Coronavirus Australia live news: Victoria responds to rise in cases; Pandemic ‘accelerating’, WHO warns
The Andrews government is prepared for localised lockdowns after a sudden rise in infections and has acted on easing.
- AFL player tests positive
- Victoria reimposes virus restrictions amid case spike
- Pandemic enters ‘new, dangerous’ phase
- TB vaccine may protect against virus
- Beijing denies its behind cyber attacks
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. Victoria has announced it will reimpose coronavirus restrictions as cases there hit a two-month high. And the WHO has warned the coronavirus pandemic is now in a “new and dangerous phase”.
Rachel Baxendale 1am Sunday: Victoria faces partial easing rollback after cases rise
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, faced with a sudden rise in local coronavirus infections and a halt to easing, has left open the possibility of locking down suburbs or local-government areas with high levels of community transmission, but also opening up parts of the state with no transmission more rapidly.
"It may be the case in the days ahead that we have to move to those local-government areas or suburbs … where we have seen the data tells us a very clear story that there are extra cases, we may need to, for instance, reinstitute, the stay at home, except for the four reasons," Mr Andrews said on Saturday.
Confirming 25 new cases on Saturday, Mr Andrews announced indoor household gatherings would be restricted to no more than five.
Mr Andrews said he took no pleasure in the decision, but too many Victorians were putting each other at risk by failing to keep home gatherings to a minimum.
Outdoor gatherings of families and friends will be reduced from 20 to 10.
Plans to relax restrictions to allow up to 50 people in restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community halls, libraries, museums and places of worship from Sunday are now being postponed, with the maximum number allowed in those venues to remain at 20 until at least July 12.
At the height of the lockdown Victorians were only allowed to leave the house for four reasons: to shop for essentials, attend work or education, exercise or seek medical treatment.
"We all remember that time, it was deeply frustrating, but it was very effective, and we may need to go back to that setting in given geographical areas," Mr Andrews said.
"I have had a detailed conversation with the Prime Minister on the way to brief you today, and the notion of geographical restrictions, a lockdown for instance in a given area, is part of the national cabinet roadmap to reopening, if there are outbreaks, if there are unacceptably high levels of community transmission.
"I give you these examples in that spirit. They are examples. I am not announcing this today."
Mr Andrews highlighted local government areas in Melbourne's west, north and outer southeast where there were high numbers of new positive COVID-19 cases.
"Since June, they are in order: Hume with 17 cases, Brimbank with 10 cases, Casey, with seven, and then there are a number with six: Darebin, Moreland and Cardinia," he said.
"I again stress I am not announcing any changes for those geographical areas right now, but I cannot rule that out.
"Similarly … there are many parts of the state, particularly in regional Victoria, that have had no cases, and it's fair to say no community transmission whatsoever.
Mr Andrews said he would discuss the issue of the NSW-Victorian border with his NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian.
"I think that conversation will focus on potentially limiting the opportunity for people to travel from Victoria if they live in one of those (COVID-19) hotspots, and I think that's a fair and proportionate response," Mr Andrews said.
"The other way to look at that is it may well be that in those hotspot local-government areas or suburbs, and again, I'm not announcing this today, I want to have that conversation with Gladys, it may well be that if you travel, and we would probably get to a point where we advised against travel, if you felt you needed to travel, then you might well be at the other end of your journey, you may well be subject to quarantine for a two-week period, which I think would mean most travel would not happen."
Asked how such rules would be enforced, Mr Andrews said: "No one's pretending that that's logistically simple."
"It is not, but I want we want to try and have as proportionate, and as targeted a response as possible.
"Again, back to the point, if we're thinking about these things and talking about it internally, then people have a right to know.
"I've no plan to close the border more formally, for everybody. These are low numbers, we are acting quickly and early to get back on top of it, but if there were any restrictions, I think they would almost certainly be focused on those areas where we are seeing significant community transmission, because that's where the risk is."
Rachel Baxendale 12.01am Sunday: Andrews repeats ‘go home’ message to avoid public protests
Asked on Saturday whether a failure to fine an estimated 10,000 people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne's CBD three weeks ago had sent the wrong message to Victorians, Premier Daniel Andrews said his government "could not have been clearer" in telling people not to go.
The government urged people not to attend the protest, but backed a Victoria Police decision to impose fines on attendees for breaching COVID-19 restrictions.
The only people fined over the protest were three organisers, who each received $1652 on-the-spot fines. The on-the-spot fine for businesses which breach COVID-19 guidelines is $9913.
