Australians told not to go to ‘mass gatherings’ after coronavirus crisis talks
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has confirmed he has coronavirus after a US trip in which he mingled with Ivanka Trump. It comes after Scott Morrison backflipped on plans to attend the opening round of the NRL amid a ban on mass gatherings.
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Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has tested positive to coronavirus in a shock development that will cause chaos for the nation’s leadership
Mr Dutton, 48, woke up this morning “with a temperature and sore throat” and got tested.
“I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive,” he said in a statement.
“It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice.”
“I feel fine and will provide an update in due course.”
Mr Dutton had just returned from a trip to the United States.
He had held meetings with his Five Eyes intelligence counterparts in Washington on protecting kids online from exploitation and abuse.
It is presumed that Mr Dutton picked up the virus during the US trip, in which he met Ivanka Trump and many senior members of the Trump White House.
Yesterday 🇦🇺 Home Affairs @PeterDutton_MP joins @IvankaTrump, Attorney General Barr & our five eyes partners 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇿 to fight online child exploitation. We heard from 9 brave survivors & announced principles that technology companies should implement to protect children online pic.twitter.com/3ifeJnGJPI
— Australia in the US 🇦🇺🇺🇸 (@AusintheUS) March 6, 2020
His result has prompted concern that other members of the government and parliament might also have the virus.
A spokesperson for the prime minister said Mr Dutton has been isolated according to the policies of Queensland Health.
“Queensland Health will undertake the appropriate contact tracing,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Mr Dutton attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Federal Cabinet in person and Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Committee via video link.
“In advice provided to the Prime Minister this evening, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer has reiterated that only people who had close contact with the Minister in the preceding 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to self-isolate.
“That does not include the Prime Minister or any other members of the Cabinet.”
PM BACKFLIPS ON NRL PLANS AFTER BAN ON MASS EVENTS
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will not be going to the opening round of the NRL this weekend.
Just hours after insisting he would be at the “footy” this weekend before a ban on mass events with crowds larger than 500 people comes into effect on Monday, Mr Morrison backed out.
A spokesman said the decision was made after “further consideration and the potential for the Prime Minister’s attendance to be misrepresented”.
“The Prime Minister has chosen not to attend the match this weekend,” the spokesman said .
“The Prime Minister believes this would avoid any unnecessary confusion about his attendance.”
The spokesman said Mr Morrison did not want to create “any unnecessary alarm” as a result of announcing the ban on large events.
“The Prime Minister today said he would be attending the Sharks’ first NRL match because he wanted to make it very clear that the medical advice from the experts about mass gatherings of more than 500 people was not taking immediate effect,” the spokesman said.
“The PM made the point the advice was being introduced after the weekend so the medical experts could finalise their arrangements and that there was no serious immediate health risk to Australians attending such events over the weekend.”
The move comes after Chief Health Officer Professor Brendan Murphy urged the extraordinary action to combat the coronavirus crisis at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in Sydney today.
But Mr Morrison said it does not apply to schools or universities.
“It does not mean people getting on public transport or going to airports or things of that nature,” he said.
“These events that we are seeking to advise against and restrict our four non-essential, organised gatherings of persons of 500 or more.
“There will be many issues to work through between now and Monday as we get the precise advice about the implementation of that advice to Australians around the country.”
Health authorities are continuing to work through the best social distancing strategies.
But contrary to this, Australian Medical Association president Dr Tony Bartone has advised people not to wait until Monday to cease attending mass events.
He said “every day we delay in acting on the necessary need to reduce and cancel attendance we will see a significant increase,“ he said.
“My advice to Australian is as follows, clearly if you have any respiratory symptoms you should not be going out into any mass gatherings this weekend or at any stage from now.,” he said.
“Number two I would advise ... patients in the community to make a decision and consider whether they should attend and rather than waiting for Monday make the necessary steps now,” he said.
Australia’s Department of Defence has created a task force for the military’s response to the coronavirus.
Lieutenant General John Frewen, the deputy director of the Australian Signals Directorate, is leading the task force, a Defence spokesman has confirmed to AAP.
The nation’s leaders have also agreed to form a “national cabinet” – including the Prime Minister, state premiers and chief ministers – to meet weekly and co-ordinate their response to the crisis.
The advice to cancel non-essential mass gatherings is expected to be reviewed daily, but at this stage an end-date for the extraordinary measure has not been set.
