to 10, weddings to 5 people

In a bid to contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, authorities in Australia announced that a maximum of ten people will be allowed to attend funerals and five to attend weddings. According to reports, the new rules will take effect at midnight on March 25. Australia has till now reported 2,317 cases of infection and eight deaths from the pandemic. 

According to reports, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison emerged from a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to announce a range of measures aimed at keeping social gatherings to a minimum. The government has already put the country on shutdown, closing pubs and places of worship in a bid to stop the virus from spreading.

On Tuesday, Morrison announced the shutdown would be extended to play centres, libraries, museums and a range of other public spaces, Australian media reported. Meanwhile, unlike in other countries, many schools remain open across the Australian territory. 

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Morrison pledged AUS $66.4 billion

This comes as Morrison pledged an additional AUS $66.4 billion (US $38.50 billion) in fiscal stimulus to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. The conservative government said in a press conference last week that it would pump AUS $105 billion, fuelling Canberra's stagnant economy as the country poised into a global recession after 29 years of thriving economic growth. 

According to the reports, AustralianTreasurer Josh Frydenberg predicted that the latest AUS $66 billion announced by Prime Minister Morrison will fetch the government and central bank measures to support the economy to at least 10% of gross domestic product (GDP), close to AUS $189 billion. 

The extraordinary times require extraordinary measures as the world faces a challenge like never seen before, he was quoted saying at a news conference. The announcement will provide hope and support for millions of Australians, he added. Speaking about the economic shock that the country is most likely to suffer because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, he reportedly said that it will be “deeper, wider, and longer” change.  

Image Credits: AP

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