"I think that we could not have been clearer, and I've got a message for any of the people that are out there protesting today: ‘Go home. Go home,’" Mr Andrews said, amid protests held in the CBD on Saturday afternoon by the Extinction Rebellion group.
"You're not doing your cause any good, and you're potentially putting other people at risk. Could I possibly be any clearer than that?
"The protest the other weekend, we advised against it, we urged people not to not to do it.
"We allowed Victoria Police, though, to play their role. It is for them to determine what an appropriate response is, and they've been very clear about what their response would be.
"It was peaceful, but it was certainly not helpful when it comes to the general community view about where we're at.
"This is not over. I would love to be able to stand here and indicate to every Victorian that this is over. It'll never truly be over until we have a vaccine, and that is a long way off."
Agencies 9.12pm: Mexico’s COVID deaths double to 20,000
Mexico has surpassed 20,000 COVID-19 deaths and 170,000 confirmed cases after 5030 new infections and 647 deaths were reported.
The reports emerged on Friday, the 19th day of the country’s so-called “new normal” and with one of the lowest testing rates in the world.
Mexico’s health authorities confirmed 20,394 deaths due to COVID-19 and 170,485 infections had been recorded since the epidemic broke out there in late February.
It took 75 days for Mexico to surpass 10,000 deaths, which stood at 10,167 on June 1, the same day that the government’s economic recovery plan, known as the “new normal” began.
But it took only three weeks for the deaths to exceed 20,000, standing at 20,394 on Friday, with 170,485 confirmed cases.
When Mexico began reopening its economy earlier this month, the epidemic “was not under control anywhere”, Eduardo Ramirez, co-founder of the COVID-19 Data Observatory of Mexico, said.
EFE
READ MORE: Outbreak dents confidence in China’s approach
Rachel Baxendale 6.45pm: Locations of state’s new cases revealed
Victorian Premier Dan Andrew’s announcement on Saturday of reimposition of some virus restrictions and a delay to further easing of others has included a warning that some suburbs or towns may be locked down in future.
From midnight on Sunday to July 12, permitted household gatherings will be halved from 10 to five guests and outdoor gatherings from 20 people to 10.
Of the new Victorian cases linked to outbreaks, seven are linked to a previously reported cluster in a Keilor Downs family in Melbourne’s west, including a teacher at Albanvale Primary School.
“There are multiple households in that outbreak, bringing the total to 10, so an illustration of exactly what we’re talking about today,” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
Two cases are separate aged-care facilities, at Lifeview Willow Wood in Cranbourne, in Melbourne’s outer southeast, and Royal Freemasons Springtime in Sydenham, in Melbourne’s west.
Three additional staff members at the Stamford Plaza quarantine hotel have brought the total number of cases in that cluster to 10.
An additional case has been linked to an H&M store at Northland, where a Black Lives Matter protester who became the third person to attend the rally in Melbourne a fortnight ago had worked, bringing the total number of cases linked to that workplace to two.
A further case has been linked to an outbreak in a family in Coburg, in Melbourne’s north, with three households and a general practitioner who didn’t work whilst infectious now linked.
Two cases detected through routine testing have also been linked to schools, including a case in a teacher at Springside Primary School Caroline Springs, and one in a student at Camberwell Grammar.
READ MORE: Victoria takes dramatic step after cases spike
Rachel Baxendale 6.05pm: Victoria at ‘absolute risk’ of new peak
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the state was “absolutely at risk of a second peak” of COVID-19 cases.
“We are indeed at a crossroads. The increase in numbers just in the last few days in absolute terms doesn’t look like a great deal, but it’s a very significant increase from where we’ve been previously,” Professor Sutton said.
“As we went through, especially late March into April and we had very significant restrictions, we saw numbers driven down to very low levels,’’ he said.
Victorian Premer Daniel Andrews said on Saturday he would not rule out the possibility of locking down suburbs or local-government areas with high levels of community transmission, and opening up parts of the state with no transmission more rapidly.
“It may be the case in the days ahead that we have to move to those local-government areas or suburbs … where we have seen the data tells us a very clear story that there are extra cases, we may need to, for instance, reinstitute, the stay at home, except for the four reasons,” Mr Andrews said.
At the height of the lockdown Victorians were allowed to leave home for four reasons only: to shop for essentials, attend work or education, exercise or seek medical treatment.
Mr Andrews also said he would discuss the issue of the NSW-Victorian border with his NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian.
“I think that conversation will focus on potentially limiting the opportunity for people to travel from Victoria if they live in one of those (COVID-19) hotspots, and I think that’s a fair and proportionate response,” Mr Andrews said.
Professor Sutton said Victoria had “probably had levels where we’ve gotten to only one in 100,000 people having the virus”.
