Australian PM downplays coronavirus threat, says 'you can still go to cricket'

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that there is no need for the citizens to avoid public gatherings in the country amid threat of coronavirus epidemic. While addressing a press conference on the fear of coronavirus, Morrison said that there has not been any community transmission in Australia.

“There is no need for us to be moving towards not having mass gatherings of people,” said Morrison in a statement.

“You can still go to the football, you can still go to the cricket, you can still go and play with your friends down the street, you can go off to the concert, and you can go out for a Chinese meal,” he added.

The Liberal Party leader boasted that people take part in all such activities because Australia has “acted quickly” and got ahead of it in time. However, Morrison emphasised that the government need to elevate the response to stay ahead in the next phase. He also expressed concern about the economic implications of the health crisis.

“I said the other day, this is a health crisis, not a financial crisis. But it is a health crisis with very significant economic implications,” said Morrison.

Read: Iraq Confirms Sixth Case Of Coronavirus In The Country, Total Reaches 6

The 51-year-old Liberal leader reassured the Australian citizens that the 15 cases of coronavirus from Wuhan have now recovered and are back in the community. The other eight identified cases were from the Diamond Princess cruise which was quarantined off the Japanese coast for weeks.

Morrison also emphasised that though the World Health Organisation (WHO) is yet to declare the nature of the novel coronavirus, the risk of a global pandemic lies upon the government. “And as a result, as a government, we need to take the steps necessary to prepare for such a pandemic,” said the Australian Prime Minister.

Read: Japanese Woman Tested Positive For Coronavirus Second Time After Recovery

'Decline in rate'

The World Health Organisations (WHO) Director-General briefed the countries on February 26 on the threat of coronavirus epidemic and urged them to prioritise the protection of health workers who are worst-hit due to the exposure to the deadly virus. The WHO-China joint mission found that the epidemic peaked and plateaued between January 23 and February 2, and has been declining steadily since then.

Read: Donald Trump Mulls Travel Ban On Italy, South Korea As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Read: WHO: For The First Time, More Coronavirus Cases Reported Outside China Than Inside