Victorian coronavirus latest: Social gatherings limits tightened, new cases confirmed
Further social restrictions may still loom for families preparing for the school holidays, as the Prime Minister confirmed strict new rules. And Victoria confirmed 28 new cases today, taking the total to 178. LATEST
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LATEST: Another 28 cases of coronavirus have been identified in Victoria on Friday.
The state’s confirmed cases tally now stands at 178, with new cases including a student and five parents at exclusive Geelong Grammar.
A Victoria Police officer has also been struck down by the virus.
The officer, based at Ringwood police station, was put in self-isolation on Tuesday after coming into contact with someone with COVID-19. They have since tested positive. The station is being cleaned and temporarily closed as a precaution.
In other key developments today:
– New social distancing rules will mean fewer people can gather in restaurants and other venues;
– Further limits may be considered that could impact travel and bookings for school holidays;
– Victorian prisons to shut their doors to visitors indefinitely;
– A funding package will be delivered to help care for the aged community;
– Retailers including Smiggle and Just Jeans fear they may have to close if rents aren’t cut;
– Banks will help out small business by freezing loan repayments.
SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
NEW SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced new strict social distancing rules- and hasn’t ruled out making more as the Easter school holiday break approaches.
Mr Morrison said the rise in cases meant more had to be done.
New medical advice limits indoor venues to one person per 4sq m. A cafe covering 60sq m would only be allowed 15 customers at a time.
Venues will need to know exactly how many patrons they can have in their space at any time.
He said people should not be “out and about” when told to stay home and that “self-isolation means self-isolation”.
Mr Morrison warned that stricter measures may be introduced in areas where outbreaks became more serious. “There will be parts of cities or places that will be more susceptible because of localised outbreaks,” he said.
“There will be more advanced measures that may be put in place.”
Victoria’s school term ends next week, with students on Easter break for two weeks.
Mr Morrison said all unnecessary travel should be reconsidered, but could not say whether those who had already booked accommodation for the school holidays should now cancel.
He said any further measures were being worked through with a meeting planning for Tuesday next week to discuss what it would mean for families planning their school holidays.
More information will be provided ahead of school holidays about what impact the new spatial requirements might have. But the Prime Minister confirmed that schools would remain open.
He said the Federal Budget would also be deferred until October 6.
Mr Morrison also announced a new $444 million package to support aged care facilities.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said there were still many cases being “imported”.
He said it was a ‘civic duty’ to stay home if you have recently returned to Australia.
“We have to make sure that people are very clear. You should be distancing yourself from every fellow Australian where possible.”
Mr Murphy said testing would be stepped up for health workers including any showing symptoms, regardless of whether they can been overseas or had contact with a known case.
RETAILERS FEAR WIDESPREAD CLOSURES
The retail giant behind brands including Just Jeans, Smiggle and Peter Alexander has warned it will be forced to make widespread store closures if landlords do not cut rents in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Premiers’ stable of fashion brands also includes Jay Jays, Portmans, Jacquie-E and Dotti.
The Melbourne-based fashion giant operates close to 900 stores across Australia and more than 1250 globally.
Chief executive Mark McInnes said major shopping mall owners and other landlords needed to work with retailers to map out a survival plan for the sector.
This meant rents needed to be cut to keep retailers in business, Mr McInnes said.
“Landlords have a major role to play to ensure retailers can operate in the short-term for the long term benefit of all stakeholders,” he said.
“It’s not an us and them thing. In many ways we should be aligned on this. We are not talking about profiting here. Historical rents are just that – they are history.”
More ominously, Mr McInnes pointed out that the leases of 70 per cent of Premier’s store network in Australia and New Zealand expired this year or could be broken within 30 days.
VICTORIAN POLICE OFFICER TESTS POSITIVE
Two police officers are currently self-isolating after coming into contact with an infected fellow officer.
Ringwood police station was shut down on Tuesday to be professionally cleaned due to infection concerns.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it will be closed again today for cleaning.