He continued: “But four months in, and WHO warned of this, fatigue does set in. We’re all fed up with the restrictions that have been in place, and we know across the world that people are failing to adhere to the call to maintain physical distancing, to maintain the kinds of restrictions that keep this virus in check, and so we really shouldn’t be too surprised that in Victoria we all feel that same fatigue.
“But WHO have warned that it’s a very dangerous point to be in, globally, and I think it’s a dangerous point in Victoria, because there is no Plan B.
“The only mechanism we have for control, beyond our test and trace, is to maintain some of those restrictions: who we see, how many we see, to make sure that if we’re unwell we are not seeing others and putting them at risk, but we are isolating, getting tested and being clear of the virus, or if confirmed, obviously to going into isolation.”
VIC daily confirmed cases pic.twitter.com/m5wiOA0aO0
— COVID19 Australia (@COVID_Australia) June 20, 2020
Professor Sutton said there were now close to 1000 close contacts of current cases.
“The danger of not acting now in terms of additional constraints at a household level is that those numbers will get beyond us, get beyond the ability of contact tracers to follow everyone, and so we have to act promptly.
“Again, that’s the lesson of the emergency responses to coronavirus around the world, that as soon as you see something your response doesn’t have to be perfect but it has to be fast.”
Professor Sutton said COVID-19 was “still in the community” in Victoria.
“The rest of Australia, largely it seems, has gotten down to zero levels, and so with the easing of restrictions in a lot of places around Australia, there’s nothing to increase, there’s simply no virus there, but with very low levels, if there’s too much easing of our habits and our behaviours, then the increase will be there, and I think that’s what we’re seeing now,” he said.
“I think we absolutely are at risk of a second peak, but we can get on top of it, and we must get on top of it, because this virus doubles every week. In the population of active cases at the moment, that’s what the numbers look like, a doubling every week, so we have to drive that down and get back to a point where we’ve got very low and potentially no transmission in the community, where we can have the absolute confidence of easing restrictions and getting to a point where we can confidently go about all of the activities that we’ve all been desperate to do for some time.”
READ MORE: Outbreak closes UK meat-processing plant
Rachel Baxendale 5.25pm: Cedar Meats bungle comes back to bite
The prevalence of coronavirus in Melbourne’s west and north follows the bungled handling of the Cedar Meats cluster, which saw 111 workers infected at the western suburbs abattoir and their close contacts.
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services earlier this month confirmed there was a genomic link between a coronavirus case detected in a Cedar Meats worker on April 2 and the 110 other COVID-19 cases subsequently linked to the facility.
This was despite Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton having earlier described the existence of the first case, detected more than three weeks before the subsequent cases, as “a coincidence”.
Professor Sutton has previously defended DHHS’s decision to take “on face value” the worker’s claim that he had not attended work for weeks when he tested positive and cited privacy laws as their reason for not checking his story with Cedar Meats.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos infamously claimed the cluster had been handled “absolutely perfectly”.
The real number of COVID-19 cases linked to the cluster is understood to be much greater than 111, given people who caught the virus from close contacts of Cedar Meats workers rather than the workers themselves are not counted as part of the grouping according the DHHS methodology.
For example, two close contacts of a nurse at the Sunshine Hospital who caught the virus while treating an infected worker were not counted among the 111 cases in the cluster.
READ MORE: Infected nurse not told of Cedar Meats risk
Angelica Snowden 5.10pm: SA may not reopen border to Victoria
South Australia’s Health Minister Stephen Wade says his government is very concerned about the spike in COVID-19 cases in Victoria and has flagged the state may not open borders to its neighbour.
South Australian COVID-19 update 20/06/20. For more information go to https://t.co/mYnZsGpayo or contact the South Australian COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. pic.twitter.com/UjH7yK9cXK
— SA Health (@SAHealth) June 20, 2020
Mr Wade welcomed the announcement by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to reimpose some COVID-19 restrictions until July 12.
“We welcome the announcement of the Victorian government today to reimpose restrictions to try and deal with the surge in community transmissions,” Mr Wade said.
“It’s really important that we nip this in the bud not only for Victoria but for the whole nation,” he said.
The South Australian government had previously announced that it would open its borders to all states and territories on July 20.
But that has been thrown into doubt amid the Victorian premier’s announcement that 25 new COVID-19 cases were diagnosed on Saturday – the highest daily case count in more than two months.
“If the situation doesn’t change the borders are not opening,” he said.
“We are not going to open our borders to Victoria unless it’s safe to do so.”
