ROLLING COVERAGE: Latest coronavirus figures, stories

Queensland has recorded its second death from coronavirus as the state’s total number of confirmed cases climbs above 400. FOLLOW OUR ROLLING UPDATES

QUEENSLAND has recorded its second death from coronavirus.

Garry Kirstenfeldt, 68, of Toowoomba, died in hospital on Wednesday after contracting the virus on a Voyager of the Seas cruise ship.

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Queenslander Garry Kirstenfeldt has become the ninth Australian to die from COVID-19.

In an online tribute, loved ones referred to Mr Kirstenfeldt as a “beautiful man”.

He is understood to have had a severe respiratory condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, putting him at increased risk after contracting the virus.

Queensland Health said members of his immediate family were in isolation as close contacts.

“The 68-year-old man had a serious underlying medical condition before contracting the virus,” a spokesman said.

“Queensland Health offers its sincere condolences to his family.”

Health Minister Steven Miles offered his condolences.

“I want to extend my condolences to the family in Toowoomba who tonight are grieving their loved one,” he said.

“This is Queensland’s second death from the coronavirus.

“This will never get any easier; together we must do absolutely everything we can to stop the outbreak.

Health Minister Steven Miles. Picture: Tim Marsden

“I know our health staff will never ever give up to save every life they can from this awful virus.

“Please, please keep your distance from others right now, stay home as much as possible and wash your hands.

“Queenslanders’ lives are at stake.”

The man is the state’s second fatality after a 77-year-old Noosaville woman died after flying into Sydney last week from the Sunshine Coast.

It was not known she had the highly contagious disease at the time of her death.

The latest case takes the number of Australians who have died after developing COVID-19 to nine.

Another elderly Queensland patient remains on life support in intensive care after developing the virus.

Numbers of people in Queensland who have been infected with the pandemic strain of coronavirus grew to 443 today with 46 new cases recorded.

Cases have doubled in just four days.

On Saturday, Queensland had 221 cases.

CASES JUMP TO 443 OVERNIGHT

QUEENSLAND’S tally of COVID-19 cases have jumped by 46 overnight, taking the total to 443.

Health Minister Steven Miles said most cases continued to be in people returning from overseas.

The Minister said two patients were in Queensland intensive care units, with both believed to be on ventilators.

Qld COVID-19 hot spots – Where are they?

Queensland coronavirus case and death totals

NO ‘ASSISTED DEPARTURES’ FOR AUSSIES OVERSEAS

THE Federal Government is not planning “assisted departures” to bring hundreds of thousands Australian travellers home meaning some will be stranded overseas during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a joint statement, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Foreign Minister Marise Payne urged Australians to “act quickly” to access the limited commercial flights still operating before more countries and regions shut their borders.

“We do not have plans for assisted departures, such as those conducted to the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, Wuhan in China and Japan,” the statement says.

“As many travellers are doing, it may be necessary for some Australians to stay where they are overseas, and as far as practicable remain safe and comfortable, including by following the directions of local authorities.

“Given the unprecedented scale of the global interruption to travel, the options outlined will not return all Australians travellers home.”

The government has agreed to consider supporting airlines to operate non-scheduled services to less central locations to bring Australians home.

But has warned they will only be done where feasible, after all other commercial options have been exhausted and if local authorities permit the flights.

“The situation is changing rapidly and will continue to do so,” the statement says.

“As well as the scale of challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, our capacity to provide consular services in this environment is constrained.

“The Government’s assurance to all Australians abroad and their families is that the staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, whether at home or at our missions abroad, is working around the clock to provide information and assistance to those affected by this crisis.”

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS TRIGGER AUTOMATICALLY TO LIMIT TRANSMISSION

PEDESTRIAN crossings around inner Brisbane will trigger automatically in a bid to reduce transmission of COVID-19.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced changes had been made at 560 buttons across Brisbane City, South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley.

“There is no need for pedestrians who want to cross the road to press the button,” Cr Schrinner said.