“As a precaution the station will be closed for several hours and thoroughly cleaned again today,” she said.
The police officer had returned back to work on Tuesday after a period of annual leave.
That day he was told a person he had contact with during his leave had tested positive to coronavirus.
“The officer had only returned from leave that day and was performing duties that involved minimal contact with members of the public,” said the police spokeswoman.
“They were placed into self-isolation that day and have since tested positive to COVID-19.”
He is the first Victoria Police officer known to have contracted coronavirus.
CORONAVIRUS CAUSES STRIP CLUB SHUTDOWN
Melbourne’s major strip clubs have been brought to a halt by the coronavirus.
Operators of the Goldfingers, Centrefold Lounge, Men’s Gallery and Spearmint Rhino venues have decided to close their doors because of the health threat.
A message from Goldfingers management to staff said the businesses had agreed to cease trade from 4pm today.
“All four venues agree the new changes to social distancing laws announced by Govt this morning make it impracticable to trade,” the message said.
“And more importantly, our greatest concern is for the safety and well-being of all staff, dancers and patrons.”
It went on to say the clubs’ position would be reviewed on Monday.
BANKS STEP IN TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS
Banks will freeze small business customers’ loan repayments for up to six months in response to the cashflow crunch caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The package, announced in Sydney this morning, applies to $100 billion of existing borrowing.
Australian Banking Association boss Anna Bligh said the move could put $8 billion back in the pockets of small business.
“This is a multibillion-dollar shot in the arm for small businesses when they need it the most,” Ms Bligh said.
Fast–tracked processes were being put in place and the deferrals could be available as soon as Monday.
“Businesses, I know, are doing it very tough,” she said. “They can rest assured that banks have got their back.”
Mortgage customers will also be supported, she said. Currently that need was not as pressing, but the situation was evolving.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the Herald Sun the freeze was “unprecedented and a game changer”.
“Many small businesses use their home as collateral and these payments will also be deferred,” Mr Frydenberg said after the announcement.
The government was preparing more economic support, he said.
This is expected to include increasing the jobless payment.
Meanwhile NAB, will cut two per cent from new business loan rates and overdrafts on its main QuickBiz product.
It will also reduce variable rates on existing small business loans by 100 basis points.
Rates on new fixed home loans will become 0.6 per cent cheaper.
But there are no changes to home loan variable rates.
Depositors are being offered a 10-month term of 1.75 per cent.
NAB CEO Ross McEwan said: “These measures will provide significant relief to businesses and home buyers”.
CAFE, BARS FACING STRICT NEW RULES
The federal government is developing a super-sized and streamlined dole payment to support tens of thousands of Australians expected to lose their jobs during the crisis.
The $574.50 fortnightly payment will be significantly topped up in an unprecedented cash splash to help families survive the next six months.
Other developments, as Victoria reached 150 cases of coronavirus, included:
Further measures being considered to strengthen the lockdown on non-essential gatherings, likely forcing cafes and bars to turn away customers in order to prevent them becoming too crowded; and
The federal government contemplating extraordinary rationing measures to stop hoarding of food and supplies.
Mr Morrison said yesterday the government was planning to “build a bridge” to get workers and businesses through.
“The government is stepping up where it can to try and cushion that impact as much as we responsibly can,” he said.
The Herald Sun understands existing dole requirements, such as applying for jobs and attending relevant training, could be stripped back for workers laid off.
Mr Morrison said the Newstart payment — known as the JobSeeker payment from today — was currently calculated to encourage people back into employment.
“We understand that certainly over the next six months, that is a very different-looking economy, and when the facts change and the circumstances change, you need to adjust your packages to reflect that,” he said.
“We’re looking at those issues around income support, we’re looking at issues around people’s obligations.”
It comes as the emergency National Cabinet meets today to bolster social distancing rules, considering medical advice to limit indoor venues to one person per 4sq m. A cafe covering 60sq m would only be allowed 15 customers at a time.
