Coronavirus Australia live news: Andrews backflips on request for 1000 ADF troops
The ADF personnel on their way to help roll out an unprecedented suburban testing blitz in Victoria amid a spike in virus cases have been turned back.
- Pandemic ‘a public health bushfire’
- New Victoria spike with 33 cases
- Infected pupil proves community transmission
- ADF deployed to enforce quarantine
- Qantas to cut 6000 jobs
- NSW ethnic communities targeted
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. The Victorian government has backflipped on a request for 1000 ADF personnel to assist with the roll out of an unprecedented suburban testing blitz. Earlier, Daniel Andrews likened the worsening coronavirus outbreak in Victoria to a “public health bushfire,” declaring it is “no less serious” than an inferno as 33 new cases are confirmed. A Sydney pupil’s positive diagnosis proves local transmission in Sydney, says Kerry Chant, while the spike in Victoria has in turn seen NSW Health officials pre-emptively target Sydney’s ethnic communities in a bid to prevent COVID-19 complacency. A shortage of medical oxygen is looming as global cases reach 10 million, WHO warns.
Cameron Stewart 9pm: US on high alert as cases spike
The US is facing a startling rise in coronavirus cases, recording the highest level of infections since April as some states move to delay plans to reopen.
The steep spike in cases across the south and west of the country has thrown into doubt hopes for economic and social recovery in many parts of the US.
The number of new coronavirus cases topped 36,000 on Wednesday, the third-highest daily number recorded during the pandemic and only just behind the record of 39,000 in April. A week ago, the average daily number of new cases was about 20,000.
“There’s no question that the increase we’re seeing in parts of the US is a real epidemiological uptick,” said Caroline Buckee, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
More than 122,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 from more than 2.37 million infections.
Read the full story here
AFP 8.30pm: Virus resurging in Europe as restrictions ease
Europe has seen a surge of COVID-19 cases since countries began easing restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the potentially fatal virus, the World Health Organisation says.
“Last week, Europe saw an increase in weekly cases for the first time in months,” the WHO’s regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said on Thursday.
“Thirty countries have seen increases in new cumulative cases over the past two weeks. In 11 of these countries, accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe.”
READ MORE: Explainer: when can you travel overseas?
Associated Press 7.50pm: India to survey 29m New Delhi residents
India says it will carry out a massive survey for the coronavirus targeting the entire population in New Delhi of 29 million. Officials will go each household to record each resident’s health details, and administer a test for the virus to those who show or report symptoms. The exercise will be completed by July 6, according to a plan issued by the government of New Delhi, the worst-hit city in the country with 70,390 confirmed cases.
Police will be deployed to enforce physical distancing and prevent the mixing of the population inside more than 200 containment zones in the capital, where large clusters of cases have been confirmed. CCTV or drone monitoring will also be used.
Police will have to ensure strict perimeter control and “absolute restriction of outward and inward movement of the population,” the city government said.
India registered another record high of 16,922 cases on Thursday, taking the total to 473,105. The Health Ministry also reported 418 more deaths, taking fatalities to 14,894. The ministry said the recovery rate was continuing to improve at 56 per cent.
New Delhi’s government has projected that cases in the capital area alone could expand to more than half a million by late next month, and is considering taking over luxury hotels and stadiums to convert into field hospitals.
Armed forces personnel are providing medical care and attention to coronavirus patients kept in railroad coaches that have been turned into medical wards at nine locations in the capital.
READ MORE: No screaming, please, we’re British
Richard Ferguson 7.10pm: PM happy to visit Victoria during ‘modest’ outbreak
Scott Morrison says he would feel comfortable visiting Victoria despite the COVID-19 outbreak, describing the spike as “very modest” by global standards.
The Prime Minister said on Thursday he would avoid the six local government areas in Melbourne that are labelled coronavirus hotspots, but said people in regional Victoria are safe.
“I’d go to Victoria but I wouldn’t go to the hotspots,” he told Nine News.
“That’s the point. There’s a localised outbreak and they’re containing that and that’s what’s important.
“If you live in Wangaratta, you are as exposed as you are as if you live in Wagga. I think we need to keep this in perspective.
“There is an outbreak in Victoria and it is what I would describe internationally as very modest.
