COVID-19 Australia: Epidemiology Report 24: Fortnightly reporting period ending 30 August 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2020.44.75Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, acute respiratory disease, epidemiology, AustraliaAbstract
• The number of new cases reported nationally this fortnight was 1,751, a 61% decrease from the previous fortnight (4,501). On average this represented 125 cases diagnosed each day over the reporting period, a decrease from 322 cases per day over the previous reporting period.
• 94% (1,640) of all cases were reported in Victoria, with a smaller number of cases reported from New South Wales (86), Queensland (19), Western Australia (5) and South Australia (1).
• In Victoria, the majority of cases (1,528; 93%) were locally acquired, with a further 112 (7%) under investigation at the time of analysis, but likely also to be locally acquired.
• Of the remaining 111 cases reported, 22 (20%) were overseas acquired; 82 (74%) were locally acquired, predominantly in NSW, and 7 (6%) were reported as under investigation.
• The continued decrease in new cases observed this fortnight in Victoria is likely associated with the enhanced public health measures that are currently in place in Victoria. Locally-acquired cases which were predominantly associated with several interconnected clusters continued to be reported in NSW. In Qld a cluster of cases associated with a youth detention centre was identified.
• A total of 26 deaths was reported from cases diagnosed in this reporting period, all from Victoria and aged 75 years or older.
• Testing rates remain high across all jurisdictions, with an overall positivity rate for the reporting period of 0.27%. Victoria reported a positivity rate of 0.90% for this reporting period; in all other jurisdictions the positivity rate was 0.03% or lower.
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