QUEEN VIC MARKET TRADER OFFERED SUPPORT PACKAGE
Traders at Queen Victoria Market have been offered a three-month support package, including rent relief, from the Melbourne City Council.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp and market chief executive Stan Liacos announced the deal for the site’s 600 traders to help deal with falling trade during the coronavirus crisis.
“The vast majority of these businesses are small family operations with just a few employees so it’s vital that we support the Market during these difficult times,” Cr Capp said.
The package includes 50 per cent rent relief for specialty traders and 25 per cent rent relief for produce and food-related traders.
Specialty traders located in C Shed to M Shed can have the option to temporarily close.
“Queen Victoria Market is open for business now and this package of rent relief and support will help Market traders stay open,” Cr Capp
Extra health and safety measures have been introduced in recent weeks, including increased cleaning and more hand sanitiser.
DEATH TOLL RISES
An 81-year-old NSW woman has died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the state’s death toll to six and seven across Australia.
The woman died on Thursday night after close contact with a confirmed case linked to Ryde Hospital, according to NSW Health.
An 86-year-old man previously confirmed to have COVID-19 died in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday night.
CALL FOR PRISONERS TO WALK FREE AMID VIRUS CHAOS
A prisoner rights body wants criminals sentenced to less than two years and elderly inmates to walk free amid the coronavirus crisis.
Justice Action has called for Australia’s Attorneys-General to “act immediately” to prevent the condition getting a hold behind prison walls.
The body wants the number of prisoners in the nation’s jails cut and for cells to no longer be shared to maintain social distancing.
There have been widespread riots in Italian prisons and Justice Action co-ordinator Brett Collins said there was a risk of chaos here as inmates started to feel panic and desperation.
MELBOURNE SERVOS SELLING PETROL FOR ONLY 96.9C A LITRE
Fuel has dropped to astonishing prices at servos in Melbourne’s west as motorists take advantage of the plummeting crude oil price brought on by the coronavirus. But some stations are still charging $1.60 a litre.
See the cheapest outlets here.
AIR ASIA STOPS AVALON AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
International flights in and out of Avalon Airport have been suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic.
AirAsia has announced its four daily flights between Avalon and Kuala Lumpur will be stopped until the end of the month and it’s not known when flights will resume.
It comes after Jetstar also announced major chances to its Avalon flight schedule this week, suspending flights to Adelaide and the Gold Coast and drastically reducing flights to Sydney.
An AirAsia spokeswoman said the move was made because of travel restrictions enforced by the Malaysian and Australian governments.
PLENTY OF FOOD TO GO AROUND, VICTORIANS ASSURED
Victorian farmers have assured the community that there is plenty of meat, dairy, eggs and grains to last through this crisis.
Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke urged consumers not to panic about running out of food.
“We understand that there is panic and fear. Victorian farmers are well placed to meet the demand. We feed you and we will continue to feed you,” Mr Jochinke said.
Mr Jochinke said Australia produced more food than it consumed and urged people not to panic buy and just get their regular shop.
“At the moment, we are experiencing an unrealistic urge in demand. That means, if Victorians continue to purchase in bulk, it might take a few days to get things from paddock to plate.”
The coronavirus outbreak still had challenges for the sector including the movement and availability of seasonal, casual and permanent farm workers.
Victorian farmers were renowned around the world for food quality and that there was plenty to go around, Mr Jochinke said.
“This is a demand issue, not a supply issue.
“All we are asking is, to settle your farm, take a moment and think about you really need.
“The last we want to see is food waste, the last we want is to see people miss out.’’
SOVEREIGN HILL TOCLOSE TEMPORARILY
Sovereign Hill at Ballarat is to close indefinitely from 5pm today in response to the virus pandemic.
The mining attraction’s Outdoor Museum, Gold Museum and Narmbool will shut, and all events and programs, such as the lamplight tours, cancelled.