“But it requires a very swift and very prohibitive response and the Victorian government is leading that, and they are getting strong support from other states, and they are also getting strong support from the federal government.”
READ MORE: Hour of opportunity is with Scott Morrison — can he step up?
Reuters 6.15pm: Eiffel Tower reopens after three months
The Eiffel Tower has welcomed back visitors after the coronavirus outbreak forced the Paris landmark into its longest period out of action since World War II.
Strict hygiene and safety measures were put in place for Thursday’s reopening.
Visitors can access the 324m high tower only via staircases until early next month, with elevators off-limits for the time being because of safety considerations. In addition, visitors are not allowed to go any higher than the second floor of the tower, and anyone over the age of 11 is required to wear a face covering. Managers say they hope to get operations fully back to normal later in the northern summer.
READ MORE: Eid family feast sparks big cluster
AAP 5.27pm: Virus quarantine ‘doesn’t contravene human rights’
Being ordered into home detention during the COVID-19 pandemic was not a deprivation of human rights, a parliamentary committee has ruled. The Queensland Labor Government introduced several measures in April and May under the Disaster Management Act, to stymie the outbreak of coronavirus. One of those measures was the power to order a person to leave, or not to enter a premises, including their own home.
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the law was to limit those identified as having, or suspected of having, COVID-19 from moving freely in public, to reduce the risks of transmission of the virus.
Under Article 12 of the Australian Human Rights Commission, every person within Queensland has the right to move freely within the state.
There is an exclusion for controlling the movement of persons around disaster situations.
The Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee examines Bills to consider whether policies to be enacted are compatible with the Human Rights Act 2019. On Thursday the committee, chaired by Labor MP Peter Russo, tabled a report finding the detention measure did not violate the Act.
READ MORE: Australia still the first choice of Chinese
David Ross 5.06pm: EY giving back with bonuses for virus pay cuts
EY said on Thursday it would top up the pay of staff whose remuneration was cut as part of measures introduced during the pandemic lockdown, with the business tipping in a 1 per cent COVID-19 Recognition Bonus.
The outcome for staff who had their FY20 pay reduced by 3.3 per cent would be they instead would only suffer a 2.3 per cent cut. Staff have also been given an extra two days leave.
The bonus, announced by EY Oceania chief executive Tony Johnson on Thursday came after the 6000-strong EY workforce had their pay and hours cut by 20 per cent for three months earlier this year.
READ MORE: EY to top up staff pay
Olivia Caisley 4.00pm: Victorian government backflips on ADF request
The Victorian government has backflipped on a request for 1000 ADF personnel to assist with the roll out of an unprecedented suburban testing blitz amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the state.
The Australian understands the Andrews government has advised they will need around “850 less” ADF staff than originally asked for.
It comes after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews this morning said he was grateful Scott Morrison had agreed to provide ADF staff to monitor hotel quarantine, as well as providing logistics, transportation and medical support.
Mr Andrews on Thursday morning said the co-ordinated response was not dissimilar to tackling bushfires each summer.
“I’m very, very grateful to everybody,” he said. “We are all in this together. This is no less serious than a bushfire. I’m not too fussed what uniform people wear, and we’re all working hard together to get this done.
READ MORE: Daniel Andrews soldiers on amid second wave fight
Sky News 3.18pm: Pop star ‘cancelled’ for arts package support
Twitter has “cancelled” pop star Guy Sebastian for appearing alongside the Prime Minister as he discussed his government’s $250 million rescue package for the struggling arts sector.
Mr Sebastian thanked the Prime Minister personally “for listening” to industry leaders and supporting the sector.
“You really did hear us out and you heard all the challenges we are facing and you’ve responded so quickly,” he said.
But users quickly took to Twitter to chastised the 2003 Australian Idol winner for being a “scab”.
“He’s sold out the arts sector for a measly $416.66 per arts worker to publicly support the Prime Minister, extremely disappointing to say the least. He’s lost me,” one detractor said.
Another user said they would delete every Guy Sebastian from her playlist in protest, a move sure to upset the pop star.
“Today was going fine, but now I have to break it to my 9-year-old that Guy Sebastian is a scab, as we delete all his songs from her Apple music,” she said.
But he drew support from the Australian Recording Industry Association.