It will be considered by the new national cabinet, which will hold its first meeting on Sunday.
Mr Morrison said the government’s plan was designed to slow the spread of the virus, which had been successful so far, putting Australia in a better position than other countries.
“But we’ve always known that the number of cases would rise,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the advice from Monday was part of a stepped response.
But he said he was still intending on going to his NRL team’s game where the Cronulla Sharks are set to play the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday afternoon.
“We are not of great concern right now in terms of where those gatherings might be today, but in the weeks ahead, this will change,” he said.
“The fact that I would still be going on Saturday speaks not just to my passion for my beloved Sharks, it might be the last game I get to go to for a long time. That’s fine.”
It follows the decision to cancel the Grand Prix in Melbourne after Victoria’s first recorded case of community transmission of the virus.
EVENTS CANCELLED, AUDIENCES BANNED
The CMC Rocks QLD team have called off the annual festival in Willowbank, QLD next week.
“As a result of the Australian Government’s announcement this afternoon, holding the festival is now infeasible and as such, the March festival cannot proceed as planned,” festival organisers posted.
“Ticketholders are advised to hold onto their tickets; we’re working to reschedule to October. Anyone who is unable to attend the new dates will be entitled to a full refund.”
Meanwhile, the Wine Machine festival will go ahead in the Hunter Valley this weekend, according to a statement from organisers this evening.
But the remainder dates have now been shifted to later in the year with the Swan Valley show on October 17, Canberra on October 24 and Yarra Valley on October 31.
The tickets to these events will be honoured for the rescheduled October dates.
All ticket holders have been notified of the postponement by email with further details and instructions.
And Scottish music legend Midge Ure has posted his assurance his remaining Australian shows will go ahead but advised fans to keep on eye on his social media accounts for last minute changes.
ABC boss David Anderson has suspended live audiences for any broadcast and for all locations, from Monday, a staff memo confirms.
That includes flagship news affairs panel program Q&A that the Herald Sun revealed was considering the move ahead of Monday’s school special.
Producers of next Monday’s episode about the increasing threat of coronavirus will have to work out how to get audience questions to the panelists without them physically being present.
Tours of ABC facilities, including school tours and public tours of ABC sites, including Ultimo, have also been suspended until further notice, amid the rolling changes forced by coronavirus fears.
Non-essential visitors and meetings at ABC facilities have been postponed until further notice, while all non-essential domestic travel will be cancelled. This follows management’s earlier directive to cancel any overseas travel.
No cases of COVID-19 have been identified within the ABC.
AUSSIES IN ASPEN VIRUS OUTBREAK
Meantime, nine Australians who were travelling in Aspen tested positive for the coronavirus as a top infection control expert has hit out at Scott Morrison for encouraging people to attend mass events.
The tourists are all aged in their 50s, 60s and 70s and have been placed in isolation in their hotels. They were travelling with a 21-year-old Australian woman who tested positive for the coronavirus. They are in isolation in their hotels in the ski town after exhibiting symptoms.
Pitkin County public health confirmed test results for one more person who was also in the group of Australians is pending.
The tests are considered presumptive positives because they haven’t been confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“These visitors are currently in quarantine,” said Karen Koenemann, Pitkin County public health director.
“(State public health department) staff, in conjunction with Pitkin County Public Health, are monitoring people who may have been exposed. … We hope that these folks recover quickly and there is no additional spread in Pitkin County.”
“They have been extremely cooperative and gracious under difficult circumstances,” Aspen Snowmass Communications Vice President Jeff Hanle said.
“We hope that they all have a quick and complete recovery.”
Ms Koenemann said a further three Australians refused to take a coronavirus test.
“They did not give reasons why they didn’t want to be tested,” Koenemann told the Denver Post.
The Little Nell, one of Aspen’s most exclusive hotels, confirmed it had two guests in isolation with coronavirus online.
“The couple is sharing a guest room and have been self-isolating since Sunday, March 8,” the statement said.
Several new cases have also been confirmed in Victoria. Six men and three women have tested positive.
They were all on the following flights:
*Qantas flight QF430 from Melbourne to Sydney
*Qantas flight QF459 from Sydney to Melbourne — both flights on March 9
*Emirates flight EK0406 from Dubai to Melbourne on March 10
PM UNDER FIRE FOR VIRUS PLAN LOOPHOLES
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under fire for encouraging people to attend mass gatherings as coronavirus continues to spread in Australia.