The venue is the latest tourist attraction to close its doors after Parks Victoria yesterday shut down five sites: the Twelve Apostles visitor centre and lookouts; the St Kilda Pier penguin viewing platform; the 1000 Steps in the Dandenong Ranges; the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden at Olinda; and the William Ricketts Sanctuary at Mt Dandenong.
Sovereign Hill staff will have their hours cut to 80 per cent of their roster for two weeks and volunteer programs will stop.
Some staff will remain to care for animals and maintain the site.
Sovereign Hill Museums Association chief executive Sara Quon said staff and visitors had to be protected.
“The resilience of people through hard times is at the heart of Sovereign Hill’s gold rush story. We will play a critical role in leading the recovery of our region and sector after this crisis.”
MORE: LIST OF CANCELLED, POSTPONED EVENTS
COMMITTAL HEARINGS TO BE PUT OFF
Contested committal hearings will be put off for at least two months while Victorian courts try to move to an almost completely digital model.
Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, as chair of the Courts Council, said today the courts and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal were now “actively changing the way they operate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“In both the criminal and civil courts, we are rapidly moving to a position where appearances will be managed through the electronic and digital environment,” she said.
“Not all courts have the technical capability yet, but considerable work is underway to build that as soon as possible.”
Pilots will start across all courts to test the technology.
“We are not there yet. Nor do we have all the answers,” she said.
“The situation is fluid and moving fast and while we cannot predict what may happen with COVID-19 in the immediate future we will continue to move to a more agile and flexible environment.”
The chief justice has asked newly appointed State Coroner Judge John Cain to act as the co-ordination point between all Victorian criminal courts, the legal profession and criminal justice stakeholders.
Justice Ferguson will co-ordinate the work of the civil courts.
She said contested committal hearings listed for the next eight weeks would be adjourned.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented delays in the justice system.
Already all new jury trials have been put off until further notice.
Court sources say the effects of such significant delays could be felt for years.
The delays are also expected to spark an enormous amount of bail applications.
Already an alleged drug trafficker has secured bail.
Supreme Court judge Justice Lex Lasry, granting bail, said if not for the current health crisis, bail may not have been granted.
“Since the filing of this application, the entire community has been overwhelmed by the emergence of coronavirus,” he said.
“Dramatic steps have been taken to flatten the curve, but ultimately no one can say when this will end and how the courts will be affected.
“There can be no question … once the virus is discovered in Victorian prisons, there will be significant lockdowns and result in a large number of prisoners becoming seriously ill. Applications such as this need to continue, people cannot be left to languish in custody.”
SHUTTERED WARDS MAY BE OPENED FOR CORONAVIRUS SURGE
Health services are in a four-week race to fit out old and new hospitals before a surge of more than 50,000 coronavirus cases floods the state.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday outlined a $437 million plan that will see an extra 269 beds added to Victoria’s health system in time for the pandemic peak which could last 12 weeks.
The extraordinary efforts include recommissioning patient wards at the old Peter MacCallum hospital in East Melbourne. That space for 84 new beds had been mothballed since June 2016.
Empty space in the new Bendigo hospital will also be fitted out with 45 beds as the Department of Health prepares for the delivery of new ventilators, oxygen and dialysis machines that will triple the state’s intensive-care capacity.
Efforts are already under way to fast-track the opening of 140 beds at the redeveloped Casey Hospital in time for the pandemic’s expected peak in late April-early May.
The new beds and equipment is hoped to cater for an extra 45,000 emergency department presentations, 5000 hospital admissions and 2000 intensive-care patients during the expected three-month COVID-19 surge.
Coronavirus testing laboratories set up in the past fortnight are working around the clock to meet an unprecedented demand for pathology, despite having severely limited supplies of testing kits.
Royal Melbourne Hospital director of microbiology Professor Deborah Williamson said her staff had been “heroic” in undertaking more than 1500 tests in just 11 days, though greater challenges lie ahead.
