Australia uses saliva test to test for virus

Melbourne: Health authorities are using what they describe as a world-first saliva test for coronavirus in Australia's second-largest city where the disease is spreading at an alarming rate.

Officials said that 49 people tested positive to Covid-19 in Melbourne on Sunday and only four cases were detected elsewhere in Australia.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said, “l think it's a genuine challenge now. I think we're right at the edge in terms of being able to manage it”.

Melbourne and Sydney, Australia's largest city, began with the largest numbers of cases because of the large numbers of international travellers they receive, Sutton said.