Top infection control expert Bill Bowtell says Scott Morrison’s stance is dangerous, and he cannot understand why there hasn’t been a blanket ban on large, public events.
“Facts and evidence dictate that these mass gatherings should not take place,” the professor, from the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity, told the ABC
“We must bring down the rate of new infections of coronavirus in this country. And we must do so in the next hours and days.”
He said the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne should be cancelled, along with NRL and AFL matches, and even Anzac Day events.
The Grand Prix has since been cancelled.
Meanwhile, Mr Morrison will call on state and territory leaders to do their bit to stimulate the economy in response to the coronavirus when they meet today.
The usual agenda of the Council of Australian Governments meeting has been thrown out with the virus spreading to all states and territories and the Commonwealth unveiling a $17.6 billion plan to deal with its impact.
Mr Morrison told reporters before the conference commenced the “health of all Australians” was a priority at both a state and federal level.
“Equally, the economic impacts of the coronavirus are very real and I thank those states who have already moved in this area,” Mr Morrison said.
“I know other states are considering their own responses in each of these areas, keeping Australians in job, keeping business in business because we will bounce back strongly on the
other side.
“In the meantime, there are many difficult issues we have to wrestle with, and Dr Brendan Murphy is here with us today – the Chief Medical Officer.”
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said organisers of major events needed to seek medical advice over whether it was necessary to postpone them or make them spectator-free.
“But it’s also urgent that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, made
up of Commonwealth and state Chief Medical Officers, provide the latest information and advice to all Australians,” Mr Albanese said.
He said he had asked the Prime Minister to recall parliament next week.
“Parliament should resume next Tuesday, after the party rooms have a chance to consider any legislation next Monday,” he said
“Labor will expedite any passage of legislation through both Houses of Parliament and there won’t be any procedural issues raised by us with the normal notice that has to be given to the Houses of Parliament for legislation to be introduced and then debated.”
GRAND PRIX CANCELLED
The Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the coronavirus, officials have confirmed.
“At 9am today the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) was advised by Formula One of their intention to cancel all Formula 1 activity at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix,” an AGPC statement said.
“In light of this decision and updated advice this morning from the Chief Health Officer of the Victorian Government’s Department of Human and Health Services, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation confirms the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is cancelled immediately.”
AGPC and F1 officials will hold a press conference on the announcement at 1130 AEDT but support categories at Albert Park also look set to be called off.
The F1 season opener was under a cloud after McLaren pulled out of the Grand Prix when a team member tested positive to the virus on Thursday.
Eight team members across numerous F1 outfits had been assessed and tested while in Melbourne.
A ninth person – who is not a member of an F1 team – is also being tested.
“Last night a member of the McLaren Racing team tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the AGPC said.
“A further seven individuals returned negative results, confirming that they do not have the COVID-19 virus.
“Additionally, a ninth individual has been assessed and tested for the COVID-19 virus, with the results of this test pending.
“This individual is not associated with any Formula 1 team, the FIA or associated suppliers.
“Our first priority is the safety of everyone including attendees, our personnel, all event partners and members of the local community.”
AGPC officials said further information regarding ticket refunds would be “communicated in due course”.
VIRGIN FLIGHTS CUT, WORKER HAS VIRUS
Virgin Australia will slash capacity on domestic and international routes, with the airline also confirming one of its cabin crew has coronavirus. CEO Paul Scurrah said the woman fell ill after returning from overseas. She’s now in isolation and passengers who came into contact with her are being traced but Mr Scurrah wouldn’t reveal which flight or flights are of concern. He refused to answer when asked if the worker had been on a Gold Coast to Sydney flight.
“We are not confirming the flight this cabin crew was on,” he said, but added everyone who may be at risk was being tracked down.
The airline has also revealed it will cut capacity on some routes as travel dries up amid the outbreak.
“The group is taking action to reduce capacity in the international markets it operates in and reduce domestic capacity in line with weakened demand,” the airline said in a statement on Friday.
Across the group, domestic capacity will be cut by five per cent in the second half of the financial year ending June.
It will also reducing international capacity by eight per cent. Daily services between Brisbane and Tokyo’s Haneda will be cut to three times per week from 29 March until 3 May.
