Coronavirus could be ELIMINATED in Australia with the disease due to 'die out' in weeks as the world suffers a second deadly wave – but two crucial benchmarks must be met
Coronavirus could be eliminated in Australia if Victoria and New South Wales continue to their low case numbers, experts have said.
The two states have been responsible for 90 per cent of the 27,645 cases diagnosed since February.
But with Victoria celebrating its eighth day with no cases and deaths and NSW recording only one locally transmitted case, the possibility of elimination is looming.
Experts have said the country needs to do two things in order to declare that victory.
Coronavirus could be eliminated in Australia if Victoria and New South Wales continue to have low case numbers (pictured, greeter wearing as mask at the Sydney Opera House on Nov 1)
Experts have said the country needs to do two things in order to declare that victory (pictured, woman at St Kilda beach on November 3 as restrictions eased)
La Trobe University Epidemiologist Hassan Vally said new cases need to be contained.
'NSW is the model, we have a low number of cases, the public health response stamps on any clusters and you keep everything under control,' he told the ABC.
'No-one knows what will happen over the next week in Victoria, but it's not outside the bounds of possibility that we will see zero cases for another week or so and then technically we've eliminated the virus.'
He said Victoria's lockdown was about suppression rather than elimination.
Meanwhile the chair of epidemiology at Deakin University, Catherine Bennett, believes the key is continuing to trace known cases.
'Even if the virus is out there, it is more likely to die out than spread,' she said.
Professor Bennett said New South Wales had one advantage when Victoria became the worst-infected state in the country - it had a heads up.
Dr Vally added once so many cases are diagnosed it is impossible for any health system to properly contact trace.
It comes as countries around the world experience a second wave of COVID-19.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed a month-long lockdown in England would begin on Thursday,.
La Trobe University Epidemiologist Hassan Vally said new cases need to be contained (pictured, men carry a cooler to a park in Melbourne as restrictions eased on November 3)
The UK saw 23,287 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed on November 6.
France has had a steady climb in cases since September, but after 33,000 new cases were confirmed on a single day, President Emmanuel Macron declared a lockdown until mid-November.
People are only allowed to leave their home for medical reasons or essential business under these rules.
Greece has also been forced to usher in partial lockdown after a spike of cases since the middle of October.
Businesses such as theatres, museums and hospitality businesses will also be asked to close.