Thanks to @GuySebastian for stepping up and helping to secure millions of dollars of assistance for the arts and music industry in Australia. https://t.co/5bwHiKZ6ts
— ARIA (@ARIA_Official) June 25, 2020
The package included grant funding and ‘show starter’ loans to help restart the theatre, festival, concert, film and television industry decimated across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Labor’s arts spokesman Tony Burke says the government didn’t have it right in the first take.
“There are many businesses who are in no position at all to be able to take on additional debt,” he said in Sydney.
“There are many businesses where a debt model doesn’t even work for the nature of their business.” Mr Burke said the government should extend the JobKeeper wage subsidy payment to the sector.
With AAP
AAP 2.58pm: Next three months ‘risky for Australians’
The next three months will be risky for Australians as the cold winter makes it harder to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Australian National University’s Professor Peter Collignon has told a Senate inquiry the virus will remain a problem for at least two years. “We’re going to have to keep up the things that we know work, which is predominantly keeping a physical distance, washing your hands and people who are sick staying away from others,” he said on Thursday.
“Probably winter will be more risky, so I worry about the next three months in Australia in particular.” But he said it was easier to prevent the virus from spreading as it mainly spreads via droplets.
Professor Raina MacIntyre, from the UNSW Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity, says Australians should embrace face masks as strict restrictions ease.
She also says the government should begin planning for when a vaccine is found, in terms of who will be a priority to receive it.
Professor MacIntyre also warned that Victoria’s spike in cases could easily happen elsewhere.
“They have been exemplar with their response and it probably will happen in other parts of Australia,” she said.
“What we need is to work together across our differences to protect Australia.”
READ MORE: Andrews’ blitz must work, or else
2.31pm: INTERACTIVE: The 10 Melbourne virus hotspots
These are the ten Melbourne suburbs identified as having high rates of community transmissions of coronavirus.
Max Maddison 2.03pm: Burke calls on PM to extend JobKeeper program
Opposition Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke has called on Scott Morrison to put national interest ahead of politics and extend the JobKeeper program before the end of the financial year.
Mr Burke said the federal government needed to heed the advice of sectors across the economy and make a decision immediately, rather than waiting “until after the Eden-Monaro by-election”.
“The implications of JobKeeper falling off a cliff in September can’t be ignored … We risk undoing so much of that if the program that has been underpinning confidence in the economy falls off a cliff in September. Business needs certainty,” Mr Burke said at a press conference.
“You can’t put politics ahead of the national interest. Business is making decisions for the next financial year now. Their deadline is 30 June.”
With $90m of the federal government’s package for the arts and enter sector consisting of loans, Mr Burke said the $250m relief did little to ease the pain of businesses that missed out originally.
“An industry that has had no support for the last 100 days even though they’ve been shut down by government decree, there are many businesses who are in no position at all to be able to take on additional debt,” he said.
READ MORE: What Biden win would mean for markets
AAP 1.46pm: WA government won’t pull back restrictions for AFL
The West Australian government has ruled out bringing forward phase four of eased COVID-19 restrictions by one day so attendance at a planned AFL match in Perth will not be limited to 30,000.
Health Minister Roger Cook said Perth’s Optus Stadium would hold the biggest crowd seen “pretty much anywhere in the world” in many months, with the AFL poised to announce a Collingwood and Geelong game on July 17 and the Western Derby on July 19.
Phase four of eased restrictions kicks in on July 18, allowing stands to fill to the full 60,000 capacity.
“Our rules are very clear on this,” Mr Cook told reporters on Thursday. “We’re really pleased that we’re getting to a point where we can see footy return to WA.” The Victorian teams will stay in hotel quarantine at Crown Perth, while the Eagles and Dockers have been cleared to serve their quarantine periods in their own homes.
It’s expected the WA hub will continue on a rolling basis, with another two Victorian teams taking the place of the Magpies and Cats.
Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said fans would be prevented from attending training sessions and urged the public to act sensibly when attending and leaving games.
READ MORE: ‘Experts’ cried wolf over coronavirus
Tim Dornin 1.10pm: No call yet from SA on Vic border measures
The spike in coronavirus cases in Melbourne is showing a “worrying trajectory” but South Australia is yet to make a decision to delay the lifting of border restrictions for people travelling from Victoria.