READ MORE: New outbreak shakes confidence in draconian approach
Rachel Baxendale 4.45pm: Melbourne BLM protests ‘not helpful’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has called out a mass Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne exactly two weeks ago as he announced a reversal of COVID-19 easing in the state.
While Victorian health authorities say the protest was not a major factor in the five-fold increase in community transmission in the state, Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton said it was possible there were more infections as a result of the event that had not yet been discovered.
“It was peaceful but it was not helpful,” Mr Andrews said.
The Premier said the numbers — which have hit a two-month high in Victoria — had been driven up by families who had ignored instructions to quarantine, despite testing positive.
“It’s appropriate that we be really upfront and describe it so people can understand what’s driving these numbers,” he said.
“We’ve had cases of people gathering in large numbers at their home or another family member’s home or close friend’s home, even though they had been told to isolate in their own home.
“We have even had people who have tested positive and have been told to go home and isolate, and instead, they have gone to work, instead they have gone and visited loved ones in large numbers.
“We have had many stories, numerous stories of families that have given it to each other, and have then transmitted the virus to other families who in turn have passed it on to a third group.”
The Premier said authorities would consider suburb-by-suburb lockdowns if required to get control of the virus and were prepared to “go door-to-door” to get the message through to people who were ignoring health advice.
READ MORE: COVID a boon for the regions
Angelica Snowden 4.33pm: Latest WA infection linked to cruise ship
Western Australia has recorded no new COVID-19 cases, yet the state’s tally increased by one after a historical infection was identified.
There are now 604 cases of coronavirus in WA after it was revealed that a woman in her 60s was found to have COVID-19 after she returned from overseas.
The woman’s positive diagnosis was identified through serology testing that can identify past exposure.
She was a passenger onboard the Costa Luminosa cruise ship.
There are two active cases in the state.
READ MORE: After 98 days in aged care lockdown, Narelle’s escape is pure joy
Courtney Walsh 4.05pm: AFL postpones clash after player tests positive
The AFL has postponed Sunday’s clash between Essendon and Melbourne at the MCG after Bomber Connor McKenna tested positive to coronavirus.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is due to discuss the situation in a significant concern for a competition which resumed a week ago.
It comes as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews tightened restrictions in the state after a surge in positive tests sparked fears that a second wave may be pending.
The AFL had hoped to introduce crowds of up to 10,000 at games in Melbourne next month. Instead, it is facing the precarious situation it feared could cause further interruptions to a season it hopes to conclude in late October.
Irrespective of the McKenna test, the prospect of crowds returning to matches in Victoria in coming weeks was effectively wiped out by the earlier announcement from Premier Andrews.
Angelica Snowden 3.40pm: Black Lives Matter protest goes ahead
Small groups of Black Lives Matter protesters have gathered outside Brisbane’s Correctional Centre in Wacol and Woodford Correctional Centre, calling for an end to police brutality against Aboriginal people in custody.
The protest organisers listed a set of “demands” in a press release on Facebook, including the “dismantling and abolishment of all policing, prisons, and court systems”.
The rally, labelled “Big Noise, Break Bars – Making Noise for those inside” was organised by three Queensland based groups including Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, Stop Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Queensland and Black Lives Matter Meanjin.
One of the protesters in Walcol said that not one more indigenous family should experience the pain of their loved ones dying in custody.
“We don’t want another death in custody,” Kylie Hill told the Seven Network outside the Brisbane Correctional Centre in Wacol on Saturday.
“We don’t need to go through this, no family needs to go through this. “It’s painful.”
READ MORE: Gerard Henderson — Rewriting history fraught with double standards
Rachel Baxendale 3.30pm: AFL player ‘tests positive to coronavirus’
The Weekend Australian understands Essendon AFL player Conor McKenna has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan is due to address the media at 4pm.
READ MORE: AFL ready to deliver more suspensions for COVID breaches
Rachel Baxendale 3.18pm: New payment to stop sick going to work
Daniel Andrews said understood some of those who had spread the virus by going to work after testing positive to COVI-19 may have done so because they had no sick leave entitlements.
“We’re also announcing a new $1500 payment for those who have a confirmed case or are a close contact and who can’t rely on sick leave,” he said.
“This is about making sure there’s no financial reason for these people not to isolate and to go to work instead.”
People who can work from home will be required to do so until at least July 31.
Mr Andrews said employers whose staff had to attend work must maintain a “zero-tolerance” approach to sickness.
“Having symptoms must mean you go home, and you get tested,” he said.
The Premier also foreshadowed putting some suburbs or local government areas back into lockdown if their case numbers continue to rise.
“The vast majority of Victorians have been doing the right thing,” he said.
