Coronavirus NSW: One week without local COVID-19 case
New South Wales has marked one week with no local cases of coronavirus, as an urgent warning is sent to 455 NZ travellers. This comes as border issues still continue between NSW and QLD.
NSW
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There have been no locally-acquired cases of coronavirus in New South Wales up to 8pm on Friday, but four diagnosed in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
Saturday marks one week since the state recorded a case of community transmission.
The good news comes hours after NSW Health issued an urgent warning to 455 travellers in the state who had come from New Zealand without quarantining, after a locally acquired case was detected in Auckland.
NSW Health contacted the travellers on Friday night, calling attention to “venues of concern” in the city, consistent with advice being provided in New Zealand.
No cases of locally acquired #COVID19 were diagnosed in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 14, 2020
Four cases were reported in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 4,297 since the start of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/BxaIsb7GWm
The same advice was given to passengers arriving in Sydney from New Zealand around the same time.
“No passengers reported having attended the venues of concern and none had symptoms,” a spokeswoman for NSW Health said.
“Airlines will ascertain if passengers have attended these venues before they leave New Zealand and if they have, they will be not allowed to travel.
“The risk posed by quarantine-free travel from New Zealand remains low.”
ZOMBIE BUSINESSES
So-called “zombie businesses” are posing a real threat to small businesses trying to get back on their feet after the coronavirus pandemic.
The slew of insolvent companies are reportedly still operating from beyond the economic grave as they have not been filtered out of the economy due to a Federal Government amnesty.
The ruling means insolvent companies could still trade until December 31.
The government intervention was meant to halt the wave of insolvencies expected to hit the market after the pandemic torpedoed the economy.
“These companies need to make sure they are only supply goods and services to companies who the capacity to repay,” SM Solvency Accountants partner Brendan Nixon said.
QLD BORDER CHRISTMAS OPENING STILL NO ‘DONE DEAL’
Despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s claim he has a commitment from NSW and Queensland to completely open the border by Christmas, Premier Gladys Berejiklian fears it’s no “done deal”.
Mr Morrison said Australians would be able to travel freely between all states and territories except Western Australia by Christmas under an agreement struck between leaders at Friday’s National Cabinet meeting.
But in a sign of the ongoing tensions, Ms Berejiklian said she did not believe it was “a done deal” as her northern counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk appeared to back away from the deal.
“I have an agreement with both of them that we’ll be open by Christmas,” Mr Morrison said after the meeting.
“That’s what the National Cabinet has brought them to. Now, the timing of that has always been up to the individual premiers.”
Despite the urging of Ms Berejiklian to open now, Ms Palaszczuk said the decision would be assessed later this month.
“There is a national aspiration, of course, to have the borders open before Christmas,” she said.
“We will be looking very closely at the end of the month at Victoria, and also NSW. There may be some hot spots.”
The comments triggered a stinging attack from Premier Berejiklian.
“We need families and businesses to be able to plan what they are doing on Christmas and New Year,” she said.
“That’s why I’m urging the Queensland Premier not to leave it to the eleventh hour. Please consider first and foremost the citizens of both of our states.”
While the border is open to regional NSW residents, Sydneysiders remain locked out of Queensland.
Ms Berejiklian said it was only fair all NSW citizens were allowed to head across the border.
“I don’t think it's a done deal — I think that she is still considering her options,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I wish she would just see the logic and open the border straight away.”
In a further needling of NSW, Ms Palaszczuk will open Suncorp Stadium to full capacity for Wednesday’s State of Origin decider.
“If she feels confident to have 100 per cent capacity at Suncorp, she should feel confident in welcoming NSW residents,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Premier noted businesses in both states had suffered from the bushfires as well as the pandemic, warning that many would not survive “another summer without tourists”.
“It’s not about me or her. It’s about doing the right thing by our citizens.”
AUCKLAND TRAVELLERS TRACKED AFTER NZ OUTBREAK
NSW Health is contacting 455 travellers who arrived from New Zealand from November 5 onwards following the detection of a locally acquired case of COVID‑19 in Auckland.
The passengers were sent a message with NSW Health advice and are being called to be alerted to a number of venues of concern in Auckland — this is consistent with advice provided to people in New Zealand.
This advice was also provided to passengers arriving in Sydney from New Zealand on this evening’s flight.
There have been no reports of any of the travellers having attended any venues of concern or having any symptoms.
NSW Health said the risk posed by the quarantine-free travel remains low.
However as an added precaution, airlines will now ascertain if passengers have attended the at-risk venues before they leave New Zealand and if they have, they will be not allowed to travel.
The main venues of concern are:
* A-Z Collection, 61 High Street, Auckland CBD: 10.30am-6.30pm on 8 November, 10.30am-6.30pm on 9 November, or 10.30am-6.30pm 11 November
* The Vincent Residences, 106 Vincent Street Auckland Central: 12am on 7 November to 12pm 12 November
* Red Pig Restaurant, Auckland CBD: 6-8.30pm on 7 November
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