Australian divisions over coronavirus put pressure on PM

FILE PHOTO: Pedestrians wear protective face masks amidst fears of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sydney, Australia, March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) - On the burning question of whether Australian schools should close as coronavirus cases increase, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was adamant: "Children should go to school."

Morrison emerged from a special meeting of state and territory leaders on Sunday evening to urge parents to keep children in class, even as non-essential services including restaurants and cinemas shut.