Coronavirus Australia live coverage: One number that matters

There are 16 new cases of coronavirus around the country today and 6929 overall. But there's another number that matters most now.

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May 9, 2020 - 1:54AM

Schools are reopening, so here's a guide to the situation in each state and territory

There are only 16 new cases of coronavirus in Australia in the last 24 hours, but that's not the number that matters most.

The country's Deputy Chief Medical Officer addressed the media on Saturday afternoon delivering a new set of numbers.

There are 6929 cases in Australia, 97 deaths and 16 new cases. There are also four cases freshly linked to an outbreak at a Melbourne abattoir.

But the number that perhaps matters most is "1". Just 1 per cent.

"We are continuing doing a lot of testing, just under 8000 tests yesterday with a very low positivity rate, under 1 per cent now," Dr Paul Kelly told reporters.

"Those figures are way less than what we were having even a couple of weeks ago and this is all very good news," Dr Kelly said.

Australia has recorded 6929 cases of COVID-19, with 3051 in New South Wales, 1477 in Victoria, 1045 in Queensland, 439 in South Australia, 552 in Western Australia, 227 in Tasmania, 107 in the Australian Capital Territory and 30 in the Northern Territory.

Australia’s death toll is at 97.

Here's how the day unfolded.

Updates

Med students on standby for NSW virus rise

Some NSW medical students will enter the workforce early as the state prepares for a surge in COVID-19 cases.

About 200 final-year students will be allowed to take up supervised roles with local health districts as assistants in medicine.

The non-COVID roles are expected to free up existing staff to care for COVID-19 cases, should infections rise.

The three stages of coronavirus restriction easing “all have risks associated with them”, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

“We still have to prepare … for the possibility that we’ll have outbreaks,” he told reporters on Saturday.

“There is no question that until we have a vaccine, we have to understand in releasing some of the rules … there are risks.”

NSW is treating 110 cases in its health system, including eight in intensive care.

Almost 400 other people are listed as unrecovered, are less than three weeks from symptom onset or do not have available recovery data.

The students will need to opt-in and will be assessed to ensure they have the appropriate skills such as blood collecting and reviewing patients.

“These students already have a good understanding of the NSW Health system, having participated in placements since their degrees began,” Mr Hazzard said.

“So they will be well prepared to provide additional support if needed.” The initiative is expected to cost $12.7 million.

– AAP

'Isolation' led to great-grandmother's passing

The family of a 92-year-old woman who died at virus-hit Newmarch House in Sydney say she did not die from coronavirus but isolation killed her.

Fay Rendoth was diagnosed with coronavirus three weeks ago but recovered, according to Anglicare, which operated the aged care home.

She was kept in isolation at the facility where 16 other residents had already died from coronavirus and dozens of others were infected.

"It was the confinement in her room and by-produce of COVID-19 social physical isolation that had detrimental impacts on her health and led to her passing," her granddaughter Savannah Robinson told the ABC.

Anglicare issued a statement saying they are "devastated at the passing".

The cluster at the aged care home has been linked to the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

Thirty-two staff and 37 residents have tested positive to coronavirus.

Thousands flock to shopping malls in SA

Mall and supermarkets around Adelaide have been packed to start the weekend, raising concerns of growing complacency over the coronavirus pandemic.

With Mother’s Day on Sunday and the lifting of some restrictions in South Australia on Monday, health officials said the crowds at retail outlets on Saturday were not surprising.

However, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Mike Cusack said social distancing and other measures remained vitally important to avoid a surge in the number of virus infections.

“We could well understand after a period of lockdown, that people would want to get out,” Dr Cusack said.

“But clearly the more we have people bunched together the more opportunity the virus has to jump from person to person.

“That effectively increases the risk of further outbreaks in the state.”

Dr Cusack said given the experience in the US and in Europe a “second peak” of virus cases was always possible.

“We’ve seen the devastation that can be caused so I would strongly encourage people not to become complacent and to continue to do the right things,” he said.

SA reported no new virus infections on Saturday with the state’s tally remaining at 439.

— AAP

One number Aussies should look at

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly updated Australia's coronavirus figures on Saturday afternoon.

He told reporters there have been 97 deaths and 6929 cases since the pandemic reached Australia.

There are 16 new cases around the country in the last 24 hours, including four from the outbreak at the Cedar Meats abattoir in Melbourne's west.

But he asked Australians to focus on one number: 1.

"We are continuing doing a lot of testing, just under 8000 tests yesterday with a very low positivity rate, under 1 per cent now."

Under 1 per cent.

"Those figures are way less than what we were having even a couple of weeks ago and this is all very good news," Dr Kelly said.