“But this is a wake-up call. We cannot be complacent, and the only thing between us and a second wave is what we do next.”
READ MORE: Remember the COVIDSafe app? It’s faded like a mirage
Rachel Baxendale 3.10pm: Family gatherings a major problem
In reimposing coronavirus restrictions, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said medical experts had told him a crossroads had been reached.
“Today, our case numbers have hit the highest they’ve been in more than two months. I know that’s not what people want to hear – but sadly, that is our reality,” Mr Andrews said.
“The experts tell us that, largely, the numbers are being driven by families – families having big get-togethers and not following the advice around distancing and hygiene.
“In fact, around half of our cases since the end of April have come from transmission inside someone’s home.
“As we’ve seen across the world, this virus has the ability to turn a few cases into hundreds in a matter of days.”
Mr Andrews said he realised Victorians would feel “disappointed and frustrated”.
“I’m frustrated too, but we have to channel that frustration into action,” he said.
“We can’t let this thing get away from us. We must act – while we can.
“If you do have to see people, keep your distance. No handshakes and no hugs. Maintain good hygiene. Don’t share
food or drinks, and if you’re feeling unwell – stay at home.
“Don’t visit friends and family. Don’t go on holiday. Don’t go to work. Stay home.”
Rachel Baxendale 2.50pm: Andrews takes dramatic step to reimpose restrictions
The Andrews government has made the dramatic decision to reimpose coronavirus restrictions, amid the highest daily case count in more than two months.
Confirming 25 new cases on Saturday, Premier Daniel Andrews announced indoor household gatherings would be restricted to no more than five.
Mr Andrews said he took no pleasure in the decision, but too many Victorians were putting each other at risk by failing to keep home gatherings to a minimum.
Outdoor gatherings of families and friends will be reduced from 20 to 10.
Plans to relax restrictions to allow up to 50 people in restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community halls, libraries, museums and places of worship from Sunday are now being postponed, with the maximum number allowed in those venues to remain at 20 until at least July 12.
Businesses which were set to open on Monday, including gyms, cinemas, theatres and TABs, will be able to do so, but only with a maximum of 20 people.
Community sport for children and non-contact competition for adults will proceed as planned, as will the opening of the ski season and accommodation facilities with communal spaces, with increased screening and safeguards in place.
“Since April, half of all of our new cases have come from family to family transmission,” he said on Saturday.
“We’ve had cases of people gathering in large numbers, even though they had been told to isolate in their own homes.
“It is unacceptable that families anywhere in this state — just because they want this to be over — pretend as though this (pandemic) is not happening.”
Victoria’s total number of cases has now reached 1817.
Of Saturday’s 25 new cases, 14 have been linked to known outbreaks, six were detected as a result of routine testing, four remain under investigation, and one was in a recently returned overseas traveller in hotel quarantine.
More than 645,000 tests have been conducted in Victoria, including 23,000 which were processed on Thursday and Friday.
Statement from the Premier on changes to restrictions in Victoria: pic.twitter.com/AcQxG4clmY
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 20, 2020
Rachel Baxendale 1.45pm: Victoria considers postponing restrictions ease
Victorian health authorities are holding crisis talks amid a spike in coronavirus numbers to consider whether to postpone a planned relaxation of restrictions on Monday.
It comes exactly two weeks after a mass Black Lives Matter protest through Melbourne’s CBD, which authorities had warned may be a spreading event.
The Weekend Australian has been told the new COVID-19 case numbers for Saturday are “not good”, with an announcement expected from Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Jenny Mikakos later this afternoon following discussions underway between health bureaucrats and the Andrews government.
The news comes despite Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen on Friday saying Victoria would proceed with plans to allow indoor gatherings of up to 50 people from Monday, despite concerns following three days of double digit increases in the state’s COVID-19 case numbers.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has previously indicated it is using a non-quarantine infection rate of fewer than 10 new cases per day nationally as a rough benchmark to determine the timing of the further easing of restrictions.
Over the seven days to Friday, Australia’s national daily average number of cases was 17, and Victoria’s was 12.7, although many of these cases were detected in returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
Victoria confirmed 13 new coronavirus cases on Friday, including two cases linked to a new family outbreak, six linked to known outbreaks, one detected in hotel quarantine, three identified through routine testing, and one which remains under investigation.
Thursday’s 18 new cases included eight identified through community transmissions and three under investigation. There were 21 new cases on Wednesday, although 15 of those were in returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
READ MORE: Selfish protesters may have undone all our good work
Angelica Snowden 12.30pm: Deputy PM dodges big China question
The federal government is still refusing to name China as the “sophisticated state-based actor” behind a sustained cyber attack on Australia.
