pile of surgical face masks
(Image: Adobe)

Australia watch

While new daily case numbers are back below 300 for yesterday, aged care continues as the epicentre of the outbreak in Melbourne. There were 295 new cases confirmed this morning, but another nine deaths -- seven of whom are connected to aged care homes.

Victoria is desperately trying to get people out of aged care facilities, and has enlisted the help of the Australian medical assistance team, dubbed the “SAS of the medical world” by Health Minister Greg Hunt.

But the crisis is starting to upend the entire health system in Victoria -- yesterday Premier Daniel Andrews suspended most elective surgery as part of a plan to free up hospital beds.