“These are the parts of the city where we’re getting the highest pedestrian activity.”

He said the automated cycling of lights would be rolled out to other high-pedestrian areas across wider Brisbane in the future.

The news comes as more safety measures to protect drivers are put in place on Brisbane’s bus network.

Passengers will only be able to board buses from the rear, and the front row of seats will also be blocked off.

All public transport modes around southeast Queensland, including trains, buses, ferries and trams, will now only be paid using Go-Cards.

LIBRARY LOAN RETURN DATES EXTENDED, BARBECUES SHUT DOWN

A QUEENSLAND council has extended the due date for all library book returns until June 1 while another has turned off all public barbecues as the state enters growing lockdowns in a bid to halt coronavirus.

All South Burnett libraries will close from this afternoon, March 25, until further notice.

“The greatest priority at this time is the health and wellbeing of our library patrons, team members and the wider community,” South Burnett Regional Council, which includes the towns of Kingaroy, Murgon, Blackbutt and Nanango, said in a statement issued today.

“A new due date for all items currently on loan has been set for Monday June 1.”

All council community halls have also been closed, along with Lake Boondooma Caravan and Recreation Park and Yallakool Caravan and Recreation Park, including all camping, accommodation and recreational use.

In Rockhampton, the council has turned off all its public barbecues and urged people not to use playgrounds.

“Rockhampton Regional Council has today closed public wet play areas and BBQs as part of its ongoing response to the coronavirus situation, and will be installing signage at playgrounds encouraging people not to use the equipment,” the council said in a statement.

“While it is impractical for playgrounds and play equipment to be fenced off, Council is advising the public that nobody should be using or touching this equipment.”

DINERS ALERTED TO COVID-19 RISK

FOUR staff members at Sails Restaurant at Noosa have been confirmed as having COVID-19 after a patron attended the popular Sunshine Coast eatery while unknowingly infectious with the virus.

The Sails employees worked at the restaurant on Wednesday March 18 between 4-11.15pm and on Thursday March 19 between 3-10pm before testing positive to COVID-19.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said Sails patrons who were at the restaurant during those times should monitor their health.

“If they become unwell, they should seek health advice urgently,” he told a news conference.

Before attending a general practitioner’s surgery or hospital emergency department they are advised to call ahead so that measures can be taken to protect other patients and health staff.

In a statement, Queensland Health said anyone who attended the restaurant before or after those times were not at risk.

Sails has been closed since Monday.

For more information, contact 13 HEALTH.

MAYORAL CANDIDATE’S PROMISE TO BRISBANE’S UNEMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED Brisbane people on Commonwealth benefits will be entitled to free public transport on buses, ferries and CityCats if Labor’s mayoral candidate Patrick Condren is elected.

Mr Condren said currently those on Newstart or Youth Allowance were eligible for 50 per cent off their public transport costs but promises to make it free to help those during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are in uncharted waters...there is no time limit on this,” he said.

“We’ve allocated $4 million to this.

“I think it’s the least we can do, especially when you see the queues outside Centrelink.”

Mr Condren said he planned to maintain the essential service for as long as practical.

When asked whether voting should still go ahead this Saturday, Mr Condren said medical experts and the Premier had deemed it safe to do so.

“I even took my mum to prepolling vote - it takes less time to prepoll than it does to buy a carton of beer in today’s environment,” Mr Condren said.

It comes as Mr Condren yesterday announced a Labor administration would freeze rate increases for a year for all ratepayers at a potential cost of $69 million.

MULTIPLE SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN

ONE of Brisbane’s most elite all-girls’ schools closed its campus and rapidly moved classrooms online early after a parent was diagnosed with coronavirus.

Brisbane Girls Grammar School closed the campus on Monday to allow the school to consult with health authorities.

As a result it is understood the school brought forward its transition to remote learning scheduled for next week and is now teaching students online.

The school grounds have since reopened to students who can be taught at school and supervised if parents are unable to keep them at home.