“It is unprecedented … we are in uncharted territory in our laboratory, but the key thing is the workforce has more than risen to the challenge,” she said.
“It is fair to say there is a resilience in our workforce, and people are very proud of the job they are doing. People are going above and beyond.”
The Department of Health unit investigating contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases will jump from 57 to 230 workers in coming weeks, with doctors and medical students called in to bolster the force.
The Andrews Government plan also includes $97 million to call in casual and part-time medical staff to cover hospital workers when they need to self-isolate during the crisis.
Hospitals are examining the qualifications and experience of their own workforces to identify those able to take a frontline role during the peak.
The move is expected to see surgeons, anaesthetists and others who have appropriate qualifications moved into wards or background roles to free up doctors.
Royal Australian College of Surgeons Victoria chair Susan Shedda said specialists with suitable qualifications could be used in new roles.
“Where possible, surgeons will provide their expertise and skills to other parts of the health system, however this must be done in safe and appropriate ways,” she said.
“The college is confident that in these uncertain times, all medical professionals will provide the highest level of care for patients and their colleagues, and provide support for the health system wherever they feel it is safe and appropriate to do so.”
ELDERLY AUSSIES ON CRUISE SHIP FEAR DOCKING IN ITALY
Elderly Australians on-board a cruise ship set to dock in Italy fear they will be refused treatment if they test positive for coronavirus in the disease-ravaged country.
It is understand there are many older Australians on-board the Costa Victoria, which the operator Costa Cruises has confirmed is set to sail into port in Venice on March 28 – when passengers will be “advised” to leave the ship.
The development comes as Italy surpassed China for the most number of deaths related to COVID-19.
AUSTRALIA IMPOSES TRAVEL BAN
Scott Morrison has announced a travel ban will be placed on all non-Australian residents to stop them travelling here from 9pm Friday.
The prime minister said traffic from overseas had already reduced significantly, but that it was essential to further lock down the country.
Australian citizens will still be allowed to return home and will be subject to a 14-day isolation period when they arrive.
Mr Morrison said Qantas was working with the federal government to ensure flights were available for Australians who needed to get home “as soon as possible”.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also closed her country’s borders.
New Zealand’s travel ban comes into effect Thursday 11.59pm (local time).
COVID-19 BANS COULD REMAIN UNTIL OCTOBER
A key adviser to Prime Minister Scott Morrison credited travel restrictions and social distancing as key to controlling the coronavirus – and added the bans are here to stay until at least October.
Australia has slowed its epidemic through isolation and contact tracing yet whether the success will hold or not is unclear and Professor Jodie McVernon said we may have to live with restrictions longer than other countries.
With case counts and deaths soaring in Europe, Australia has so far avoided a European style lockdown from COVID-19 as we try to control the spread of the virus using travel restrictions, quarantine, case tracing and social distancing.
BUSINESS IS BOOMING FOR BUTCHERS
Butchers have been inundated by frantic shoppers as people flock back to independent stores as a result of the panic buying crisis.
As meat on supermarket shelves is stripped bare due to the coronavirus outbreak, Gary White, the owner of Ringwood’s BJ’s Meats, said he simply couldn’t employ enough people to keep up with demand.
He said a shortage of skilled butchers, who had left the industry when consumers turned to buying produce from major supermarkets instead, meant they couldn’t cut enough meat to satisfy the recent surge in customers.
“The challenge is people have left butcher shops and now they’ve come back all of a sudden and there’s no tradesmen,” Mr White said.
“We can’t keep up the demand, physically, we can’t get it up to the people quick enough.
“We can’t call on anyone. There’s only four of us here, I couldn’t get another four people because they’ve all left the trade because it was diminishing.
“All of a sudden it’s overwhelming, it’s just come back tenfold.”
