Australia's COVID-19 epicenter reports no deaths from virus for first time in 2 months

The result will buoy optimism that a stringent lockdown of nearly 5 million people for nearly seven weeks has curtailed the spread of COVID-19.

Who writes this stuff?  The article says there were 42 cases (a small increase from previous day), so clearly the spread is still going on.

The no deaths is great news and precisely the reason why focusing cases as opposed to bad outcomes is so ridiculous.  If no one died from the (say) 700 cases in August then clearly treatment is getting better or the reported cases were in less vulnerable people.

The haphazard way this has been dealt with and reported is in large measure the cause of the mass hysteria that has attended this whole episode.

At what cost?

Before praising Australian government please read below:

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/australians-stuck-abroad-covid/index.html

Yup. It's almost as if we limit the chance of spreading the virus we limit the spread of the virus.

@AG: How about 200,000 not dead people that America / Trump can't say

Well done Melbourne. Keep up the great work.

Totally agree @gogogo, however it is taking extreme measures that should not be taken this way, ruining people’s lives unnecessarily.

It is important/crucial to protect (all) its citizens and residents. After all that is the primary responsibility of any government.

Just open its borders to its citizens and residents - as Japan did - with precautionary measures such as PCR test upon arrival and compulsory self quarantine.

I am confident if Australia followed the same example the numbers would be as low as they are now.

Just open its borders to its citizens and residents - as Japan did

Australia is open to citizens and partners, residents and other visa holders. Some are unable to get in due to hardly any flights in (and those that are, are extortionately pricey. )

Where are you getting this misinformation that Australian borders are not open to residents?

AG: I think you misread, they were never shut for locals, nothing stopping citizens or residents returning to Australia (if you can find a flight).

Finally some slow cautious talk of easing restrictions. No matter how prudent, proactive and effective this hard shut down may have been ( and we’ll never know what the landscape would’ve looked like without it), it seems that two months at home is the limit for outdoors, bbq loving Aussies.

People were seriously starting to go stir crazy, and the frustrations were bubbling. Lots of anger and angst. Memes such as the Victorian PM, who made the difficult call in a difficult time, in a nazi uniform started to pop up. No matter what has to be done for the greater good, it seems people have their limit.

Number of Deaths from lockdown suicides please.