Premier Steven Marshall says local officials need more data and more evidence before making a final call on scrapping measures which require Victorians to quarantine for two weeks when they come into SA.
SA has already lifted those restrictions in relation to Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory and is due to do the same for Victoria and NSW on July 20.
Mr Marshall says that date is subject to change, taking into account the spike in cases in Victoria with 33 new infections reported there on Thursday. “Yes, there is a worrying trajectory at the moment,” he said. “But don’t forget those sort of numbers relate to restrictions and protocols that were in place several weeks ago.” The premier said since then measures had been taken to help quell the spread of COVID-19 in Melbourne and it would take some time before the success of those changes could be determined.
“We’re still hopeful we can lift our borders on the 20th of July nationwide. That was the commitment we made.” Mr Marshall said. “But we also said we are not going to lift the restrictions if it puts undue pressure on our health services.
“We are not going to be lifting the borders if it’s going to set us back in South Australia.”.
The premier also revealed SA is helping Victoria ramp up its testing regime with some samples being brought to Adelaide to be analysed.
He said after increasing its testing facilities in recent months, the state currently has excess capacity. SA conducted 1688 tests on Wednesday but has not reported a new coronavirus infection for about a month. — AAP
READ MORE: Daniel Andrews’ testing blitz must work to prevent spread
Richard Ferguson 12.35pm: McCormack considering more support for Qantas
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is considering more support for Qantas after 6000 people lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said on Thursday that he was in discussions with the government about a JobKeeper-like support plan once the wider wage subsidy program ends in September.
Mr McCormack said in Canberra that he will look at what further assistance the government can provide Qantas workers.
“The Government will, of course, be in close contact with Qantas, with the CEO, Alan Joyce, with the aviation sector as a whole, to see what assistance we can provide going forward,” he said. “We are meeting stake-holders each and every hour, each and every day, talking with them. These are things which we are discussing on a daily basis - whether it’s through Cabinet, whether it’s through the expenditure review committee.”
READ MORE: Dataroom — $1.9bn Qantas raising won’t be aviation’s last
Scott Henry 12.20pm: Melbourne hot spots — Where you can get tested
Victoria has recorded another 33 COVID-19 cases, prompting a suburban testing blitz in 10 localities to regain control of the spread of the deadly virus. The blitz will target 50 per cent of residents in Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham.
“The first three days are solely focused on Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows, but we will move to the balance of those suburbs over the course of a 10-day period,” Premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday. The suburbs were selected for their high rates of recent community transmission cases and the risk that undetected cases were circulating.
Some 10,000 residents a day will be tested in the 10 locations by a fleet of 800 crew in mobile testing vans.
Here is the latest update on testing sites from Victoria Health and Human Sevices
●Casey Fields opens Thursday
●Melbourne Showgrounds opens Thursday
●Broadmeadows Central opens Thursday
●West Footscray Bunnings now open.
●Extended hours at Highpoint, Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre and Pacific Epping Shopping Centre drive-through testing sites — 8am to 7pm.
●New testing sites in Apollo Bay and Lorne now open.
●Extended hours at Chadstone and Northland drive-through testing sites — 8am to 7pm from Tuesday 23 to Sunday 28 June.
●Keilor Community Hub now open
●New testing site in Craigieburn now open.
For regular updates on these locations check this page for the full list of testing sites.
PATRICK COMMINS 12.05pm: Job vacancies in record collapse in May
The number of job vacancies collapsed by the most on record in May, with new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing a 43 per cent fall from February.
The steep decline in the quarterly survey was well beyond the previous largest fall of 27 per cent during the 1990s recession.
The job ads figures come as Qantas announced mass lay-offs on Thursday morning, as the closure of international borders and remaining restrictions on interstate travel has devastated the airline industry.
Listings for private sector roles fell 45 per cent, and by 29 per cent in the public sector, the seasonally adjusted figures showed.
There were falls across states and territories, but job ads in Victoria suffered the hardest hit, halving between February and May in raw terms.
Industries hardest hit by job losses due to the COVID-19 crisis also revealed the largest declines in ads. Vacancies in the arts and recreation industry almost disappeared, down 95 per cent, while the rental, hiring and real estate sector reported a 68 per cent drop, and accommodation and food services a 66 per cent fall in ads.
READ THE FULL STORY here.