“Well, I am not saying which country … has had any involvement in this,” Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told reporters on Saturday.
He said cyber security was the government’s “first order of priority and that it took the sustained digital attacks “very seriously”.
“Data breaches are very dangerous, and of course our national interest has to be number one, is number one, going forward of course it will continue to be,” he said.
“Australia wants to make sure that our sovereignty, our national interest, is protected.”
Mr McCormack would not confirm whether the government would identify the state-based actor responsible for attacks if they continued and said that speculation about if they continue was “hypothetical”.
READ MORE: Peter Jennings — China’s bullying is fertile grounds for war
Angelica Snowden 12.15pm: More infections emerge in New Zealand
New Zealand has reported two new confirmed cases of COVID-19, interrupting a near virus-free streak of several weeks after a couple returned to the country from India on June 5.
The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the couple were both in their 20s and had a child who was not tested “because of their age” but they may be infected.
“(the couple) did not have any symptoms of COVID-19,” Dr Bloomfield said.
“We are still to determine if the child will be considered a case as well,” he said.
He said the tests returned a positive result on day 12 of their stay in quarantine at an Auckland hotel.
The news came after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared the country virus free on June 8. It ended the country’s COVID-19 free streak, with only two new cases identified in returned travellers on June 16 before today.
But Dr Bloomfield said New Zealand did expect new cases to pop up as “Kiwis return home from overseas”.
“We had several weeks where we didn’t get any cases at the border and now we are,” he said.
Dr Bloomflied said a total of 7,707 COVID-19 tests were completed on Friday – the second highest number of tests completed.
READ MORE: Deirdre Macken — Who will be invited to Jacinda’s party?
Rachel Baxendale 11.47am: Victoria pushes ahead despite double-digit spread
Victoria will proceed with plans to ease coronavirus restrictions and allow indoor gatherings of up to 50 people from Monday, despite concerns following three days of double-digit increases in the state’s COVID-19 case numbers.
However, the Andrews government says it is monitoring the situation “on an hourly basis” and will not rule out changes to restrictions should numbers rise significantly.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has previously indicated it is using a non-quarantine infection rate of fewer than 10 new cases per day nationally as a rough benchmark to determine the timing of the further easing of restrictions.
Over the seven days to Friday, Australia’s national daily average number of cases was 17, and Victoria’s was 12.7, although many of these cases were detected in returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
Victoria confirmed 13 new coronavirus cases on Friday, including two cases linked to a new family outbreak, six linked to known outbreaks, one detected in hotel quarantine, three identified through routine testing, and one that remains under investigation.
Thursday’s 18 new cases included eight identified through community transmissions and three under investigation. There were 21 new cases on Wednesday, with 15 of those in returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
Read the full story here.
Angelica Snowden 11.20am: Just one new case recorded in NSW
NSW has recorded just one COVID-19 case overnight, NSW Health says.
The latest case is a returned overseas traveller who is in hotel quarantine.
A total of 16,193 people from the state came forward to be tested in the last 24 hours to 8pm on Friday.
There are currently 56 active cases of coronavirus being treated in the state.
As at 8pm Friday 19 June 2020, there has been 1 new case of #COVID19 diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 3,144.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 20, 2020
The new confirmed case is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/39tJ5S1RmN
READ MORE: COVID is changing the way children speak
Angelica Snowden 10.15am: Queensland records just two COVID cases in a week
Queensland has reported zero new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.
Just two new cases were recorded in the state over the last week, with three active cases in total.
The news comes after South Australia announced on Friday it would allow visitors from the sunshine state to visit, after Premier Steven Marshall lifted restrictions on visitors from Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory earlier in the week.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her state’s border will probably be opened on July 10 to interstate travellers.
Saturday, 20 June – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 19, 2020
• 0 new confirmed cases
• 3 active cases
• 1,066 total confirmed cases
• 271,860 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,053 patients have recovered. #covid19 pic.twitter.com/DJyvaFS2V0
READ MORE: Katrina Grace Kelly — Business not here to do Canberra’s dirty work on COVID
Didi Tang 10am: New Beijing outbreak dents confidence
There was an air of optimism in Beijing at the beginning of June. Many believed that the worst was over for the city. There had been no new coronavirus infections for nearly two months, lockdown was over, and schools were to reopen for all grades.
“I sensed that life was slowly returning to normal,” said Mr Chen, 51, whose 11-year-old daughter spent her first day at school in three months on June 8.