Daily services from Sydney to Los Angeles will drop to five times per week from early May to early June.
Trans-Tasman services will also be cut further.
Fridays international changes follow the group’s recent withdrawal from Hong Kong services.
TRUDEAU’s WIFE POSITIVE FOR VIRUS
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in quarantine quarantining after his wife tested positive to coronavirus.
Mr Trudeau’s office confirmed Sophie Gregoire Trudeau had returned from a speaking engagement in Britain and had mild flu-like symptoms, including a low fever late, on Wednesday night.
“I have some additional news to share this evening,” Mr Trudeau said. “Unfortunately, the results of Sophie’s COVID-19 test are positive.
“Therefore, she will be in quarantine for the time being. Her symptoms remain mild and she is taking care of herself and following the advice of our doctor. I am feeling fine and I’m not exhibiting any symptoms of the virus, but I will also be following the advice of our doctor and I will continue to self-isolate for now.
“During that time, as I did today, I’ll continue to work from home and conduct meetings via video & teleconference. Tomorrow, I will be speaking with Indigenous leaders and premiers from across the country to co-ordinate our response to the outbreak and to talk about next steps to keep Canadians safe and limit the impact of COVID-19 on our economy.”
Mr Trudeau’s office said he was spending the day in briefings, phone calls, and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining a special cabinet committee discussion on the new coronavirus. Mr Trudeau has also cancelled an in-person meeting with Canada’s provincial premiers.
CRICKET FANS SHUT OUT OF THE SCG
Crowds will be banned from Australia’s one-day cricket series against New Zealand with the series to be played behind closed doors because of coronavirus. Cricket Australia took the drastic step on Friday, just hours before the series opener at the SCG.
Another match is due for the SCG on Sunday, before another game in front of an empty stadium at Blundstone Arena in Hobart next Friday.
A women’s tour of South Africa for next week has also been suspended, making it the first major international cricket series affected since the outbreak of the virus.
PRINCESS CRUISES ANNOUNCES TWO-MONTH HALT
Carnival’s Princess Cruise lines will halt the operations of its 18 ships for 60 days due to the coronavirus, the company says.
The move affects all cruises until May 10.
Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz said the “bold action” showed the company’s commitment to the health and safety of customers and communities.
People on board ships that will end cruises in the next five days will not experience disruptions.
Those beyond March 17 will be ended at specified locations.
“Princess will do everything possible to return each guest home with the greatest amount of care possible,’’ a company statement said.
Princess is offering passengers a 100 per cent transfer of the cost of their cancelled cruise to a future cruise. But customers can also apply for a cash refund.
Comment was being sought from Princess Cruises in Australia.
There have been outbreaks of the virus on cruise ships. Notably, the Diamond Princess cruise ship was one of the early cases and questions have been raised about how the incident was handled.
The cruise industry is among those hard hit economically, and US President Donald Trump has pledged to aid airlines, cruise ships and other travel companies.
Sir Richard Branson’s new cruise line Virgin Voyages has also postponed its launched amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Scarlet Lady was scheduled for a “sneak-a-peek” voyage from Miami on March 26, but has now been delayed until August 7.
“The current global health crisis is understandably making many people rethink upcoming travel plans,” Virgin Voyages said in a statement.
“While timing isn’t right to launch our first ship right now, we look forward to welcoming everyone on Scarlet Lady later this year.”
FRANCE SHUTS SCHOOLS, UNIS, KINDERGARTENS
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that all of the country’s schools, kindergartens and universities will be closed until further notice starting Monday, in a strategy to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Macron in a televised address Thursday called the outbreak the most serious health crisis for France in a century and that is priority is to protect the most vulnerable. He urged people over age 70 to stay home.
Macron says “non-essential” treatment in hospital is also postponed. French General Director of Health Jerome Salomon says there have been more than 2,800 confirmed cases of the virus in France and 61 deaths.
DISNEYLAND CLOSES, NEW YORK STATE OF EMERGENCY
Disney has temporarily closed theme parks in California because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The move to shutter its parks comes as the novel virus continues to rapidly spread across the country.
Over the past week it has officially become a pandemic, with cases increasing in the US, Asia and across Europe.
It’s only the fourth time in history that Disneyland in Anaheim, California, has fully suspended operations. The other instances were the September 11 attacks, the morning after JFK’s assassination and the Northridge earthquake.
