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What you need to know about COVID-19 today, Monday April 20.

Queensland records no new cases.

The Queensland Government has confirmed there have been no new cases of coronavirus overnight – a first in 81 days.

“This is an absolutely tremendous effort,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“Our total still sits at 1019 and if we can keep this up over the coming weeks, I’m sure that is going to mean that we will be able to make some changes and ease some of those restrictions on the populations.”

880 overseas Aussies headed to Adelaide.

Almost 900 Australians will be flown into Adelaide from overseas over the next two days, with authorities vowing to closely monitor them during their 14 day quarantine.

A repatriation flight from India carrying 440 people will possibly stop in Singapore and Indonesia before arriving in the South Australian capital today.

Those on board will be quarantined at the Pullman Hotel for two weeks.

WATCH: The PM has no plans to change restrictions for another month. Post continues after video.

Video by 9News

Another flight carrying the same numbers will arrive on Tuesday.

SA Health chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the 880 people would be tested after they disembarked, and would be monitored daily for symptoms.

“We will not be risking the health and wellbeing of our population,” she told reporters on Sunday.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said about 45 officers would monitor the building to ensure people don’t leave prematurely.

Elective surgeries like IVF to be discussed this week.

Australian leaders will soon weigh up whether certain elective surgeries, such as IVF, should resume but have stressed it is too soon to relax other coronavirus measures.

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Elective surgery is likely to be on the agenda when federal, state and territory leaders meet to discuss COVID-19 on Tuesday or Thursday, Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed.

Such surgeries could resume at an earlier date than had previously been thought possible because the federal government has secured more personal protection equipment for healthcare workers, he said.

Laboratroy technician fertilizing an egg
The federal government will consider re-starting elective surgery like IVF this week. Image: Getty.

That includes an extra 100 million masks set to be distributed over the next six weeks.

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He says he is hopeful the nation's medical expert panel and the national cabinet can make decisions on elective surgery within the week.

"In particular I know that the prime minister and myself have been very focused on IVF as an important and indispensable treatment," Mr Hunt said yesterday.

"So we are hopeful that over the course of this week, there will be some positive news."

"That is an important part of our capacity and an important part of the road out for Australians," he said.

$127 million raised for WHO with global concert.

Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones are just three of dozens of artists who took part in an 8-hour show called One World: Together at Home over the weekend, raising $127 million for the World Health Organisation.

Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon hosted the show.

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"To all of our frontline healthcare workers, we are with you. Thank you for being there for us," an on-screen caption read at the start of the show.

'The Prayer' was the climax of the show - performed with a four part harmony by Gaga, John Legend, Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli.

Keith Urban, Billie Eilish, Mick Jagger, Elton John, and Little Mix were just some of the other performances.

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Human trials begin on vaccine in the UK.

Trials of a vaccine that could protect against COVID-19 are to begin in the UK.

Work on the vaccine, developed by clinical teams at the University of Oxford's Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, began in January.

Now a study involving up to 510 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 55 is to get under way.

The UK now joins only the US and China in beginning human trials.

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Professor Saul Faust, director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility at University Hospital Southampton, said: "There are not currently any licensed vaccines or specific treatments for COVID-19 but vaccines are the most effective way of controlling outbreaks and the international community has stepped up efforts towards developing one.

"This vaccine aims to turn the virus' most potent weapon, its spikes, against it - raising antibodies that stick to them allowing the immune system to lock on to and destroy the virus."

It is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) from chimpanzees that has been genetically changed so it is impossible for it to grow in humans.

Restrictions relaxed on some Sydney beaches.

Some eastern suburbs beaches in Sydney are reopening for exercise only - including Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly.

Locals are already taking advantage of the news.

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However further along in Bondi the restrictions remain in place, much to the anger of some locals.

There was a dramatic arrest in the popular tourist destination yesterday - a local was pinned to the ground by two police officers for being "quarrelsome and argumentative" and walking through a fenced off area near the beach.

Bondi local
Local dramatically arrested in Bondi for ignoring social distancing rules. Image: Ryan Jaye/Facebook.
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US death toll surpasses 40,000.

The death toll in America is over 40,000. It's the hardest hit country, with nearly a quarter of all deaths reported globally.

The country reached 20,000 deaths on April 11, indicating a sharp uptick despite emerging signs the rate of infection has started to flatten in some areas.

In New York - the epicentre - they're finally seeing a downward trajectory in deaths.

There are currently more than 6000 cases of coronavirus in Australia, and 71 fatalities.

The current COVID-19 figures.

China defends coronavirus claims.

A lawsuit for more than $6 trillion has been lodged against China accusing the Chinese Communist Party of negligence, lies and cover-up.

The class action suit brought by the Berman Law Group in Florida against the Chinese Communist Party has so far signed up 10,000 people.

The lawsuit claims China knew about the virus, and failed to contain it or tell the world about it.

There are also claims re-emerging (from the United States) that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab.

The head of the Institute of Virology says "there's no way this virus came out of us" pointing out that none of his staff had been infected with coronavirus.

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Drug trade taking a hit.

Coronavirus has severed supply chains with China that the illegal drug trade relies on to do business.

Traffickers rely on chemicals such as methamphetamine and fentanyl - and one of their biggest suppliers is Wuhan.

The US-Mexico border is usually teeming with illegal trade - but not anymore - and the price of drugs that are still available have soared.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration has also reported a decrease in money laundering and online drug sales on the 'dark web'.

- With AAP

Feature image: Global Citizen/Getty.

To protect yourself and the community from COVID-19, 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.


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