Coronavirus Australia live: State borders clamp shut due to virus restrictions

More than 650 police officers plus specialist drone operators and bomb units  are patrolling Victoria's borders following a last minute scramble to cross.

State borders between Victoria and New South Wales along with Victoria and South Australia will clamp shut at midnight with a heavy police operation already in place.

More than 650 officers, drones, specialist bomb units and the military will patrol border crossings in the coming days to prevent travellers crossing the country and increasing the risk of coronavirus transmission. 

It follows reports of people rushing to leave the state and Chinese students paying travel agents to ferry them across the border in small groups. 

On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said the current outbreak in Victoria is vastly different from any outbreaks we have seen in other parts of the country.

"This outbreak is markedly different to any of those in that it has originated and emerged in households, in young families, large, culturally-diverse families and is now within the community," he said.

There are currently 860 active COVID-19 cases in Victoria and 456 of those are suspected cases of community transmission.

RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus news

Australia has recorded a total 8697 cases of COVID-19, with 3251 in New South Wales, 2942 in Victoria, 1068 in Queensland, 443 in South Australia, 624 in Western Australia, 228 in Tasmania, 111 in the Australian Capital Territory and 30 in the Northern Territory.

Australia’s coronavirus death toll is 106. 

Our live blog has ended for the day, here's how it unfolded.

Updates

9:47 pm July 8, 2020

Victorian border crossers tell of relief

Victorians crossing the border into South Australia have also spoken of their relief at being able to leave Victoria just hours before roads clamp shut.

Vivien and Wayne told Nine News her family live in South Australia and she needs to cross for a funeral on Thursday.

"My mother has just passed away and we needed to come to the border today, to make sure everything was in place so that I could attend my mother's funeral tomorrow."

Another woman said she was leaving to stay with her partner and felt a lot more "at ease" in South Australia.

9:44 pm July 8, 2020

Chinese students 'escape' across border

The ABC has reported at least 100 Chinese international students have managed to "escape" from Melbourne ahead of the NSW-Victoria border closure amid fears of being stranded and unable to catch flights home to China.

The ABC reported on Wednesday students travelled in small groups in private cars after buying scalpers flight tickets. Students said they paid between $200 and $800 to travel agents to cross in the days before the border closure.

The border has been clamped down in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus after community transmission was found to have taken hold in Melbourne following quarantine bungles.

Chinese international student Sue Li, 22, said she had decided to return to China following the news.

"I really like Melbourne… but I think Australia has a terrible Government, which put restrictions into effect immediately again, and failed to provide a respite for international students," she said.

9:39 pm July 8, 2020

Police operation prepares for border lockdown

More than 650 police officers including drone operators and bomb disposal units, plus traffic and highway command will patrol the NSW-Victorian border tonight as it closes for the first time in a century.

Movement from Victorian hotspots into NSW was already restricted, however from midnight Wednesday the restrictions will apply to the entire state unless people have special exemptions.

The "high visibility" police operation will be assisted by the Australian Defence Force with 350 personnel deployed on Thursday, NSW police said.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said safety was a top priority but the first 72 hours was expected to be challenging.

“The aim of this operation is to keep NSW safe – the broader NSW community, as well as NSW Police officers and operation support personnel,” the Commissioner said.

“I know this closure will inconvenience many on both sides of the border, but the dangers and flow-on effects that accompany a second wave of COVID-19 are not something we want to see for our state.

“We anticipate the first 72 hours will be challenging, so we ask the community to be patient and work with us. Importantly, if you don’t need to cross the border, don’t,” Commissioner Fuller said.

Pictures on the border taken ahead of the closure showed mostly calm scenes with motorists warned to stop if directed.

It's not known how long the measure will be in place but it could be a matter of weeks rather than days, authorities said.

7:21 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Fifth Vic paramedic contracts virus

Another Victoria paramedic has tested positive to COVID-19, the fifth in the state to do so.

Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker said the paramedic was in isolation and was expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Walker also downplayed the risk to other paramedics and patients they treat, despite the spate of infections, saying Ambulance Victoria was doing everything possible to keep people safe.

“Our paramedics wear PPE to all cases and are taking every precaution to protect their patients, themselves and their colleagues,” he said.

“Paramedics are temperature checked before every shift and do not attend work if they’re feeling unwell.”

6:48 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Passengers referred to police after airport fail

Authorities have reportedly tracked down the 50 passengers on a flight from Melbourne to Sydney last night were allowed to leave the airport without being screened by health officials.

The 137 people on the Jetstar flight were reportedly allowed to move into the airport without being screened for COVID-19 symptoms, with 48 of those people leaving the airport before health authorities were alerted.

Nine News has reported that all 48 passengers have since been contacted by NSW Health and told to self-isolate.