Richard Ferguson 11.25am: PM to push National Cabinet to stick with 3-step reopening
Scott Morrison will push the national cabinet to follow through on the three-step re-opening of the economy, despite the coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne.
The Prime Minister will meet with premiers and chief ministers on Friday and said the economy cannot “stop-go, stop-go.”
“We’re working well through our three-step plan. We said that would be completed in July, and we’re largely on track for that,” Mr Morrison said in Western Sydney where he announced a $250 million package for the arts sector.
“There are a few challenges in Melbourne at the moment. But as we said, there will be outbreaks, there will be changes.
“And what can’t happen is we can’t go stop-go, stop-go. We can’t flick the light on and off and on and off and on and off.”
READ MORE: Morrison pledges $250m to revive arts sector
Richard Ferguson 11.25am: Qantas job losses devastating: PM
Scott Morrison has called the loss of 6000 Qantas jobs devastating and said the re-opening of the economy is essential to reviving the aviation sector.
The Prime Minister said in Western Sydney - where he was unveiling a $250m arts rescue package - that both aviation and the arts will ultimately be saved by the lifting of COVID restrictions, coupled with the government’s current support.
“The same is true with the devastating news at Qantas. That has been caused by a global pandemic,” Mr Morrison said.
“That is what has caused these terrible job losses and the changes that Qantas have had to put in place to respond to that.
“We have to deal with the opening-up again and get certainty about those issues. And that will see the jobs come back.”
READ MORE: Qantas to cut 6000 jobs
Olivia Caisley 11.20am: Pandemic ‘a public health bushfire’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews likens the coronavirus pandemic to a “public health bushfire,” declaring it is “no less serious” than an inferno.
He calls on Australians to work together to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thanks the Australian Defence Force for stepping in to help.
“I’m very, very grateful to everybody. We are all in this together. This is no less serious than a bushfire,” he says. “I’m not too fussed what uniform people wear, and we’re all working hard together to get this done.”
“Just like we send firefighters and air bombers to different states, and we get the benefit of their support as well when we need it, this is like a public health bushfire. We need to work together.
“We are and I hope Victorians take some comfort from knowing that this is not about what side you’re on, we’re all on the same side, and that is to deliver the strategy, to find the positive cases, to suppress this virus, and to make sure that we can get to the other side of it.”
READ MORE: Australian REITs ‘to remain resilient’
Olivia Caisley 11.15am: Victoria on a knife edge: Andrews
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has said the state has found itself “on a knife’s edge” due to a spike in coronavirus cases.
“I know many Victorians are feeling anxious and unsure,” he said in a statement.
Statement from the Premier on the Suburban Testing Blitz: pic.twitter.com/83Le7IFeW2
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 25, 2020
“After all, so many of us have given up so much in order to keep our state safe. And yet - disappointingly, devastatingly - we again find ourselves on a knife’s edge. What we do now will determine what comes next. We don’t want to have to move to local lockdowns. We know the impact that would have on businesses and on families.
“But we do need to get a comprehensive sense of how this virus might be spreading - and we need Victorians’ help to get us there.
“Today we begin our suburban testing blitz, our plan to ensure we have all the information and insights we need. This targeted blitz across ten priority suburbs represents one of the biggest testing efforts ever.”
Mr Andrews said Victoria’s testing capacity is about 18,000 tests per day.
He says he has spoken with the premiers of NSW, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland, who have all agreed to boost this testing capacity.
“The ADF will be in charge of transporting those samples (to those states) and taking them to the laboratories,” Mr Andrews says.
He says the unprecedented testing blitz is about finding all of the people that have COVID-19.
“The real trick in this virus is what you don’t know, that is of course until it’s too late,” Mr Andrews says. “We are going literally door to door. We are bringing the coronavirus response to your doorstep if you are in these worst affected suburbs.”
Mr Andrews called on people living in the ten hotspot areas to take the free coronavirus test.
“I’ll ask, if someone knocks on your door and invites you to take a free test, particularly if it only involves going down the end of your street, or, in fact, may, once the saliva test is up and running, be able to do it on your doorstep, that is a powerful contribution, a powerful contribution to all of us beating this thing, and delivering the strategy that was agreed to at National Cabinet level,” he says.
