Victorian death toll rises to 26 as state records 270 new COVID-19 cases
A man and woman both aged in their 80s have died from COVID-19 in Victorian hospitals, bringing the state’s death toll to 26. It comes as Victoria’s chief health officer warned further restrictions may be inevitable if Victoria’s soaring coronavirus tally continues to rise.
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A man and woman both aged in their 80s have died from COVID-19 in Victorian hospitals.
Their deaths bring the state’s toll to 26 and 110 nationally.
Australia hit a grim milestone of 10,000 cases on Tuesday after Victoria recorded 270 new cases.
The state’s total now stands at 4200 cases.
More than 240 of the new cases were still under investigation, while 28 had been linked to known outbreaks. There are 1803 active cases in Victoria.
The number of Victorians in hospital fighting the virus continues to grow with 85 in medical care, including 26 in intensive care, an increase in nine from Monday.
A man in this 30s is among 26 Victorians fighting the virus in intensive care. 85 Victorians are being treated for the virus in hospital.
Just four percent of the cases identified over the past week were acquired overseas.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said 21 intensive care patients were on ventilators.
Almost 22,000 tests were conducted on Monday, with more than 1.17 millions Victorians tested since January 1.
HOTEL QUARANTINE PROBE CALLS FOR INFORMATION
The inquiry into Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine system has appealed for anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Ahead of its first public hearing on Monday the inquiry has called for assistance from anyone with information relevant to its terms of reference.
The inquiry has been setup to probe failures in the hotel quarantine system that led to significant outbreaks of COVID-19.
Under the inquiry’s terms of reference the decisions and communications between government agencies, hotel operators and private contractors are set to be probed.
As well as allegations of serious breaches by private contractors, the inquiry is tipped to also probe illegal cash payments to guards, and billing rorts exposed in the quarantine debacle.
Anyone who has information relevant to the inquiry is encouraged to contact the 1800 005 010 or email contact@quarantineinquiry.vic.gov.au.
STAGE 4 MAY BE INEVITABLE
Further restrictions are inevitable if Victoria’s soaring coronavirus tally continues to rise, the chief health officer says.
Prof Brett Sutton said on Tuesday further restrictions would need to be considered if community transmission of COVID-19 didn’t start to decline.
Daniel Andrews said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Stage 4 restrictions.
But government sources have denied planning is already underway for a move to the tougher lockdown.
Speculation has increased that a tightening of restrictions is imminent.
It has been fuelled in part by a text message that has gone viral purporting to detail what Stage 4 restrictions could look like.
The message claims options under consideration include limited exercise opportunities, office lockdowns and curfews.
The Premier refused to comment on speculation about further restrictions.
But he said there were options available to the government should a clamp down be necessary.
“If we see patterns that are worrying and alarming that are unfolding, we won’t hesitate to take further steps,” he said.
“If you don’t want Stage 4, if you don’t want the lockdown to last a moment longer, then please follow the rules,” he said.
Prof Sutton said Victoria was currently tracking on the wrong side of the curve.
He said further restrictions would be treated with caution.
“We would do the minimum required because we know how much of an imposition it is on businesses, on people’s lives, but if it’s required to reduce transmission then it has to be in play.”
Sources have told the Herald Sun the likley next move would be to extend current restrictions across the state.
WHAT STAGE 4 RESTRICTIONS MAY LOOK LIKE
Health authorities are continuing to face an uphill battle containing community transmission with more than 640 cases with an unknown source.
“All of metro Melbourne is a concern in the sense that we’ve got cases that cover much of metro Melbourne and Mitchell shire,” Dr Sutton said.
“But the North-West corridor is still where transmission is occurring. Tarneit is still a hot spot. Roxburgh Park and Craigieburn are absolutely still a hot spot.”
Dr Sutton said anyone who had test negative but had ongoing symptoms should consider re-testing.
“You should isolate until you’re well, and secondly, you should consider another test,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said it was “too early” to be making any announcement about stage 4.
The Premier confirmed on Tuesday that employees from Medibank, Telstra, Qantas and Jetstar were being deployed to help the health department respond to the virus.
He said the government were also in discussions to train bank staff to respond to the health crisis.