Queensland Health advised the school that there was no risk to staff and students at the campus and no further action was required, a spokeswoman said.

She said BGGS currently has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff or students.

Meanwhile, Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) was shut down today for cleaning after a parent of a prep student tested positive for COVID-19.

In a letter to the school community at 6am this morning, headmaster Alan Campbell said: “In the interests of the health and wellbeing of the students and staff of the whole school, the

Prep and Senior Schools will be closed for cleaning from Wednesday 25 March 2020.

“This cleaning will include the After-School-Care building on the eastern side of the campus. It also includes Oaklands Childcare and Kindergarten.

“The School will pursue all recommended cleaning procedures in accordance with Queensland Health guidelines.

“Boarding students will be accommodated in the boarding precinct. Years 10 to 12 examinations will be rescheduled. It is anticipated that the School at Home online learning program for students from Reception to Year 9 will commence on Friday of this week as scheduled.

“Students who arrive at school today will be safely accommodated in the Prep and Senior School administration areas for collecting as soon as possible.

“The School will provide further advice to the Churchie community as soon as possible today regarding operations for Thursday and Friday.”

Somerville House will move the school online from Tuesday next week, with campus still open for parents who can’t keep their kids at home.

If parents don’t have the ability to supervise their children at home, they can send them to school and will be supervised to undertake the learning at home from school.

The Somerville@Home academic program will be offered for Years 7 to 12 students.

For Prep to Year 6 students, communication will be provided by the Head of Junior School, and there will be age-appropriate modifications to specific learning platforms.

Other PMSA school Clayfield College is yet to inform parents what its plans are for the final two weeks of term.

TAXIS TO BECOME DELIVERY VEHICLES

TAXIS are being repurposed into delivery vans as public transport vows to keep to schedule for the time being.

Sanitation is also being ramped up across the board in an effort to prevent the coronavirus spreading while carpooling has been abandoned by one rideshare operator.

It comes amid dramatic falls in ridership across all modes of transport, as Queenslanders opt to heed government advice to limit non-essential travel.

Brisbane’s bus patronage in the past week has fallen a whopping 36 per cent on the same time last year, while taxi and rideshare operators see declines in trips.

Among the biggest shake-ups is at taxi operator 13 CABS, which has announced it will repurpose its vehicles to cater to deliveries.

“We’re offering a range of delivery services - that ranges from a simple one-off delivery to commercial relationships,” a spokesman told The Courier-Mail.

“Anything from pharmaceutical goods to things from supermarkets and anything else that someone needs delivered.”

The spokesman said a “significant decline” in journeys with private taxis had prompted the move, and that pricing was being finalised.

Meanwhile, The Courier-Mail understands southeast Queensland’s trains and Brisbane City Council’s buses and ferries will continue to run to their normal timetables to allow essential workers to travel.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced today that buses will only be boarded through the back door, while more than 560 pedestrian crossings were switched to automatic, removing the need to touch buttons.

Brisbane City Council has also ramped up cleaning, with buses only able to be boarded via the back door.

Queensland Rail has so far maintained its timetable but has not ruled out service reductions if circumstances change.

“Queensland Rail is working through contingency timetable measures, should these be required,” the company’s chief executive Nick Easy said.

Meanwhile, rideshare company DiDi has suspended its carpooling service to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19.

The service, which allowed strangers to carpool a journey for a cheaper fare, only launched in January.

DiDi Australia General Manager Mr Lyn Ma confirmed the company had seen a reduction in trips since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and urged riders to only sit in the back seat of vehicles.

COVID-19 hits city council

A TOWNSVILLE City Council staff member has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The man had recently returned from an overseas holiday and had been self-isolating.

He has not returned to work.

A spokesman for the council confirmed the case on Tuesday night, stating immediately upon returning to Australia, the staff member self-isolated in line with guidelines.

“He tested positive to the virus while in isolation and will remain in quarantine until he is cleared by health professionals,” he said.