A resident at Sydney's Newmarch House who died overnight had recovered from coronavirus and died from an unrelated illness.

The tough call on whether to see Mum

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly urged people to make smart choices about visiting their mums tomorrow.

"Individually people need to make that choice and it really depends on the age of your mum and whether she has other diseases that might make her more severely affected with Covid," he told reporters on Sunday.

"I think absolutely if you are feeling sick yourself, do not go and visit your mum. Please don't. If you are feeling well and you really want to see your mum I'm sure it is fine but for elderly mums, just be a little bit cautious and probably keep that 1.5m distance for now.

"I know it is hard and we all want to cuddle our mums on Mother's Day and a big shout out to all of the mums out there but let's just wait a little bit longer."

Why wealthy countries have copped it worst

Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly addressed the media this afternoon and it was asked a particularly interesting question: Why are countries with the highest mortality rates actually really wealthy?

Dr Kelly said there are lots of factors at play, but often it's about testing.

"I think firstly, those richer countries with first-class health systems like our own are able to find people and to diagnose them correctly and so, those large numbers, you know, over 1 million people in the US, 400,000 in several European countries.

"These are enormous strains on a health system. In the UK … I do not think they are seeing the full extent of the epidemic there. They are mainly testing people as they come into hospital. And so we know that once people are sick enough to come into hospital, mortality rate is higher and it is often older people or people with chronic diseases and we are the same in Australia.

"So if you end up in hospital, so sick to be in hospital, then your chances of survival are much less than if you are able to stay at home and that kind of makes sense.

"So I think for some countries they are not counting those ones that are at home so much, they are not getting as many tests out and certainly in the early stage of the epidemic.

"Looking at some of the other countries in Africa for example I'm sure they are completely underestimating their problem and some countries in Asia are finding even higher mortality rates."

Hunt claims Australia 'moving in one direction'

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt insists the states and territories are moving in “one direction” in easing restrictions.

But frictions again emerged between federal Liberal MPs and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews over his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The political bickering emerged as another death was reported at Sydney’s Newmarch House aged care facility, bringing the nation’s fatalities to 98.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced a three-stage plan to lift restrictions across Australia, with the backing of the national cabinet, although it will be up to individual states and territories when they are implemented.

Mr Morrison is aiming for stage three to be implemented by July, with the lifting of restrictions getting 850,000 people back to work.

Victoria and NSW are not rushing into lifting restrictions, while other jurisdictions are moving more promptly on stage one.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said it was appropriate for the state and territories to implement the stages when they see it’s appropriate.

“I don’t think anyone wants to see these restrictions imposed for one day longer than is necessary, but they also don’t want to see the health advice of the respective state authorities ignored,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Queanbeyan, NSW on Saturday.

— AAP

Koshy pushing for AFL China trip despite concern

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has reinforced his club’s commitment to the AFL’s China push and issued a scathing response to Mick Malthouse’s criticism of the arrangement.

Football great Malthouse this week urged the AFL to boycott China because of the country’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

In an article that appeared in the Herald Sun, Malthouse said continuing to play matches at Shanghai’s Jiangwan Stadium, which the league has done annually since 2017, was “the last thing” the AFL should do.

The arrangement is in limbo as the world attempts to come to grips with the coronavirus pandemic.

But Koch told Fox Footy on Saturday that Port Adelaide would stand firm on its China deal and branded Malthouse a “dinosaur”.

“Mick Malthouse has zero expertise and so zero relevance in any of this,” Koch said.

“If Mick Malthouse made a comment on footy I’d give it a glancing look (but) when it comes to China, absolutely zero relevance whatsoever.”

Victorians VERY keen to get back to it

The push to re-open Victoria is taking different forms. This is one of them.

The “has Daniel Andrews said we can get on the beers yet?” page continues to be the best thing on Facebook pic.twitter.com/EGKYu0SJob
— Josh Butler 🏉🏝️ (@JoshButler) May 9, 2020

Update on Newmarch House death

The death of an elderly Newmarch House resident yesterday was not directly related to COVID-19, authorities said.

NSW Health spokesman Dr Jeremy McAnulty said it was not believed the latest death was directly caused by coronavirus.

"The doctor is in the best place to understand what the illness was and the cause of death," he told reporters on Saturday.

"Without going into personal details, we understand that the person had COVID, had recovered, had other illnesses and was elderly and died."

Fay Rendoth, 92, died on Friday at the aged care home in Sydney's west.

"Tragically a resident of Newmarch House passed away last night (8 May). The family and all relevant authorities have been contacted," a statement from Anglicare said.

"We are devastated at the passing and extend our deepest sympathies to the family as they grieve the loss of their loved one."

We have revised Australia's COVID-19 death toll to 97.