“As the task grows, the team needs to grow as well,” Mr Andrews said.
“Pre-emptively, I think where we'll get to is to train up a whole range of staff from our banks, not to use right now, but in the event for either fatigue management or if the task continues to grow, for them to be potentially deployed in some weeks time.”
Mr Andrews said 1000 additional Australian Defence Force personnel would also join the fight over the next three to four weeks.
“This lockdown will continue as long as it needs to,” he said.
“If we all keep following those rules, then this strategy will work, we’ll bring it under control, we’ll be able to resume opening up, we’ll get past this very difficult set of circumstances we face.”
Mr Andrews said there was “no excuse” for Victorians trying to enter Queensland.
More than 1000 people travelling from Victoria have been busted trying to make it through Queensland’s border force checkpoints in the four days since the state eased restrictions on all states except Victoria.
Across the weekend, 850 travellers were turned away at Queensland’s road border checkpoints and that number swelled further yesterday with 82 on the Gold Coast alone.
“I’m quite confident Queensland police will be doing their best to make sure those people get caught and fined —and that’s exactly what they should be doing,” he said.
It comes as Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton revealed on Monday that Melbourne’s lower socio-economic communities were being hit harder as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens.
The health department has confirmed 242 cases are residents of the public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington, while another 32 people from the buildings in Carlton have contracted the virus.
WARNING TO AGED CARE WORKERS
More Victorians would die if aged care workers did the wrong thing and continued working when they were sick, according to Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd.
He said the outbreaks at Victorian aged care facilities were of major concern for all authorities and every effort needed to be made to keep residents and workers safe.
“We all remain very concerned about the outbreaks that we’re seeing in residential aged care facilities in Melbourne,” Prof Kidd said.
“We recommend that all staff working in residential aged care facilities or providing home care support in Victoria in the areas under restriction when community transmission is occurring must be wearing a surgical mask, when at work.
“Most importantly, no worker in aged care or home care should be going to work, if they have any symptoms, no matter how mild.
“To do so is putting lives at risk.”
While he urged people unable to socially distance across Melbourne to use masks, Professor Kidd said it was important no one used them as a “substitute for the other measures to prevent the spread”.
More than 10,000 have now been diagnosed with COVID-19.
— Jack Paynter and Tamsin Rose
OPPOSITION CALLS FOR MINISTERIAL SACKINGS
State opposition leader Michael O’Brien has called for ministerial sackings over Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine operation.
Mr O’Brien said today health minister Jenny Mikakos and police and emergency services minister Lisa Neville should both be immediately stood down.
He had until today refused to call for sackings in a move that was out of line with members of his party.
But he said on Tuesday leaked emails that revealed concerns were raised about the quarantine system within 24 hours of the program’s launch meant Daniel Andrews had to act.
The Premier refused to comment on the revelations, saying it was a matter for an inquiry he established to probe the quarantine system.
He also refused to say when he was first made aware of concerns about the program.
“The government must be responsible for these errors. I don’t say that out of any political finger pointing, I say that because Victorians have to have confidence that the people who caused these problems are still in charge of fixing them,” Mr O’Brien said.
“And what’s very clear from these emails is that the government was told on day one that hotel quarantine was a mess, that it wasn’t working, that it wasn’t secure ,that the police needed to come in.
“My concern is Victorians just cannot have confidence in ministers who made these mistakes, being responsible for getting us out of this mess.
“And that’s why I call on the premier to take action to assure Victorians that competent ministers are in charge, and clearly based on these leaked emails today the health minister and the police minister do not pass that test.”
— Shannon Deery
BIG CHANGE FOR MACCA’S IN VIRUS HOT SPOTS
Fast-food giant McDonald’s has moved to make it compulsory for staff working in its locked-down Melbourne and Mitchell Shire restaurants to wear face masks.
About 20,000 employees across the city will be required to wear a face covering at all times during their shift.
The measures were implemented on Monday in line with the Victoria Government’s recommendation last week for people to wear a mask when they couldn’t socially distance while out of the home.
A McDonald’s Australia spokeswoman confirmed the new measures and said the restaurant chain remained committed to following all relevant government guidance.