It’s unclear if Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, will remain open.
Disney said in a statement, “While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Disneyland Resort, after carefully reviewing the guidelines of the Governor of California’s executive order and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, beginning the morning of March 14 through the end of the month”.
The Hotels of Disneyland Resort will remain open until Monday, March 16 to give guests the ability to make necessary travel arrangements and Downtown Disney will remain open.
“We will monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and guidance of federal and state officials and health agencies. Disney will continue to pay cast members during this time,” the statement said.
The company added, “Disneyland Resort will work with guests who wish to change or cancel their visits, and will provide refunds to those who have hotel bookings during this closure period.” Closures seemed inevitable after Los Angeles Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday called for gatherings with more than 250 people to be cancelled or delayed in an effort to halt the transmission of the virus. Officials are also encouraging “social distancing” of two metres per person.
Disney closed its parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong in January, and has also temporarily closed its parks in Japan as well.
Disney reported that it could lose $US280 million in revenues due to closures in Shanghai and Hong Kong alone.
Elsewhere, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus outbreak, allowing him to use new powers as the number of confirmed cases rose to 95 cases in the city.
“The last 24 hours have been very, very sobering,” he told at a news conference on Thursday.
“Literally yesterday morning feels like a long time ago.”
He did not immediately issue new rules, but said he supported an announcement by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier on Thursday that banned gatherings of more than 500 people in the state.
It came after New York Governor Andrew Cuomoannounced statewide bans on gatherings of more than 500 people in the most drastic step yet to combat the coronavirus contagion.
As part of new “density reduction” guidelines, such assemblies will be prohibited effective 5pm. Friday, with the exception of Broadway theatres, where the ban begins Thursday evening.
Schools, hospitals, nursing homes and mass transit hubs are among those facilities exempt from the precaution.
VIRUS-HIT VIRGIN STAFFER HAD CONTACT WITH PUBLIC
A Virgin Australia staff member infected with coronavirus had contact with the public, but the airline won’t say where.
The airline said it has a duty to protect the employee’s privacy and subsequently won’t reveal whether they are a cabin crew member or what city they are based in, the ABC reports.
In a statement to the national broadcaster, the ABC said: “We have begun the process of determining the contacts of the team member during the time they would likely have been infectious and will be checking in on them regularly to check on their health.”
GLASTONBURY SET TO GO AHEAD
One of the UK’s biggest music festivals is set to go ahead amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Glastonbury will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, and is still scheduled for June 24-28.
Organisers recently announced the festival would feature more than 90 artists this year, with Kendrick Lamar as the headline act.
Emily Eavis, who heads the festival along with her father Michael, took to Twitter to announce they were “working hard” to deliver it.
“So, after much consideration given the current circumstances, and with the best of intentions, here is the first list of musical acts for @Glastonbury 2020,” she tweeted.
“As things stand we are still working hard to deliver our 50th anniversary Festival in June.”
MORRISON’S ADDRESS TO THE NATION
Mr Morrison has moved to assure Australians worried by the coronavirus crisis that “we’ll get through this together”.
It comes as reports circulated the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix would be cancelled after McLaren quit the event after a team member tested positive to the coronavirus.
In a rare address to the nation, Mr Morrison spruiked his government’s $17.6 billion stimulus package and said the government was “well prepared” to respond.
“While Australia cannot and is not immune to this virus, we are well prepared and we are well equipped to deal with it, and we do have a clear plan to see Australia through,” Mr Morrison said.
“I know many Australians are anxious about this and we do still have a long way to go, but be assured, we are taking action.”
He said he was confident Australians would “all do our bit”, as he vowed to rely on the “best possible medical advice” if and when further action was needed.
Pensioners, welfare recipients and households on family tax benefits will share in one-off payments of $750 totalling $4.8 billion in an emergency spending blitz that has forced Mr Morrison to jettison his promised Budget surplus this year.
Almost 900,000 Australians, including 565,000 pensioners, will receive a double benefit after the government also decided to cut the deeming rate — used to determine payments by calculating income from financial assets.
The change will boost payments by up to $62 a fortnight for couples and $50 a year for individuals.
The bulk of the stimulus package is focused on supporting businesses, with measures including:
Payments of up to $25,000 to about 690,000 businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million, worth $6.7 billion.
A boost to the instant asset write-off from $30,000 to $150,000 to encourage businesses to buy new equipment, which is expected to cost $700 million.