Six days later, everything changed: a new case was detected at a food market, then another, then a dozen more over the following days until the authorities declared an emergency, quarantined entire areas of the city and once again closed schools, with no indication of when they would reopen.
“The authorities say online classes may continue for the autumn term,” Mr Chen said. “I feel anxious and helpless, like there is nothing I can do. If you don’t have a strong mind, you might just go crazy.”
Beijing’s new outbreak, which yesterday (Friday) totalled 183 cases, has alarmed the Chinese public and served as a stark reminder that the epidemic can return at any time, denting public confidence in the country’s draconian measures designed to curb its spread.
Read the full story here.
Dow Jones 9.15am: US cities brace for Juneteenth violence
Demonstrators have marched on cities across the US to mark Juneteenth and demand law-enforcement reforms, as officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma, prepared for the convergence of up to 100,000 people protesting police violence and Trump supporters gathering for the president’s Saturday rally.
Thousands demonstrated Friday in Atlanta, New York City, Chicago and Oakland, angry over recent police killings of black Americans and to celebrate the holiday marking the end of slavery in the US.
Tulsa officials were preparing for violence. Stores in the downtown area near the BOK Center, where President Trump’s rally will be held, were boarded up on Friday and police erected metal fences around the arena.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, a Republican, said Thursday that the city had received intelligence that organised groups were planning to travel to Tulsa to cause unrest.
Mr. Trump said on Twitter that he’d spoken with the mayor and was assured “there will be no curfew tonight or tomorrow for our many supporters attending the #MAGA Rally.”
Many people said this was their first year celebrating Juneteenth, commemorating the day on June 19, 1865, when all slaves in the US were proclaimed free. Some said they had never been taught it existed.
READ MORE: Australian elite owned slaves
Simon Benson 8.30am: Morrison turns light on a shadowy player
There were very good reasons for Scott Morrison to not nominate China as the culprit in the cyber warfare currently being waged on Australian governments, industries and businesses.
Firstly, he didn’t need to.
“There aren’t too many state-based actors who have those capabilities,” he said.
People will come to their own judgment about that statement.
Either way, the Prime Minister has put Beijing on notice without actually doing so.
At the same time, he has alerted the rest of the world to the alarming escalation in cyberspace espionage and foreign interference.
Read the full story here.
Ewin Hannan 8am: $13p/w wage rise ‘a dangerous misstep’ amid COVID
Employers have warned that the Fair Work Commission’s decision not to impose a minimum wage freeze was an “assault on small business” and a “dangerous misstep”, given the risk to jobs as the economy fights to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.
In the first split wage panel decision in 23 years, a commission majority, led by president Iain Ross, awarded a $13/week increase in minimum and award wages, but staggered the operative date over seven months to try to provide some relief for stressed industries.
Business seized on a minority decision by professor Mark Wooden, who backed a 12-month pay freeze, saying the split decision highlighted the “risks and uncertainties” associated with increasing the wages of 2.2 million low-paid and award-reliant workers.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 7.30am: Germany records highest infection tally in weeks
The number of new coronavirus infections in Germany over the past 24 hours has risen by 770, the highest daily toll in a month, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control says.
The last time that the daily number of new infections was higher was on May 20, when 797 people tested positive. Friday’s figure takes the total number of people who have had or currently have the virus to 188,534.
One of the reasons for the spike is an outbreak in a slaughterhouse belonging to the Toennies Group, a major name in the German meat industry. The local municipality, which has been forced to close schools and daycare centres, reported 730 new cases late on Thursday.
The slaughterhouse outbreak has prompted a debate in Germany about the working and living conditions of meat industry workers, many of whom are temporary labourers from eastern Europe.
RKI said on Friday that 16 people had died as a result of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking Germany’s total death toll to 8872.
READ MORE: Check-in app fast-tracks Aussie skiers
Christopher Rugaber 7am: Apple closes 11 stores as US infections increase
Apple is closing 11 stores in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina that it had reopened just few weeks ago as coronavirus infections rates in some regions in the US begin to rise. The decision is another sign that the pandemic might prevent the economy from bouncing back as quickly as some states have been hoping. Those concerns sent stocks on Wall Street lower overnight.
Arizona and Florida have both experienced rising incidents of new cases and rates of those testing positive for COVID-19.
There were 286.7 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in Arizona over the past two weeks, which ranks first in the country for new cases per capita.
“We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible,” Apple said in a prepared statement. — AP
READ MORE: Katrina Grace Kelly — Business not here to do Canberra’s dirty work
Andi Yu 6.30am: Victorian authorities vigilant as restrictions ease
Victoria’s concerning rise in coronavirus cases this week has authorities vigilant as the next step to ease restrictions looms.