“In line with the recommendation from the Victorian Government, and out of an abundance of caution, we now require employees to wear face masks during any shift at our restaurants in the Melbourne metropolitan and Mitchell Shire areas,” she said.
store.
“At these restaurants, in accordance with level three lockdown requirements, we are currently only offering contactless takeaway, drive-through and McDelivery services.
“The health and safety of our people and customers has always been our priority.”
McDonald’s CEO Andrew Gregory told 3AW: “It’s obviously not an easy thing to achieve, but we were prepared and we’re really pleased to say now we’ve implemented that at every one of the 190 restaurants that remaining trading in that area.”
The spokeswoman said their restaurants were also maintaining strict health, safety, cleaning and sanitary practices, including every employee being mandated to wear gloves, using antimicrobial hand wash for customers and employees and social distancing throughout each
It comes after hundreds of McDonald’s employees were forced into quarantine and 12 restaurants across northwest Melbourne were closed for deep cleaning in May after a truck driver for an external service provider tested positive for COVID-19.
About a dozen coronavirus cases were also linked to an outbreak at Fawkner McDonald’s in northern Melbourne in May.
McDonald’s has already implemented compulsory temperature checks for workers before they start their shift in a bid to stop further coronavirus outbreaks within the fast-food chain.
— Jack Paynter
HOSPITALS BRACE FOR INFLUX OF ELDERLY PATIENTS
Up to 80 people have been infected in 24 active coronavirus outbreaks in aged-care homes across Victoria, sparking fears of a major health crisis.
A special ward has been set up in Royal Melbourne Hospital in preparation for an anticipated influx of elderly patients from aged-care homes.
Private-sector homes have been worst hit in the recent spate of infections.
Figures released to the Herald Sun reveal 28 of the infected are residents.
Authorities are particularly concerned about three outbreaks — Menarock Life in Essendon, Estia Health in Ardeer and Glendale Aged Care in Werribee.
Thirteen residents have been infected at both Menarock Life and Estia Health, and two at Glendale, including 90-year-old Alf Jordan, who died on Friday.
It is believed the Estia outbreak started when an employee, who also worked at Menarock, attended both sites after becoming infected.
Aged-care workers in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will be made to wear masks under new advice.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was being briefed daily, along with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on the response within Victorian’s aged-care system.
“This is … along with our Indigenous communities, our area of greatest risk,” he said.
“Any impact in an aged care institution could have dramatic consequences.”
In April, 19 residents at Newmarch House in Western Sydney died from coronavirus-related illnesses during an outbreak.
State Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Menarock Life in Essendon, with 31 cases, was now the state’s biggest cluster at an aged-care home.
He said he was concerned by the latest outbreaks, with 13 people taken to hospital.
“That’s because they are at risk of very significant consequences but also because it helps manage the outbreak,” he said. “That's a big aged-care outbreak (Menarock Life).
“That’s being very intensively managed at the moment, including transfer of some residents to acute care.”
Royal Melbourne Hospital said a speciality 24-bed ward had been set up to deal with an influx of aged-care residents.
It is believed the ward was set up in direct response to a recent jump in numbers at the homes.
A spokesman for the hospital said it would cater for “some of the most vulnerable”.
Another 21 residents at Menarock Life tested negative, and have been tested for a second time to ensure the results are correct.
CEO Kath Warren said all precautions were being taken, including the introduction of an on-site infection control co-ordinator and PPE supplies from the national medical stockpile.
“The health and wellbeing of our residents is our utmost priority,” Ms Warren said. “We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for our Menarock community at Essendon.”
Glendale Aged Care, in Werribee, confirmed 10 staff and two residents — including Mr Jordan —– had the virus. A further 474 tests at the home returned negative results.
The outbreaks have prompted a requirement for aged-care workers across Victoria’s lockdown zone will be made to wear masks following new advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
— Jack Paynter
ADF TO BE DELPOYED ACROSS VIC
More than 1400 Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed across the state in coming days as part of efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
At least 400 personnel are already stationed around Victoria and a further 1000 will join in coming days after Daniel Andrews accepted an offer from Scott Morrison on Sunday.