The outlet claims three of those passengers have been referred to NSW Police, with one person allegedly refusing to be health screened.

6:17 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Why Vic outbreak is different

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth has said the current outbreak in Victoria is vastly different from any other outbreaks we have seen in other parts of the country.

He said "every outbreak is different" but how this outbreak spread was something that hadn't been seen in other outbreaks such as the Ruby Princess or in northwest Tasmania.

"It is different in terms of how spread occurs, whether it's on a cruise ship, whether it is in a residential aged care facility, whether it is in a hospital," Dr Coatsworth said.

"There is all individual learnings that can be had and that is cumulative.

"In fact, this outbreak is markedly different to any of those in that it has originated and emerged in households, in young families, large, culturally-diverse families and is now within the community."

Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

There are currently 860 active COVID-19 cases and 456 of those are suspected cases of community transmission.

"The cautionary tale and something that all public health physicians will let you know is that each outbreak has it own characteristics and this one is no exception," Dr Coatsworth said.

The rate of community transmission in Victoria is one of the highest the state has seen throughout the whole pandemic

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today revealed concerns about the risk of the virus spreading to NSW/Vic border towns.

"The probability of contagion in NSW given what's happened in Victoria is extremely high," Ms Berejiklian said.

"I am extremely concerned about what is happening in Victoria, the extent of community contagion is unlike anything we have seen in Australia."

4:52 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Two new cases in WA

Western Australia recorded two new COVID-19 cases overnight, along with one historical case, bringing the total number of cases to 624.

The two new cases are returned overseas travellers currently in hotel quarantine.

There are now 13 active COVID-19 cases in Western Australia, all in hotel quarantine.

4:34 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

$4000 fine for false border declaration

Police have sent out a warning to anyone trying to anyone planning on trying to illegally enter Queensland after a man was fined for falsely filling out a border pass.

At around 11am police intercepted a bus at the Griffith Street border control checkpoint and spoke with a 43-year-old male passenger to verify his border pass.

"His declaration indicated he was travelling from New South Wales to Queensland for essential medical treatment," Queensland Police said in a statement.

"Police will allege the Sydney man was in possession of false identification, did not require medical treatment and had completed the border declaration fraudulently."

The man was refused entry to Queensland and issued a $4003 fine for failing to comply with the Covid-19 Border Direction.

Since 12pm on Friday 3 July 2020, anyone entering Queensland has been required to complete a border declaration pass.

Picture: Scott Powick/Newscorp

4:20 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Authorities caution against concern over new virus info

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth played down new information from the World Health Organisation that COVID-19 may be able to be spread through the air.

The WHO had previously said the possibility of airborne transmission was “certainly not supported by solid or clear evidence”, but the organisation’s scientists have backflipped on their stance, telling reporters in a briefing it “cannot be ruled out” in “crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings”.

However, Dr Coatsworth offered a "word of caution" over the advice.

"Let me just but a little word of caution on that particular comment of aerosolisation. We know that you can find virus in the air around someone who is infected but those tests are largely done in laboratory conditions," he said.

"We do not necessarily know the implication of that and how readily that means the virus is going to be spread beyond the 1.5 metres that we recommend people to socially distance.

"We have to remember that the basic reproductive number is only 2.5 and that is more consistent with viruses that the primary mode of spread is contact and droplet rather than airborne."

3:35 pm July 8, 2020 Highlight

Where new Vic cases are from

A number of the 134 new virus cases in Victoria have been linked to outbreaks.

Here is where some of the cases came from:

– Seven cases have been linked to the Al-Taqwa College outbreak, with the total now 102.

– Two cases have been linked to the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers, with the total now 75.

– One case has been linked to the Stamford Plaza outbreak, which now totals 43.

– One case has been detected at the PM Fresh facility in Broadmeadows, taking the total at the site to 2. Contact tracing is under way and appropriate testing of staff will be undertaken.

– Four patients and a staff member tested positive at Brunswick Private Hospital. Contact tracing is under way. The outbreak squad will visit today and the hospital is closed to new admissions.

– Three more cases have been linked to the Woolworths Customer Fulfilment Centre in Footscray, taking the total to 4. 3 are staff members and 1 is a household contact of a staff member. Contact tracing is continuing.

Five cases have also been linked to multiple aged care services, including:

– A staff member who was infectious while at the Doutta Galla, Lynch’s Bridge site in Kensington on 2 and 3 July.

– A resident who tested positive at the Glendale Aged Care facility in Werribee.

– A staff member who worked at the Uniting AgeWell facility in Preston.

– A staff member at BaptCare Karana in Kew who tested positive but did not work while infectious.

– A positive case who provides aged care services to clients in their homes through Mercy Health.