The Informer: Australia, it's not just us

In Ireland where there has been a surge of cases, Prime Minister Micheal Martin delayed the end of the lockdown until August 10.

In Spain, too, three weeks after emerging from lockdown the stats are heading north while in Venezuela, four days after announcing a loosening of restrictions, localised lockdown measures were reimposed. That included a "radical quarantine" in the capital Caracas. In Hong Kong and Japan authorities, too, are on high alert.

At home Victoria recorded 317 new coronavirus cases, the 11th consecutive day of a triple-digit increase and the biggest daily total in Australia since the start of the pandemic. Two men in their 80s died of the virus, bringing the state's death toll to 29 and Australia's to 113.

Health authorities in NSW are concerned the virus that has spread from Sydney's Crossroads Hotel to at least 40 people is even more infectious than previously seen during the pandemic. That, plus a series of unconnected cases, is particularly worrisome.

If the numbers are of mega-interest to you, the much-lauded Johns Hopkins University virus resource centre is where you need to be. It has cases worldwide at more than 13.5 million and deaths in excess of 584,000.

In COVID-related news, PM Scott Morrison says Australia is in uncharted waters as unemployment continues to climb.

The national jobless rate has hit its worst level in 22 years, with nearly one million people out of work.

But the "effective rate", which factors in people working zero hours and those who have dropped out of the workforce, is even more depressing - standing at 13.3 per cent.

The vague good news is that some economists believe the jobless peak has been reached.

Talking about peaks ... remember the World War II veteran who walked laps of his garden for health service charities - Captain Sir Tom Moore? He raised the odd $A59.5 million.

Well, he will be knighted by the Queen in his own personal ceremony at Windsor Castle on Friday.

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