The extra help was expected to remain in place until at least August 19, when stage three restrictions were scheduled to be lifted.
Personnel will assist with planning, logistics and intelligence reporting, contract tracing, testing and community outreach.
A team will also assist Victoria Police in enforcing stay at home orders and others will work alongside paramedics.
Some will also help at vehicle checkpoints across the lockdown area.
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton have been working with the state government to work out how to best use the extra help.
The Prime Minister said the federal government would do everything it could to prevent further deaths across Victoria.
“We will help Victoria with whatever it takes to save lives and to save livelihoods,” Mr Morrison said.
“Our highly trained ADF personnel will work alongside state authorities to surge support for Victoria to ensure they get the backing they need to help respond to the situation. This is a serious situation facing not just Victoria, but the whole country.”
The Premier said he appreciated the assistance.
“This is a public health bushfire – just as we help out other states in summer, help is coming from across the nation now, including Australian Defence Force personnel in addition to the strong support provided over recent months – and we are grateful for that,” Mr Andrews said.
“As all Victorians work together to follow the rules they should be assured we have a massive team working around the clock to keep every Victorian family safe.”
— Tamsin Rose
HAIR SALON CLOSES AFTER POSITIVE CASE
Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre has had a confirmed case of COVID-19 at UR Next Hairdressing salon.
The popular shopping centre put out a statement on Monday night saying the owners and all staff at the hair salon had been tested and were self-isolating until the results came back.
“All people that were in close contact with the positive-tested individual have been contacted by the Department of Health Victoria. The store has been thoroughly cleaned following protocols provided by the authorities,” the statement read.
“Please be assured that our community’s safety and wellbeing are our top priority. The community is not at risk due to this individual’s case.”
SECRET UNEMPLOYMENT UNDERBELLY LOOMS
Hundreds of thousands more Australians may be out of work than official figures show, according to Josh Frydenberg.
While the official unemployment rate was 7.1 per cent, the real number was more like 13.3 per cent, the Treasurer said on Monday.
“The effective unemployment rate takes into account not only those who are officially unemployed by also those who have left the labour force altogether, as well as those on zero hours, and that is around 13.3 per cent right now,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“That is a large number of people, reflecting the economic challenges that we see right now.”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will release new jobless figures this week, with a further rise likely.
Mr Frydenberg said the government was doing what it could to support businesses via the JobKeeper program, but said it would be a challenging economic recovery.
“We have seen a big reduction in hours worked in the months since the COVID pandemic first hit in Australia,” he said.
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas last week said he feared pandemic job losses in the state could reach 275,000.
That would represent a jump from 6.9 to 11 per cent at the end of the year — about 138,000 up on the most recent data from the ABS.
Mr Pallas promised a further $534m in state funding for businesses affected by the six-week shutdown.
“We are expecting that there will be literally billions of dollars written off the expected size of the Victorian economy,” he said.
“It will take some years before we see that level of economic activity come back.”
On Thursday next week, Mr Frydenberg will announce the next stage of federal support measures.
Tourism and entertainment businesses are expected to receive help in the next round, with means testing expected.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week said the measures would be for sectors still struggling.
“Just as when we initiated what has been the largest ever level of income support any government has ever provided to the Australian community at any time, it was targeted for those who needed it most,” Mr Morrison said.
“The next phase of our support will also be targeted nationally to those who need it the most.”
Opposition tourism spokesman Don Farrell said businesses needed clarity.
“While the government continues to hint at support beyond September, the sector is crying out for certainty now,” he said.
AUSSIES’ COMPLACENCY BEFORE SECOND WAVE REVEALED
Australians have become increasingly complacent in the past three months, with new figures revealing more people were choosing not to take simple measures to slow the spread of the COVID-19.
Findings released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed only 20 per cent of people were getting home deliveries to avoid physical contacts in June, compared with more than a quarter in May.
ABS data revealed only 66 per cent of Australians were avoiding social gatherings in June, down from almost 80 per cent three months earlier.
However, in late June, 96 per cent of the country had taken at least one precaution to slow the spread. Nine in 10 people were keeping their distance from others and almost 70 per cent were disinfecting surfaces before using them. Just 13 per cent of people were wearing face masks.
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