Australia detected 66 COVID-related deaths and more than 53,000 infections in the previous 24 hours - far more than six months ago when daily numbers generally showed fewer than 20 deaths and 2,000 infections.
SYDNEY - Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away COVID-19 worries three days ahead of federal elections, claiming many reported deaths are not caused by the virus and vowing not to interfere in people's lives.
"What you see when you have case numbers at that level is that people, when they pass away for many other causes, that they will die with COVID," Morrison said. Australia reports a COVID-19 death for anyone who has a confirmed or probable infection with the virus when they die, unless there is a "clear alternative" cause of death."We're not going back to those daily press conferences of people talking about COVID every day and putting the threat of shutdowns and lockdowns and interfering in people's lives again," he added.
Opposition Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese, whose party is slightly ahead in the opinion polls despite a recent tightening in the race, said the pandemic remained a risk.