Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Health

Australia's largest state reports first local coronavirus case in weeks

FILE PHOTO: Tourists take in the view at a Three Sisters rock formation lookout in Blue Mountains National Park in the wake of regional travel re-opening as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions are eased in New South Wales, in Katoomba, Australia, June 5, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Australia's largest state of New South Wales on Saturday reported its first locally transmitted COVID-19 case since late May, a sign the threat from the pandemic is far from over as social distancing restrictions continue to be eased.

The state recorded four new coronavirus cases overnight, taking the total number in Australia to nearly 7,300.

The local case was a man in his 20s, and according to health authorities he did not attend any of the recent Black Lives Matter protests in Sydney.

"The virus is likely still circulating in the community. People with mild symptoms or no obvious symptoms can unknowingly pass the infection on to other people," NSW Health said.

Two of the four new cases were travellers who are already in hotel quarantine, while one was linked to a previously reported infection at a public school.

Australia has so far been successful in curbing the spread of the coronavirus, with many parts of the country claiming to have eliminated the disease already. The country has reported 102 deaths and is on track to fully re-open its economy by next month.

(Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.