A $1 billion fund to be spent in partnership with communities and industries hit by the economic impact of the virus, such as tourism, education and agriculture.
Wage subsidies for small businesses employing almost 120,000 apprentices totalling $1.3 billion.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the Herald Sun last night he was confident Australians would spend the extra cash to support businesses and kickstart the economy.
“It’s not for me to tell them how to spend that money … Whether they buy a TV or go out for a meal, they will choose how to spend it,” he said.
Mr Frydenberg said the government would be tracking real-time data to see how the stimulus package impacted the economy, with further support to be considered if required.
“The Budget is in eight weeks’ time and there is more work to be done before then,” he said.
“Our focus is on getting support to those who need it … There will be an other side of this crisis.”
Casual workers who contract the virus or are required to self-isolate are also eligible for a taxpayer-funded “sickness payment” worth up to $604 a fortnight.
The payment usually takes five days to process but a one-week waiting period has been waived.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese promised to be “as constructive as possible” to rush through the package, although he questioned whether it would “be big enough or deployed quickly enough to prevent job losses, business failures or a more serious downturn”.
TRUMP “NOT CONCERNED” AFTER CORONAVIRUS CONTACT
It came as a Brazilian government official who attended an official meeting at Donald Trump’s resort in Florida on Saturday and posted a photo of himself standing next to the United States president has tested positive for coronavirus, Brazilian officials said
In the photo posted on his Instagram account, Fabio Wajngarten, the communication secretary of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, is standing next to Mr Trump wearing a “Make Brazil great again” cap. Vice President Mike Pence was next to Mr Trump.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, said he was not concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus after reports surfaced about the Bolsonaro aide.
“Let’s put it this way: I’m not concerned,” Mr Trump told reporters while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office.
He said he had heard about the aide’s exposure but that “we did nothing very unusual”.
Mr Balsonaro is also being tested for the virus.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump sparked fresh confusion over the US’ coronavirus policy, saying that Americans in Europe will be tested for the illness before they are allowed to board flights and that they will not be allowed to come home if they test positive.
That was in direct contradiction of Vice President Mike Pence’s claim hours earlier that all Americans can come home “regardless” of their condition.
The shocking announcement came after Mr Trump’s decision to halt all travel from Europe to the US for 30 days starting from Friday at midnight.
“We are not putting them on planes if they test positive. It is going to be a pretty strong enforcement of quarantine,” Mr Trump said during a press conference with the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office.
He did not explain which tests would be used or where the diagnosed cases would then be treated overseas.
IRELAND SHUTS SCHOOLS, CANCELS EVENTS
Meanwhile, Ireland announced a nationwide shutdown over coronavirus as the country’s leader Leo Varadkar called for “enormous sacrifices” to battle the killer bug.
Ireland’s Taoiseach Mr Varadkar revealed schools, child care facilities, public offices and colleges are among the places that will close for a fortnight in a bid to stem the virus, which has killed nearly 5000 people and infected more than 127,000 worldwide.
It comes as the UK moved to the delay coronavirus phase – but schools will stay open as Britain’s death toll hits 10.
As Britain ramps up its battle plan to deal with the virus, British PM Boris Johnson chaired an emergency COBRA meeting on Thursday (local time).
Following the meeting, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed the UK had now moved to “delay” as the government concedes the deadly bug cannot be contained.
“Delay” means Britain will now aim to slow down the spread of coronavirus and reduce numbers infected at the peak.
Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon says she is “minded” to ban gatherings of more than 500 people from next week, but said schools, colleges and universities would remain open for now.
It was announced today that two more Brits had died bringing the number of fatalities to 10.
The UK’s COVID-19 infection rate also skyrocketed, from 456 to 590 in 24 hours, the largest jump since the outbreak began.
ELDERLY, PUBLIC SERVANTS WARNED AGAINST OVERSEAS TRAVEL
Elderly Australians and those with health issues are being urged to “carefully consider” international travel following the World Health Organisation’s coronavirus pandemic declaration.
The Australian government’s travel advice website issued an updated warning on Thursday.
“Particularly if you’re elderly or have an underlying health condition, you should carefully consider your travel plans and consult your doctor before travelling,” Smartraveller advised.
“All travellers should consider what medical services or support you’d have available if you contracted COVID-19 overseas, or had to undergo a quarantine period in the country you’re headed to.