“That is to suppress this virus, to contain it, but inevitably to live with outbreaks, and, in some cases, for many, many months to come.
“I just can’t stress this enough. We will see these numbers go up in coming days. That will be a measure of the work that we’re doing, a measure of the success of this strategy.
READ MORE: Pandemic a healthy boost for Chemist Warehouse
Olivia Caisley 11.05am: Testing blitz for Victoria hot spot suburbs
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says 50 per cent of the residents in state’s “hot spot” suburbs will be tested in coming days, which equates to about 5000 cases per suburb.
He says widespread door knocking will be carried out in high risk suburbs with mobile testing units launching an “unprecedented testing blitz.”
Residents in the suburbs of Keilor Downs, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam,
Broady, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham will be tested in their streets.
“If we can find all the positives in those suburbs we can be home quarantined, they can be given the support that they need,” Mr Andrews says.
He says the suburbs of Broadmeadows and Keilor Downs are the “worst affected” in terms of community transmission.
READ MORE: Eid family feast sparks big cluster
Olivia Caisley 10.55am: New Victoria spike with 33 new cases
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed another spike in coronavirus cases, with 33 recorded on Thursday.
Nine of those cases are linked to known and contained outbreaks, six are from routine testing and 11 are under investigation
20,304 people were tested yesterday, which is a record in terms of testing
Seven Victorians are in hospital.
READ MORE: Tensions high as holidays loom
Max Maddison 10.40am: Infected pupil proves community transmission: Chant
Victorians have been banned from attending NRL matches, says NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, as the state records another case of community transmission.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Hazzard said he’d spoken to the Australian Rugby League and NRL, who said tickets would be withheld from Victorian fans until the crisis abated.
“I want to say thank you to the NRL and ARL for their immediate and positive response to ensuring that they will take all necessary steps as far as humanly practical to make sure that there are no tickets sold to Victorians, particularly Melbournites and those from the hot spots,” Mr Hazzard said.
“But broadly across Victoria there won’t be tickets sold to Victorians.”
In addition, Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said NSW had recorded another four cases, three of which were in hospital quarantine arrangements. The fourth referred to the student from Lane Cove West Public School.
“Around the seven-year-old child, it does display evidence of local community transmission, albeit at very low levels,” Dr Chant said
“We have the right environment for transmission, it can transmit very easily.”
Dr Chant also said the state had retrospectively recorded an additional coronavirus-related death. The fatality related to an 85-year-old gentleman, who was a resident of the Opal Aged Care Bankstown facility, was recently reclassified.
READ MORE: Growth hit from pandemic ‘only mild’: IMF
Olivia Caisley 10.35am: Andrews about to address media
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is about to address a press conference in Melbourne after the state requested assistance from other states and the Australian Defence Force to help get on top of a spike in coronavirus cases.
Cameron Stewart 9.55am: US in highest level of infections since in April
The US is facing a stunning new spike in coronavirus cases, recording the highest level of infections since April as some states move to delay plans to reopen.
The steep spike in cases across the south and west of the country has thrown into doubt hopes for economic and social recovery in many parts of the US.
The number of new coronavirus cases topped 36,000 on Wednesday (AEDT), the third highest daily number recorded during the pandemic and only just behind the record of 39,000 in April. Just a week ago, the average daily number of new cases was around 20,000.
“There’s no question that the uptick we’re seeing in parts of the US is a real epidemiological uptick,” said Caroline Buckee, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
More than 122,000 Americans have now died of Covid-19 from more than 2.37 million cases.
Coronavirus cases are now rising in 33 states, compared with 21 states earlier this month at a time when it was hoped that the warmer summer weather would help slow infection rates.
It comes at a time when Americans are seeking to return to semi-normal life by frequenting restaurants, shops and gyms — activities that have contributed to the new spike in cases.
“People got complacent,” said Dr Marc Boom, CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system. “And it’s coming back and biting us, quite frankly.”
READ MORE: Desperate Trump hits the wall
Sarah Elks 9.25am: Queensland builds ‘strategic medical stockpile’ of PPE
Queensland is building a “strategic medical stockpile” of critical personal protective equipment to protect healthcare workers from the next pandemic.
Health Minister and Deputy Premier Steven Miles said Queensland had now gone eight days with no new cases of coronavirus, with only two active cases remaining in the state.
