What you need to know about COVID-19 today, Saturday April 11.

Australian cases under 110 for the second straight day.

Australia has recorded fewer than 110 new cases of COVID-19 for two consecutive days, showing even more positive signs that the spread of coronavirus is slowing significantly.

On Friday, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the growth rate across Australia is close to being less than one — a positive sign.

“Ideally, we want [the growth rate] to be below one. Less than one other person being infected after a person themselves has had the infection. Once you get to that point, the virus dies out. The epidemic dies out. And so, at the moment, we’re probably on the cusp of that in Australia,” the Deputy Chief Medical Officer said.

As of the morning of Saturday, April 11, there are 6,262 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia. There are 86 new cases since the 24 hours prior.

In NSW, there are 2,857 cases, Victoria has 1,265, Queensland has recorded 965, South Australia has 428, Western Australia has recorded 508, Tasmania has 111, there are 103 in the ACT and 27 in the Northern Territory.

Australia’s death toll rises to 56.

Two more people have died after testing positive to COVID-19, bringing the nation-wide coronavirus death toll to 56.

A woman in her 90s is NSW’s latest victim.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the death of the woman, who had a pre-existing medical condition, on Saturday — the state’s 23rd fatality — saying she had died overnight and her source of infection remains unknown.

A man in his 80s has died in a Victorian hospital from coronavirus, taking the state’s death toll to 14.

Heath Minister Jenny Mikakos announced the man’s death in a tweet on Saturday morning, revealing another 24 cases of the virus had been confirmed.

There are now 1,265 confirmed cases in Victoria, including 118 where community transmission is indicated to have occurred.

More than 40 people are in hospital including 15 in ICU.

“Our message is clear: stay at home,” Ms Mikakos tweeted.

There are 118 confirmed cases that may indicate community transmission. 44 people are in hospital, inc 15 in ICU. 986 people have recovered & more than 67,000 Victorians have been tested. Our message is clear: stay at home #springst 2/2

— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) April 11, 2020

The two deaths come as Australians are urged to stay home over the Easter long weekend.

Worldwide COVID-19 deaths surges past 100,000.

The worldwide death toll from COVID-19 has hit another sad milestone as it surges past 100,000, while confirmed infections have reached about 1.7 million.

It comes as the US is on track to overtake Italy as the country with the highest number of dead, though the true figures on infections and lives lost around the world are believed be much higher because of limited testing, government cover-ups and different counting practices.

In places such as New York, Italy and Spain, for example, many victims who died outside a hospital — say, in a house or a nursing home —have not been included in the count.

For several days, two of the globe’s other worst-hit places, Italy and Spain, reported that new infections, hospitalisations and deaths have been levelling off, even as the daily death tolls remain shocking.

Spain recorded 605 more deaths, its lowest figure in more than two weeks, bringing its overall toll to more than 15,800. Italy reported 570 additional deaths for a total of more than 18,800.

The United Kingdom continues to suffer from the pandemic, with their death toll rising by 980 in the past day, the biggest day rise to date.  The toll exceeded the deadliest day reported by Italy on March 28, the country worst hit by the coronavirus.

In Britain, 8,958 people have now died after testing positive to coronavirus.

Recovered South Korean patients test positive to COVID-19 again.

South Korean officials have reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again.

Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing on Friday the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.

South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still underway.

The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected populations will develop sufficient immunity to prevent a resurgence of the pandemic.

The South Korean figure had risen from 51 such cases on Monday.

Nearly 7,000 South Koreans have been reported as recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

“The number will only increase, 91 is just the beginning now,” said Kim Woo-joo, professor of infectious diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital.

The KCDC’s Jeong raised the possibility that rather than patients being re-infected, the virus may have been “reactivated”.

Kim also said patients had likely “relapsed” rather than been re-infected.

False test results could also be at fault, other experts said, or remnants of the virus could still be in patients’ systems but not be infectious or of danger to the host or others.

Don Harwin has resigned from cabinet.

NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin has been forced to quit cabinet, after it was revealed earlier this week he'd decamped to his Pearl Beach holiday home during the coronavirus crisis.

The minister on Thursday returned to his primary residence in Sydney on the premier's instructions before announcing his resignation on Friday evening.

He was fined $1,000 by NSW Police for relocating from Elizabeth Bay to Pearl Beach "in contravention of a current ministerial direction".

Mr Harwin argues he relocated in mid-March before the order was made.

"(But) there is nothing more important than the work of the government in fighting the coronavirus crisis," Mr Harwin said in a statement on Friday.

"I will not allow my circumstances to be a distraction from that work, and I very much regret that my residential arrangements have become an issue during this time."

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Mr Harwin had "appropriately resigned from cabinet".

It comes as NSW residents have been congratulated for staying at home this Easter when people would normally flock to holiday hotspots.

Some 45 people have copped $1,000 on-the-spot fines in the past 24 hours for breaching COVID-19 restrictions while eight people were charged, NSW Police says.

Read more: 

• 'Can I go to my holiday house?' What you can and can't do this Easter long weekend.
• 'Can I have COVID-19 without knowing?' What you need to know about asymptomatic cases.
• What causes a 'second wave' of disease outbreak, and could we see this in Australia?

- With AAP. 

To protect yourself and the community from COVID-19, remain in your home unless strictly necessary, keep at least 1.5 metres away from other people, regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your face.

If you are sick and believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your GP ahead of time to book an appointment. Or call the national Coronavirus Health Information Line for advice on 1800 020 080. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.

To keep up to date with the latest information, please visit the Department of Health website.

Feature Image: Getty.

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