Criminal investigation to be launched as Ruby Princess coronavirus death toll rises to 11

Image: Steven Saphore/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Four more people have died of COVID-19 in Australia, bringing the national coronavirus death toll to 34.

Four men, aged 91, 80, 76 and 61, died in NSW overnight. Three of them were passenger on board the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

A 78-year-old Queensland man, who was also a passenger on board the ship, has also died.

The new deaths bring the Ruby Princess death toll to 11. More than 620 cases of COVID-19 have now been attributed to the cruise ship.

NSW Police confirm there will be a criminal investigation into how thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark from the ship.

The Ruby Princess is the last cruise ship still in NSW, after five others departed this weekend.

It is currently in waters off Sydney’s coast with hundreds of crew members stranded on board awaiting COVID-19 test results.