Coronavirus: Australian students return to school as death toll reaches 100

SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Children in Australia's most populated state will return to school full-time next week, a major step towards normalising public life since the coronavirus pandemic, as the nation on Tuesday (May 19) recorded its 100th fatality from the disease.

While a grim milestone, Australia's death toll remains well below the fatalities reported in North America, Europe and other parts of Asia despite the Pacific country's earlier exposure to the pandemic.

The 100th fatality was a 93-year-old woman from a care home outside Sydney, the origin of 19 deaths, local media reported.

The directive from New South Wales (NSW) Premier Gladys Berejiklian lifts childcare responsibilities for the parents and carers of around 800,000 children in public schools as Australia seeks to stem a surge in unemployment and restart the economy.

"From now on, we don't ever want to see a situation where all schools are closed," Ms Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

The decision caught the state's teachers union by surprise, with Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos saying it "caused a lot of concern, frustration and anger among teachers and principals."

"They turned themselves inside out, not once, not twice, but repeatedly, trying to come to terms with this crisis and fulfilling their professional and social and moral responsibilities," Mr Gavrielatos told Australian Broadcasting Corp television.

"Schools are complex places," he added. "It's not like turning a tap on and off."

Australia's states and territories are beginning to allow more public activity under a three-step federal government plan to end two months of shutdowns that officials have credited with keeping the country's exposure to the pandemic relatively low.

The Reserve Bank of Australia warned on Tuesday (May 19) the country is facing a "significant" and "unprecedented" economic contraction, though massive fiscal and monetary policy stimulus would help cushion the blow.

Minutes of the RBA's meeting earlier this month showed the baseline case was for gross domestic product to fall by 10 per cent in the first half and 6 per cent for all of 2020.

Changes in New South Wales are being closely watched as the state accounts for more than 40 per cent of Australia's 7,060 confirmed Covid-19 infections, and almost half the 100 deaths nationally.

In neighbouring Victoria, the resumption of school was continuing on a staggered basis, with full-time lessons for all pupils not due to resume until early next month.

Australia's rate of new daily infections peaked on March 23 with 430 cases, according to the Reuters tally. New cases have averaged about 15 a day over the past week.

Australia's mortality rate for those with the disease is just over 1 per cent, compared with around 6 per cent for the United States where around 89,000 people have died, 14 per cent for the United Kingdom and Italy and 15 per cent for France.

One of the few countries to provide detailed data on the progression of the reported cases beyond death statistics, Australia's recovery rate stands at just over 90 per cent.

Meanwhile, Qantas Airways Ltd said it could restart 40-50 per cent of its domestic capacity in July if states relax border controls, and expects to offer low and flexible fares without social distancing measures to stimulate travel demand.

The airline will introduce measures on board from June 12 such as providing masks and cleaning wipes to ensure safe travel and give passengers peace of mind during the pandemic, but will not leave middle seats empty.