Coronavirus latest: Victoria records 439 COVID-19 cases, 12 in NSW
The NSW Health Minister has shut down calls to quarantine Victorian air travellers, despite claims the state was ‘sleepwalking into disaster’ and support from thousands for increased measures. LATEST DETAILS
NSW
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NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has defended the screening process for travellers from Melbourne as Daily Telegraph readers overwhelmingly call for mandatory hotel quarantine to be introduced.
In a poll of more than 4600 people, 93 per cent of voters said people coming into NSW from Victoria should be placed in hotel quarantine while just seven per cent were against the idea.
Several readers who voted yes to quarantine also said travellers should have to pay for the hotel stay.
“Border to Victoria should be closed. So many flights coming in daily. Can’t travel more than 5km to go to shops, but can fly to Sydney???” Brook Cazzie said.
Other readers exclaimed that no permits should be given out at all, despite the reason.
“Where are the people travelling to and why?” Katherine McIntyre said. “I get essential means something but what are they calling essential now, a visit to Nana to show off the new baby? … Stand still you buggers and stay where you are or this is never going to end.”
Mr Hazzard said people can only fly into Sydney for limited reasons.
“Victorian residents are not permitted into NSW at all unless they are needed for specific purposes and even then they have to apply for and get a permit,” he said.
It follows calls by Labor leader Jodi McKay that anyone flying into NSW from Melbourne should be forced into hotel quarantine at their own expense.
Currently people who come into NSW are told to self isolate for 14 days but are allowed to take taxis or Ubers from the airport to their home.
Ms McKay said a tougher system should be put in place to stop COVID-19 leaking into NSW through the airport.
“We just don’t see a difference right now between Victoria as a hotspot and other parts of the world where people are required to quarantine,” she said. “Let’s not sleepwalk into disaster.”
Mr Hazzard said NSW had not had a problem with people breaking self isolation and up to 12 health staff screened arrivals into the airport.
All travellers arriving were provided with two masks and hand sanitiser and anyone without a permit is taken into hotel quarantine and referred to police.
Almost a month ago Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared the government was considering forcing NSW residents returning from Melbourne to pay for hotel quarantine but has not implemented the policy.
A NSW resident returning from Victoria was one of the state’s 13 new cases reported on Monday, while four people tested positive after returning from Melbourne to Wagga Wagga on June 25.
NSW CASES TRACED TO KNOWN CLUSTERS
NSW recorded 12 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and in a promising sign, all except for one case — an overseas traveller — can be traced back to existing clusters.
Five cases were linked to cases found at Mounties, Mount Pritchard, two to the Apollo in Potts Point and one to the Thai Rock Wetherill Park.
Three cases were acquired in people who had travelled to Victoria and one is a traveller in hotel quarantine.
VICTORIA’S DEATH TOLL RISES
Victoria has recorded 439 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours and 11 people have died, all in aged care settings, Premier Daniel Andrews said this morning.
The new deaths were a man in his 70s, one man and three women in their 80s and two men and three women in their 90s. The state’s death toll now sits at 147.
Mr Andrews said there were currently 1186 active cases in Victorian aged care.
Of the 12,335 cumulative cases of coronavirus in Victoria, Mr Andrews said 456 were in hospital, with 38 of those in intensive care.
NO MORE EXERCISE IN VICTORIAN ISOLATION
From now, Victorians isolating in their homes will not be allowed to leave for exercise.
Mr Andrews said those self-isolating would need to stay in their home and on their property.
People can get fresh air at their front door, front yard or backyard.
Alternatively, the Premier said they can open a window.
HARSHER PENALTIES FOR ISOLATION BREACHES
Victorians who do not self-isolate when instructed will be fined almost $5000 under a new crackdown to stop breaches of restrictions.
Mr Andrews said anyone who failed to self-isolate when required would, from midnight on Wednesday, risk a $4,957 fine — the biggest on the state’s record books.
More egregious examples of public health order breaches, like those who turn up to work while sick, may have to front court and risk a fine of up to $20,000, he said.
“If you are supposed to be home and you are not, then you face the prospect of a fine of up to $5000,” he said.
“If there is particularly selfish behaviour like going to work then there is the alternative pathway of going to a Magistrate’s Court where the maximum fine is $20,000.”
The new powers come as authorities catch dozens of people “knowingly” breaching the state’s stage four restrictions and going outside without a valid reason.
A “bored” person going for a drive and someone who decided to buy a car after 8pm are among the latest people caught breaching the state’s strict curfew. Police Minister Lisa Neville said people were also picking up their friends from other households.
SYDNEY SCHOOLS SHUT
Two schools in Western Sydney were closed today after students tested positive to coronavirus.
Greenway Park Public School in Carnes Hill, west of Casula, will be non-operational while NSW Health undertakes contact tracing and the school is deep cleaned.
The school said in a statement that all staff and students should self-isolate after two students returned positive COVID-19 tests. The before- and after-school care program will also be cancelled and students will be working from home.
Bonnyrigg High School announced early on Tuesday it would also be closed after NSW Health advised them of a student’s positive coronavirus test.
School facilities are being deep-cleaned and students and staff are being told to self-isolate as contact tracing is underway.
QLD RUSHES TO TRACE FLIGHT CONTACTS
Queensland Health is scrambling to contact 14 people who were on a Sydney to Maroochydore flight on which a man, who claimed to be a consulate official, was infectious with COVID-19.
Two passengers provided no contact details, further exposing loopholes in Australia’s pandemic response.
The man in his 20s returned to Australia from Afghanistan last week. He flew into Sydney and then transferred to a Maroochydore flight on Friday. He was then allowed to drive to his home in Toowoomba where he is undergoing home quarantine.
It’s believed the man was contagious while on the Sydney to Maroochydore Jetstar flight JQ790 on Friday, July 31, which was nearly full with 149 passengers aboard the 186-seat plane.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer said authorities were still trying to contact 14 passengers.
It comes as Queensland has today recorded no new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state’s total to 12 active cases, and a total of 1085 active cases.