As the day unfolded: COVID-19 restrictions eased across Australia as COVIDSafe app source code partially released, nation's death toll stands at 97

Thanks for joining us. Here's what you may have missed from today:

• Australia's deputy chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly is hopeful stage two of the federal government's stage two COVID-19 plan will be implemented in a month's time
• He also urged elderly people to take caution when inviting people into their homes as restrictions are eased this week
• NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said we should refrain from kissing or hugging our mums this mother's day amid the pandemic
• Fay Rendoth has been remembered as a loving, family-focused woman by her family after she became the 17th Newmarch House resident to die since the pandemic outbreak in the aged care facility near Penrith
• Italy has become the third country to report more than 30,000 deaths from coronavirus
• As the country begins to emerge from the weeks-long lockdown, the community is being warned to expect new COVID-19 outbreaks

• Federal Health minister Greg Hunt said there have been just three positive coronavirus cases in quarantine hotels over the past 24 hours

We will be continuing our coverage of the pandemic with a new blog in a few hours.

Sarah Keoghan signing off.

Businesses located hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest coronavirus case are pleading with the state government to end lockdown restrictions sooner in a tiered approach that allows virus-free towns and regions to resume normal life.

Victorian government data shows only a handful of active COVID-19 cases have been detected outside of Melbourne's metropolitan area.

Claire and Damian Kelly, owners of Meredith's Royal Hotel, say the town has unduly suffered under coronavirus restrictions.Credit: Eddie Jim

Regional businesses, many already reeling from a disrupted summer and Easter period, say they are being disproportionately affected by Victoria's tight restrictions.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed Australia’s three-step re-opening road map on Friday.

Stage one includes allowing retail stores, restaurants and cafes to open with up to 10 customers, and for travel within states. However, pubs and licensed venues, cinemas, museums, galleries and gaming venues would have to wait until stage two, expected in June.

With states to implement the road map at their behest, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he would announce Victoria’s changes on Monday.

Read more here. 

As news broke today that Newmarch House resident Fay Rendoth, aged 92, died overnight, Herald photographer James Alcock was out at the aged care facility near Penrith.

Flowers at the facility continue to pile up in tribute to those that have lost their lives amid the pandemic.

Flowers and tributes outside the Newmarch Aged Care Village.Credit: James Alcock

Her family said she had been ill with COVID-19 and her death was made harder by the fact they couldn't be with her.

"We were somewhat comforted by knowing Newmarch staff went in and sang to her, read the Bible to her," her granddaughter Savannah Robinson said.

Newmarch House resident Fay Rendoth, aged 92, died at the facility overnight.Credit: James Alcock

An Anglicare spokesman shared the organisation's deepest sympathies with Mrs Rendoth's family, however, Dr McAnulty said her death was not being counted in the COVID-19 death toll.

"We understand that the person had COVID, had recovered, had other illnesses and was elderly and died, as a doctor does not believe directly related to the COVID," he said.

The AFL is working feverishly on improving its COVID-19 protocols in an attempt to satisfy the West Australian government and police that it would be safe to let Fremantle and West Coast to fly in and out of the state to play games, as the league moves towards announcing a return-to-play model.

The league's desire to exhaust every avenue in discussions with governments before committing to a fixture is also likely to see the AFL delay the announcement of where the early rounds will be played until at least this time next week.

The crown of footy in WA: Perth's new stadium.

However, the AFL is determined to deliver a return-to-play date and a set of protocols to clubs, with the AFL Commission to meet on Monday to thrash out the plans.

Even when the fixture is delivered it is likely - unless circumstances change quickly next week - that only the first phase will be made available giving the AFL flexibility if restrictions ease later in the year.

Read more here.

Players' union boss Clint Newton has moved to distance those resisting the flu shot from the anti-vaxxer movement amid hopes the Queensland government will allow all NRL players to participate when the competition restarts on May 28.

Gold Coast duo Bryce Cartwright and Brian Kelly – the only first-grade players in their state not to get the jab – have been ordered to stay away from training until the Queensland government reviews the NRL’s revised vaccination program.

Gold Coast player Bryce Cartwright is resisting the flu shot.Credit: AAP

When the NRL initially sought government approval to restart the competition, it said vaccination would be mandatory in its draft pitch.

While more than 97 per cent of players have complied, the Queensland government is yet to make a definitive decision on whether to allow those who have availed themselves of a subsequent waiver to participate.

Read more here. 

As the welcome news came that Australia was easing their social distancing restrictions, the Herald's photographers were out capturing life in isolation.

Take a look at this shot from Louise Kennerley of Roger Shelby and Sue Johnson practising Ballroom dance moves whilst social distancing.

Sue Johnson and Roger Selby improvise with socially distanced dancing.Credit: Louise Kennerley

Take a look at the full gallery here.

Indonesia has recorded another record single-day rise in coronavirus cases, reporting 533 new infections on Saturday.

The previous record of 484 cases was set only last Tuesday and the country is averaging at least 300 new cases per day in recent weeks. It also has the highest death toll in the region.

The big recent single day rises come despite national government health officials recently suggesting that the infection curve was flattening and that it may be possible for normal life to to resume in June or July.

A man looks for discarded plastic near newly dug graves for those suspected of dying from COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Credit: Getty Images

That timeline now looks like to be slipping back to August, at least.

The country now has 13,645 people who have been infected. And while testing rates have improved after a dismally slow start, the total of 150,493 PCR tests conducted on 108,699 people is still well behind its neighbours, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia.
The death toll rose by 16 dead to 959 people on Saturday.

Thousands of people have flocked to shopping malls and supermarkets across Adelaide, 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.

New rules for 'essential travellers' crossing into South Australia require people keep a detailed record of their close contacts and be prepared to submit the record to authorities.

AAP

There are just two active COVID-19 cases in South Australia as the case recorded another day of no new cases.

The total number of coronavirus cases in SA remains at 439.

Four people have died from coronavirus in SA.

Premier Steven Marshall said SA would be the first state in Australia and among the first jurisdictions in the world to relax restrictions on caravanning and regional accommodation.

From Monday, all country accommodation can reopen, including caravan parks, hotels, motels and Airbnb services.

"We want people to get out and explore our fabulous regions. It is safe for regional travel in South Australia," Mr Marshall said.

with AAP

South Korea's capital has shut down more than 2,100 nightclubs, hostess bars and discos after dozens of coronavirus infections were linked to club goers who went out last weekend as the country relaxed social distancing guidelines.

The measures imposed Saturday by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon came after the national government urged entertainment venues around the nation to close or otherwise enforce anti-virus measures, including distancing, temperature checks, keeping customer lists and requiring employees to wear masks.

South Koreans wear masks and sit according to social distancing as a preventive measure against the coronavirus during an exam.Credit: Getty

Park said the entry bans on the facilities will be maintained until the city concludes that risks of infection have been meaningfully lowered.

South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or KCDC, said earlier in the day that 18 new cases were reported in the 24 hours to midnight Friday, all but one of them linked to a 29-year-old man who visited three clubs in Seoul's Itaewon district last Saturday before testing positive days later.

AP