Australia’s coronavirus outbreak raises alarm over online child sex abuse

From Europe to Asia, cases of online child sexual abuse have soared during coronavirus lockdowns as children spend more time online, making them more vulnerable to abusers. — Dreamstime/TNS

KUALA LUMPUR: Australian police on July 22 warned “insidious” online predators were targeting new child victims after a surge in coronavirus infections put the country’s second-largest city under partial lockdown.

Australian health authorities said it could take weeks to tame the Covid-19 outbreak after hundreds of new cases reported in the state of Victoria, whose capital Melbourne is in partial lockdown.