Victoria records 73 new coronavirus cases amid NSW jail warning
Victoria’s rejected international flights won’t go to NSW after Gladys Berejiklian said that NSW has already housed its fair share of COVID-19 cases.
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Gladys Berejiklian says she’s asked other states to take the burden of international arrivals due to come into Melbourne because NSW has already taken more than its fair share during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Ironically, some of the other states have been able to benefit from saying they’ve got zero cases because we’ve taken care of their people here in New South Wales and counted them as our cases in quarantine.
“And so all I’m suggesting is perhaps for consideration be given.
“And the Prime Minister was very open to this because New South Wales has borne the overwhelming burden of returning Aussies on behalf of the nation.
“Victoria has as well to some extent.
“I only think it’s fair, given those diversions that other states take on those flights from Melbourne,” she said.
“At the moment we’ve got 4,800 (people) in hotel quarantine we’re looking after on behalf of the nation. And that’s why I think it’s fair for other states to also accept some of those flights.”
It comes as Victoria recorded another 73 COVID-19 cases overnight and NSW Health authorities delivered a stern warning to Victorian residents to stay home and not cross the border to NSW unless they want to risk an $11,000 and six months in prison.
Of the new cases, 42 are under active investigation. The state has now recorded 212 cases in the past three days.
Three of the new cases are returned overseas travellers, with 19 identified through routine testing.
Nine cases are linked to pre-existing outbreaks.
As cases in Victoria rise, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said residents from Victorian hot spots are “not welcome” in NSW.
Mr Hazzard added that any NSW residents who visit Victorian hot spots will also be liable for $11,000 fines and a prison stint.
“Certainly the Victorian situation should be taken very very seriously by everyone in NSW. The particular suburbs that have been announced by the Victorian government, must be avoided,” he said.
“You will be liable to the same penalties as any Victorian. But if you choose to go there and come back you have to isolate for 14 days and if you breach there can be an up to 11,000 fine and 6 months jail.
“Victorians right now from those hot spots are not welcome in NSW. We are sorry. If you come to NSW you will he exposed to the possibility of six months jail and $11,000 fines.”
NSW has recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours – with all of those cases being returned travellers.
63 cases are being treated by NSW Health with one in intensive care. More than 871,000 tests have been conducted across the state.
Almost 1000 Melbourne residents have refused coronavirus testing as large swathes of suburbs are forced back into lockdown while Victoria scrambles to contain outbreaks fuelled by bungled hotel quarantine.
Victorian health officials confirmed 928 people in two critical Melbourne suburbs would not submit to a voluntary COVID-19 test as part of a blitz to identify underlying infections in the community.
But former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett said today local lockdowns are an “over-reaction,” comparing the response to a fresh spike in infections to “jumping at shadows”.
The former Liberal Premier said the lockdown measures would be hard to enforce.
“I don’t know how you’re going to be able to control X number of suburbs in a metropolitan area and the movement of people coming and going,” he told 2GB.
“I think you’ve got to embrace the public, and ask them to obviously participate in social distancing and personal hygiene.”
Mr Kennett said the COVID-19 crisis needs to be taken in context, saying more people have died on the roads or by suicide than the number of Victorians who have died from coronavirus.
“This to me, without downplaying the importance of it all, is an over-reaction,” he said of the lockdown measures.
“If every time there is an outbreak somewhere we’re going to close society down then unfortunately the damage economically for employment, security, is going to be a lot worse than this virus.”
A significant number of coronavirus cases in Melbourne have now been conclusively traced back to staff working in quarantine hotels failing to isolate, prompting Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to beg other states to take all passengers from international flights for two weeks.
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But it’s understood none will be redirected to Sydney, as NSW is already carrying most of the international quarantine load.
About 30 per cent of arrivals in Victorian hotel quarantine had refused to take a COVID-19 test before it was made compulsory this week.
It comes as the looming threat of a different pandemic from China has seen pigs being nasal swabbed to test for an new flu strain.
In the wake of COVID-19, Chinese scientists believe the new virus they have found in pigs — dubbed G4 EA H1N1 — can easily transmit from animals to humans.
Another 64 cases of coronavirus were identified in Victoria yesterday, all from community transmission, with residents in 10 postcodes across Melbourne ordered to stay at home except for school, work, exercise and buying food from today.
Police will actively enforce the suburban lockdowns, with on-the-spot fines issued to anyone caught outside without a valid reason.
Mr Andrews criticised the hundreds of residents in the suburbs of Broadmeadows and Keilor Downs who had refused testing in the blitz leading up the lockdowns.
“If someone offers you a test on your doorstep, please say yes,” he said.
He said a genomic sequencing report, which can provide deeper insight into the links between coronavirus cases, had confirmed the link between hotel quarantine staff and the Melbourne clusters.
“At least a significant number of outbreaks in the north of the city are attributable to staff members in hotels,” said the Premier, who has ordered an inquiry.
The federal Government has been asked to divert international flights away from Melbourne for the next fortnight.
“I will have conversations with other state leaders to explain that and to thank them in advance of the extra load that they will carry,” Mr Andrews said.
The NSW Government has spent more than $50 million on quarantine accommodation for returned travellers since March 29, and expects to recoup about 35 per cent of this from other states.
Ms Berejiklian has long been urging Mr Andrews to lock down his problem suburbs, adding that she wanted NSW residents to avoid potentially infected Melburnians.
But she has rejected formally closing the NSW-Victorian border.
“You are the boss of who comes into your home, do not allow anyone from a hotspot in Melbourne, or from greater Melbourne to come into your home,” she said.
“You have the right to say no, please.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday announced her state would go ahead with the plan to reopen borders on July 10, however Victoria will remain barred.
She accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of allowing “border wars” to erupt between states and territories over the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Meanwhile, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall is reserving judgment as to whether NSW residents will be allowed into his state from July 20 as previously planned.
Mr Marshall yesterday ruled out the return of Victorians, but has not made a decision on NSW yet.
Originally published as Victoria records 73 new coronavirus cases amid NSW jail warning
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