WHAT AFL WILL DO IF PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE
The AFL season will shut down for a minimum of 30 days if a player from one of the 18 clubs tests positive for coronavirus, according to league chief executive Gillon McLachlan.
A day after the season opened before empty MCG stadiums, McLachlan said he knew of a number of players who were in quarantine at the moment, but stressed no player in tonight’s Collingwood-Western Bulldogs game at Marvel Stadium was under a cloud.
McLachlan also said he had spoken with football operations chief Steve Hocking about getting the on field protocols better than they were for the Richmond-Carlton clash on Thursday night.
“I know of players in quarantine. I don’t have the latest (information), but I know no players or officials from tonight’s game that are pending tests,” McLachlan said on 3AW.
Asked what the implications would be if one player tests positive, McLachlan said: “We would certainly stand down for a minimum of 30 days.”
“We need to make sure our protocols are completely tight.
“It is a problem that is not going away … we understand it is going to be bumpy and we all have got to stick together.”
REFUNDS FOR MYKI USERS
Commuters forced to work from home are being refunded for myki passes they can no longer use.
The Transport Department has revealed that if a passenger wants a refund for their myki pass, they will be refunded the pro rata balance of remaining days and the pass will be rendered unusable for travel on the network.
And while a myki pass can’t be paused, passengers can elect to be issued a new card loaded with their existing balance, which will be activated the next time they touch on the network.
Commuters can also have the balance of their myki pass converted into myki money, to be used as required.
“The Department of Transport is considering all refund requests from passengers who are no longer using their myki pass,” a spokesman said.
“We have seen an increase in the number of myki pass refund requests and we appreciate everyone’s patience while we work through this higher number of requests.
The spokesman said that public transport was an essential service and trains, trams and buses would continue to operate as normal.
For refunds go to: ptv.vic.go.au
$105B BAZOOKA FOR BUSINESSES
Banking changes to prevent the newly jobless losing their homes will be introduced after the federal government joined with the Reserve Bank to fire a “$105 billion bazooka” into the business borrowing market.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was working with banks to prevent foreclosures on customers who lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
THIRD YESHIVA COMMUNITY MEMBER TESTS POSITIVE TO COVID-19
Melbourne’s tight knit orthodox Jewish community has been hit by another case of coronavirus.
A teacher and a student from exclusive school Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah Colleges have already tested positive to COVID-19.
Now a community member has tested positive after travelling to Australia on an Etihad airlines flight on Tuesday.
The person is the third confirmed Yeshiva community member to test positive, with many others now awaiting tests.
Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah Colleges principal Shimon Waronked said the person went directly into isolation following their flight.
“This will result in the ability to contain its spread as much as possible,” he said.
“Any community members who arrived on Tuesday night on Etihad airlines, to the best of our knowledge, have been informed, as has DHHS.”
In a letter to community members Mr Waronker reinforced the need for vigilance.
“We commend the community on its state of calm, and ask that everyone remain vigilant and continue to abide by the social distancing rules,” he said.
“Of critical importance is our reiteration, in the strongest possible terms possible, that all who are returning from overseas must adhere to their isolation, as per Australian laws.
“This is the best way we can help decrease the spread of the virus and protect our elderly, our most vulnerable and the wider community.
“By working together and continuing to be responsible for our actions, we will do our part in helping protect the safety and well being of our community.”
The St Kilda East school was closed last week after it was discovered the teacher had been infected.
Since then the community’s ritual bath house has been drained because it was used multiple times by one of those that tested positive.
VICTORIAN SCHOOL CLOSURES
Two more public schools closed yesterday over confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Kensington Primary will not open to students on Friday after two parents contracted the virus.
Families were told in a late message last night, with the campus to be shut for at least 24 hours.
Middle Park Primary students won’t be able to return until Wednesday, after a staffer tested positive, while teachers would be back on Tuesday.
The University of Melbourne and Newport Gardens Primary had cases of a confirmed staffer and parent respectively, but would remain open.
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