“Every traveller is different, and will have different reasons for travelling, health conditions and risk appetite.”
The warning also included new advice for public servants.
“The outbreak has significant implications for Australians planning to travel,” the Smartraveller website read.
“The Australian Government has asked public servants to minimise official overseas travel at this time and to instead use videoconferencing and other communication technologies as much as possible.”
Earlier, Health Minister Greg Hunt said the National Security Committee had referred a potential Europe travel ban to health officials for consideration on Thursday afternoon, just hours after the US imposed similar restrictions.
If implemented it would mean all Australian citizens and permanent residents returning from Europe would be required to self-isolate for two weeks, while international visitors would be prevented from entering the country entirely.
US CLOSES BORDERS TO EUROPE
America has closed its borders to Europe in an unprecedented shutdown aimed at curbing the coronavirus crisis, as it grapples with an explosion of new cases.
US President Donald Trump announced the restrictions in an address to the nation, in which he blamed China for the outbreak and said Europe’s slow imposition of travel restrictions had contributed to the pandemic.
The travel ban starts midnight Friday and will last 30 days but not apply to people coming from the United Kingdom.
A sombre Mr Trump said from the Oval Office that early travel bans he imposed on China had helped slow the spread of COVID-19 in the US.
“The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots,” he said.
“As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travellers from Europe.”
Mr Trump said he was taking “several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and wellbeing of all Americans”.
“The virus will not have a chance against us,” he said.
It came as confusion about coronavirus testing sparked concern and condemnation across the country and the top US disease expert Thursday described COVID 19 as “10 times more deadly” than the flu.
More than 40 states have declared states of emergency and banned mass gatherings, with more than 1200 cases of the virus causing the cancellation of major sports events, conferences and concerts.
Colleges have booted students home early for Spring break with no return date in sight and hundreds of schools have closed, including in New Rochelle, the US epicentre north of New York City, where a one-mile containment zone is being supported by the National Guard.
The death toll stood at 37 (Thursday evening) and was expected to rise. The majority of deaths so far have been in clusters around nursing homes near Seattle.
The elderly and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk from coronavirus, which presents as relatively mild for about 80 per cent of patients.
The concentration of infections in Washington State nursing homes prompted a call for families to cease visiting their elderly relatives.
Coronavirus patient Judie Shape was Thursday photographed through a window being visited by her daughter and son-in-law at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, where in home visits are cancelled and they spoke over telephone from outside the home through the glass.
After initially downplaying the threat and celebrating Mr Trump’s early travel restrictions, the White House was apparently spooked by the market collapse and since Monday has stepped up its response.
But that still doesn’t mean people are getting tested when they ask for it, with strict criteria and a GP referral necessary for a test – which can take days to get.
“When they do the retrospective on this one, they are going to say, ‘Why did it take the United States so long to bring up the testing capacity?’” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said yesterday.
As the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak a pandemic, Americans were warned “it’s going to get worse”, by top immunologist, Anthony Fauci, in a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing in Washington.
“I can say we will see more cases, and things will get worse than they are right now,” said Dr Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“How much worse we’ll get will depend on our ability to do two things: to contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside, and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country.”
Dr Fauci has repeatedly warned Americans that the virus was going to impact the whole country.
“We would like the country to realise that as a nation, we can’t be doing the kinds of things we were doing a few months ago. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a state that has no cases or one case,” Dr Fauci said at the White House.
He also described the virus as “10 times more deadly” than the seasonal flu.
While some areas with bigger outbreaks Thursday started drive-through testing, Dr Robert Redfield, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, admitted in a House Committee Thursday there was currently capacity to test only 75,000 of America’s 330 million citizens.
Harvard, Princeton, Duke and the California state university system announced they would close classrooms and switch to online learning.
Google and some of the country’s biggest technology companies instructed their staff to work from home, and public gatherings were limited by state regulators across the country.
The Democratic presidential primary race was stymied as candidates cancelled rallies and the US federal government instructed people not to travel on cruises.
“As we experience the growing community spread in the United States, the burden of confronting this outbreak is shifting to states and local health professionals on the front lines,” Dr Redfield said.
The biggest US outbreaks are in Washington state, New York, and California.
Globally, more than 120,000 people have been infected and more than 4300 killed.
