Australia to trial opening parliament next month

Australia is planning a business-as-usual week of Parliament in May in an indication that the country is weathering the coronavirus pandemic better than the government had feared.

Parliament's schedule was scrapped a week into March and a scaled-down Parliament has sat on only two days since to pass billions of dollars in emergency economic stimulus measures. After the Parliament sat last week, lawmakers were not expected to convene in the national capital Canberra again before August. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday he will discuss with the opposition and state leaders arranging for lawmakers to return to Canberra for a "trial week of Parliament in May and that would be returning to the normal business of Parliament."

The aim of the trial is for Parliament to sit on a regular basis. Morrison also told reporters that current restrictions will remain for at least the next four weeks and any change will depend on the country having a broader testing regime, even greater tracing capability and a local response capability. He also warned Australians to prepare for "very sobering news on the economic front in months ahead."Obstacles include a shortage of domestic flights and most states demanding interstate travellers quarantine in hotels for two weeks. Australia has recorded 6,457 cases of COVID-19, mostly infected overseas, but new detections have recently slowed to fewer than 50 a day. The death toll stands at 63 on Thursday with 42 patients in intensive care.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.

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