Gyms, cinemas, indoor sports centres and concert venues are scheduled to reopen on Monday while cafes, restaurants and pubs will increase capacity from 20 people to 50.
Thirteen new cases were recorded on Friday, 18 on Thursday and 21 on Wednesday, resulting in the state’s biggest increase in more than a month. While the rest of the country’s COVID-19 infections decline, Victoria’s active cases rose to 91 on Friday, up from 66 four weeks ago.
Authorities are relieved that they know the links to most of the cases — many of whom are returned travellers or linked to them.
“We’re hoping that this isn’t the beginning of a second wave and we’re doing everything we absolutely can to make sure that that’s not the case,” Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said.
Overall, 1792 Victorians have been recorded with the virus, though 1680 have recovered.
Five people are in hospital, including two patients in intensive care. Nineteen people have died. — AAP
READ MORE: Victorian restrictions eased despite spike
William James 6am: Outbreak closes meat processing plant in England
An outbreak of COVID-19 cases at a meat processor in northern England owned by British supermarket Asda has caused the plant to close temporarily, the retailer says.
Asda said it had been working with public health authorities to ensure staff were tested, and that while the factory in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire had not been forced to shut, it had been closed as a precaution.
It did not confirm how many cases had been found.
“As soon as we became aware that some colleagues at our Kober site may have COVID-19, we responded swiftly and worked collaboratively with the local authority and Public Health England to test all colleagues,” a joint statement by Asda and Kober Limited, the firm which runs the plant, said.
The closure is the latest in a series of outbreaks linked to meat processing plants across Europe and the Americas. — REUTERS
READ MORE: Russia reports 181 new coronavirus deaths
Agencies 5.30am: WHO warns pandemic ‘in new, dangerous phase’
The coronavirus pandemic is now in a “new and dangerous phase”, the World Health Organisation has revealed, with the disease accelerating at the same time as people tire of lockdowns.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged nations and citizens to remain extremely vigilant, as the number of cases reported to the UN health agency hit a new peak.
Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros and @FilippoGrandi https://t.co/gt9hcGMKQn
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 19, 2020
“The pandemic is accelerating. More than 150,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported to WHO yesterday — the most in a single day so far,” Mr Tedros told a virtual press conference.
He said almost half of those cases were reported from the Americas, with large numbers also being reported from South Asia and the Middle East.
“The world is in a new and dangerous phase. Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies,” he said.
“But the virus is still spreading fast, it’s still deadly and most people are still susceptible,” he said, with the most vulnerable set to suffer the worst.
"As the #COVID19 pandemic gathers pace, it’s the most vulnerable who will suffer the most.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 19, 2020
All countries rich and poor have populations who are vulnerable to a higher risk of severe disease and death"-@DrTedros
READ MORE: COVID-free Fiji still crippled by pandemic
Adeshola Ore 5.15am: Tuberculosis vaccine could protect against coronavirus
Healthcare workers could be protected against coronavirus if a second wave hits Australia, as a clinical trial using tuberculosis vaccine is expanded across the country.
Hundreds of frontline workers across NSW will be injected with the BCG vaccine used to treat tuberculosis to determine if it can slow the spread of coronavirus.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the vaccination trial could have outcomes for the broader community.
“It remains a very potent possible force to head off the impact of COVID-19. There is a belief that it may have that capacity,” he said.
Researchers are hoping to enrol 500 NSW frontline healthcare workers, including paramedics, in the trial across five major Sydney hospitals.
Read the full story here.
Geoff Chambers 5am: Beijing issues angry denial over cyber attacks
Scott Morrison has revealed Australia is under sustained cyber attack from a “sophisticated state-based cyber actor” widely believed to be communist China, targeting all levels of government, essential services, critical infrastructure and businesses.
While the Prime Minister didn’t name China, accusations by security experts of its involvement drew an angry response from Beijing.
“We have pointed out many times, this institute is funded by US arms companies and its attacks are completely baseless,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.
“China is a staunch upholder of cyberspace security and we have been a victim of cyber attacks.
“We have been firmly opposing all forms of cyber attacks. Our position has been clear and consistent.”
Read the full story, by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson and Joe Kelly, here.
Add your comment to this story
Kooyong candidates make their pitches to Jewish voters
Monique Ryan has delivered a strong message of support to Kooyong’s Jewish community, as Liberal Amelia Hamer received a huge applause as she decried the rise of anti-Semitism.
Tragedy of our allies left behind after fall
The last Australian flight out of Saigon on Anzac Day, 1975, left behind vulnerable embassy staff who could and should have been saved.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout