PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has warned Australians that the current pandemic situation is  likely to last at least six months, and that we have to adapt. 

As of middy today, Moira and Greater Shepparton shires each have eight confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

Mr Morrison said the thresholds to ease restrictions on gatherings, travel arrangements and more were things that can’t be known at this point.

“I really want Australians to understand that we need to be in this for that haul. It will be months,” he said.

He acknowledged that the pandemic has created a ‘new normal’ for Australians, but it was something we would have to adapt to.

“We need to make changes that we can live with and that we can implement day after day, week after week, month after month.”

Worldwide, confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 1,000,000 overnight - a doubling from 500,000 in just eight days. 

As of 6am today, Australian cases were recorded as 5,2204.

Victoria has 1,085 confirmed cases - an increase of 49 cases in the past 24 hours -  of which 866 are in Melbourne and 205 in regional Victoria. A number of cases remain under investigation.

Currently 37 people are in hospital – including seven patients in intensive care – and 476 people have recovered.

 Mr Morrison said that while many states have managed to ‘push the curve down’, ultimately, there needs to be a vaccine, and that Australia is continuing to work with other countries along those lines.

He said investing in a vaccine was a key focus of all countries and G20 leaders.

“We’re all investing everything we can to find that vaccine, but not just the vaccine, but to improve the treatments that are available, the anti-viral treatments.

“A vaccine ultimately enables everybody to go back to life as it was,” he said.

“In the meantime, we’d have to be careful that if we are ever to ease restrictions that we just wouldn’t then see a rush on the virus again and our worst fears realised.”