The number of confirmed cases in Australia increased to 137 from 100 24 hours early.
UK CONSIDERS MORE RESTRICTIONS
Britain’s government has announced a $A58 billion coronavirus fighting fund, as authorities keep calm and carry on.
The National Health Service hotline is answering calls from suspected coronavirus patients within one minute, offices are preparing to make people work from home, and an army of retired nurses will be asked to return to work as part of a “spirit of the blitz” style reaction to the crisis.
But supermarket workers are being abused as tensions rise over shortages of hand sanitiser and paracetamol.
“Where’s the hand soap? There aren’t even signs for it on the shelves, do you just not sell it at all?” an angry man asked a Sainsbury’s employee. The toilet roll panic buying has also hit supermarkets.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a crucial Cobra meeting on Friday (AEDT), where it is expected he will introduce more restrictions.
He was likely to move the country into the delay phase that could include bans on crowds at sporting events including the Premier League football.
Health Minister Nadine Dorries tested positive for the virus, however there were no plans to suspend parliament.
Ms Dorries had come under fire for attending a meeting with the Prime Minister, his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds, and up to 100 people at Downing Street last Friday.
“Just for clarity, on Thursday I felt weak and tired but didn’t start with the first symptoms (cough) until 10.45am Friday morning,” she said.
Mr Johnson has said he will not be tested for the illness.
Doctors surgeries have warning signs telling suspected coronavirus cases to call the 111 hotline rather than come to clinics.
Sick notes will soon be available over the phone.
News Corp Australia visited a clinic on Thursday which was almost empty, with tape on the floor demanding people keep their space to avoid passing the illness to receptionists.
The coronavirus funding fight was announced in the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first budget on Thursday Australian time, which has seen the biggest spending splurge for the UK since.
There was almost $24 billion AUD allocated to health services, small businesses and government services, with promises of more to come if needed.
The UK saw its biggest leap in confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday local time after 460 people were diagnosed with the disease.
Eight people have died.
There have been drive through coronavirus testing lanes across the country, with plans to test 10,000 people each day.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said he expected the virus spread to last for less than a year.
Streets across London were quieter, with some cafes cutting staff and considering closing, while Heathrow Airport reported a five per cent drop in passengers in February, compared with the same time last year.
British Airways has offered refunds on flights and no penalties for changing fares in March.
Lidl, ASDA and Sainsbury’s, three of the UK’s biggest grocery store chains, have been unable to keep up with the wild demand as shoppers strip them of staple items.
ITALY STEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST DEADLY VIRUS
Italy is closing all shops, except for food stores and pharmacies, as it takes more drastic measures to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The death toll has now hit 827, with more than 12,000 infections recorded (at Thursday evening).
A football player from Italian club Juventus has also been confirmed as contracting the virus. All sport has already banned in the country until next month.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the further bold crackdown early on Thursday (AEDT).
“We will close shops, bars, pubs and restaurants. Home delivery is allowed,” Mr Conte said.
But he pleaded with Italians to avoid panic buying, saying there would be enough food despite the new measures.
“Just a few days ago I asked you to change your habits and stay at home, and you have responded in an extraordinary way,” he said.
“You are making enormous sacrifices, I know that’s not easy, but these are making a great and precious contribution to the country. The whole world is watching us, especially watching the number of cases.”
Chinese experts who have slowed the rates of infections there will be flown in to Italy to help it tackle the crisis.
Hospitals are now at breaking point in Italy, with some claims that doctors should stop treating elderly patients because it was unlikely they could be saved.
There are more than 1000 patients in intensive care wards, with the north of the country hardest hit.
More than a fifth of Italy’s population are over 65, which increases the chances of the illness becoming fatal.
Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, a teammate of legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo, has been placed in quarantine after testing positive to coronavirus.
There are now checks on who he had been in contact with.
A statement on the club’s official website said: “The footballer Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus-COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic.
“Juventus Football Club is currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including those who have had contact with him.”
There has been some movement of people between Italy and Switzerland but its borders with Austria and Slovenia are closed.
More than 4000 Italian health workers cross the border each day into Switzerland, with the country reliant on the extra labour to keep its hospitals open.
- with Sarah Blake in New York, Stephen Drill and Natalie Wolfe in London, Tamsin Rose
Originally published as Australians told not to go to ‘mass gatherings’ after coronavirus crisis talks
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