Australia has once again become the envy of the world after recording zero local cases of coronavirus across the entire country in the past 24 hours.
There are still a handful of active cases lingering around the country, but they pale in comparison to the pandemic’s impact in places such as the US and the UK.
Fears had recently escalated that a highly contagious UK strain of the virus would lead to more lockdowns after a Brisbane quarantine hotel cleaner tested positive.
Six people – four quarantining guests, a cleaner and her partner – contracted the mutant strain sparking concerns it may have been spread into other states but efficient contact tracing has forced any potential contacts into isolation.
While thousands of potentially infected returning travellers arriving everyday, a strict hotel quarantine program has helped Australia fight the deadly pandemic with the country’s death toll sitting at just 909.
On a day that saw no cases in Australia, the UK recorded its deadliest day yet with 1,564 confirmed fatalities, while the US had a record 4,327 deaths on Tuesday.
Australia has once again become the envy of the world after recording zero local cases of coronavirus across the entire country in the past 24 hours (two girls hang out at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne this week)
A health care worker is seen testing people at a drive-through clinic in Brisbane
Australia has nearly returned to normal after seeing infection rates drop dramatically (pictured friends have a drink in Melbourne)
After the record number in deaths, the British government’s top scientist warned Covid-19 deaths won’t fall for ‘some weeks’.
UK Department of Health figures show the daily laboratory-confirmed death toll has risen 50 per cent week-on-week, with data suggesting the total number of coronavirus victims – both suspected and confirmed – has now passed the 100,000 mark.
Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the high level of infections were only going to continue.
‘It’s not going to come down quickly even if the measures that are in place now start to reduce the infection numbers,’ he said.
‘So we’re in for a pretty grim period, I’m afraid.’
More than three million infections have been recorded in the UK as England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are thrown into a strict lockdown.
The rates of infections and deaths in the UK have grown with experts warning they will continue to increase
A man is seen walking through a quiet street in London on Wednesday during England’s third lockdown
A woman runs through the Brockwell park in London on Wednesday during England’s strict lockdown amid the pandemic
On a day that saw no cases in Australia, the UK recorded its deadliest day yet with 1,564 confirmed fatalities (pictured in London on Wednesday)
Meanwhile, in the US new homegrown ‘super-covid’ variants that are more infectious than the most common coronavirus types are spreading like wildfire in at least one state, Ohio scientists claim.
One of the new, more infectious variants has already become dominant in Columbus, Ohio, where it was discovered.
A second variant has mutations identical to the UK variant’s, but arose completely independently on American soil, according to Ohio State University scientists. Just one person with this variant has been found.
Scientists are certain both American variants are more infectious, but don’t know yet whether they will be immune to vaccines or how sick those who have caught it will become.
The US recorded a staggering 4,327 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to more than 380,000 – more than the past 10 flu seasons combined.
The seven-day rolling average for deaths is now at more than 3,200 per day.
People who are eligible are seen waiting in line to receive a coronavirus vaccine in New York on January 10
People wait in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site in a parking lot for Disneyland Resort in California
In the first 12 days of this month, 34,534 Americans have already died of COVID. That toll is more than the entire monthly totals recorded from June to November last year.
In total, a staggering 23 million people have fallen ill with the disease.
The last time Australia recorded no local transmission of the virus was at the start of November.
There are now just 275 active cases across the entire country with the majority coming from NSW, with 173 active infections.
Even within these few cases, more than half are in hotel quarantine.
Australia has notably done better than other places around the world and while the population is lower, the success is mainly attributed to the strict measures enforced by the government immediately after the World Health Organisation declared a pandemic.
The borders were closed to all non-residents on March 20 and social distancing rules were introduced.
Anyone arriving from overseas were made to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel funded by the government. This later changed to guests having to pay for their own stay.
While outbreaks popped up in cities like Melbourne and Brisbane, state premiers didn’t think twice before locking down suburbs in bids to stop the spread.
Melbourne residents were thrown into a highly strict 112-day lockdown during its disastrous second wave which saw deaths in the state skyrocket to 820.
One of the strictest lockdowns in the world was placed onto South Australia in November when fears a new strain of the virus had been spread via a pizza box.
The state was meant to be locked down for six days but after it was revealed the virus had been transmitted through person-to-person contact, the lockdown was cut short.
Recently Brisbane was plunged into a three-day lockdown after the hotel cleaner tested positive to the UK strain of the virus.
Masks are also mandatory in public indoor spaces and on public transport in Victoria, Brisbane and Greater Sydney.
As Australia continues to see cases drop, life has almost returned back to normal as people are allowed to gather in groups and head to the beach (pictured Streets Beach in Brisbane)
Beachgoers are seen enjoying a day in the sun at Coogee Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Wednesday
Even crowds are allowed to gather at sports games thanks to Australia’s efficient response to the Covid-19 pandemic (pictured crowd at Big Bash in Canberra on Wednesday)
Masks are also mandatory on planes across the country, as well as airports.
As Australian infections continue to drop, more and more cases are popping up across the globe.
South Africa has closed its land borders to combat the disease which has killed more than 4,600 residents since New Year’s Eve.
In total, more than 33,000 lives have been lost and over a million infections recorded.
As the country grapples to deal with its highly infectious strain of the virus, hospitals have been overrun with patients with some having to be treated in makeshift emergency tents.
Similar scenes have been seen in Japan with the country battling a third wave which resulted in more than 7,000 new cases in the last three days.
A state of emergency was placed for Tokyo and ten of its surrounding prefectures, as more than 60,000 people seek treatment in hospital and restaurants are ordered to close by 8pm.
While a day without any local cases may seem impossible for other countries battling the virus, for Australia it’s slowly becoming the new normal.
Beachgoers soak up some sunshine at Coogee Beach in Sydney as temperatures soared across the city on Wednesday
Shoppers are seen wearing masks in Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre under current government restrictions
A couple are seen kissing as they bring in the New Year at Federation Square during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Melbourne
Friends dance together as they welcome the new year in St Kilda, Melbourne on New Year’s Eve
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