The active patients are both on the Gold Coast; one is in hospital.
Mr Miles said Queensland’s total was 1066 coronavirus cases, which he said was still less than what Queenslabd had initially modelled the “expected daily count of a three-month peak” of the virus. Initial modelling showed 30,000 Queenslanders could die, and one-quarter of citizens in the state could be infected.
Mr Miles said in the early days of the pandemic, Queensland did not have enough PPE to deal with that modelled peak.
He said the government was putting together a “strategic medical stockpile”.
“So we never ever again run short on what our staff need to deliver health care,” he said.
There has already been a significant increase in capacity.
Mr Miles said there was 17,500 more square metres of stockpiling capacity.
The government’s distribution network sends 8.6m items to hospitals every week, up from 5.4m items every week prior to the COVID-19 crisis.
Queensland now has 70 per cent more gloves than before coronavirus emerged, 2.5 times the amount of eyewear, 150 per cent more gowns, twice as many masks, and more than 90 days’ supply of PPE stockpiled all together.
READ MORE: ‘Spirit of federalism’ call to counter spike
Max Maddison 9.20am: Unions to agree to extension of crisis conditions
Unions will agree to an extension of extraordinary flexible working conditions if the coronavirus crisis continues, says ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
Ahead of an industrial reform roundtable with the federal government later today, Ms McManus said she was approaching the talks with an open mind, in the hopes an agreement could be reached “that will be good for workers and the country”.
As we enter discussions with the Morrison Govt and employers, let's be clear: We're here to protect workers' rights for everyone, including the next generation. We have your back.#ausunions #auspol @sallymcmanus pic.twitter.com/wmOYBAsWAw
— Australian Unions (@unionsaustralia) June 24, 2020
“Changes made during the pandemic were tied to JobKeeper; they have added flexibility to reduce hours and that makes sense,” Ms McManus told ABC radio.
“If we continue with whole industries needing to shut down again, or if JobKeeper continues, or these problems continue obviously we are prepared to talk about a response to that but that’s a response to a crisis.”
READ MORE: Giants join rent rebellion
John Ferguson 9.00am: ADF deploys 1000 for hotels, testing
The Australian Defence Force will deploy about 1000 people in Victoria to fight the coronavirus.
Up to 850 ADF members will provide support to hotel quarantine monitoring, which is a major concession given the extent of outbreaks that have occurred from overseas travellers.
A further 200 people will provide logistical and medical support for public testing.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the additional personnel would be deployed within days.
“Defence has been providing support to Victoria since April and I’m pleased we’re able to rapidly increase our assistance to help Victoria respond to its current COVID-19 circumstances,” Minister Reynolds said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic requires a proactive national response and defence is well postured to provide scalable support to states and territories.”
The deployment is part of Operation COVID-19 ASSIST.
READ MORE: ‘Experts’ cried wolf over coronav irus’
Robyn Ironside 8.45am: Qantas to cut 6000 jobs, requests trading halt
Qantas has requested a trading halt as it prepares to make an announcement about a capital raising and share purchase plan.
The move comes as the airline is expected to announce about 6000 jobs cuts across its 30,000-strong workforce representing 20 per cent of the Qantas and Jetstar teams.
The cuts are expected to be predominantly among ground and cabin crews and from its Sydney head office.
READ the full story here.
Max Maddison 8.15am: ADF to ‘ensure discipline’ at quarantine hotels
The majority of 1000 ADF personnel deployed to Victoria will support quarantine arrangements, in a bid to ensure “discipline is maintained” at hotels, says Defence Minister Linda Reynolds.
Ms Reynolds said 850 personnel would provide “planning support and assistance for quarantine arrangements”, with the remainder logistics and medical personnel to assist with testing.
“One of the tasks has been assisting them at hotel quarantine is to ensure that the discipline is maintained. So security guards, they are not law enforcement, but they are assisting those locations to make sure quarantine requirements are,” Ms Reynolds said.
After outbreaks at Melbourne hotels - including the Stamford Plaza Hotel and Rydges on Swanston - quarantine arrangements have come under scrutiny.
Ms Reynolds said ADF personnel would assist across a variety of roles.
“What we’re doing is we’re not doing testing ourselves, but we will be assisting the Victorian authorities at their 90 testing sites across the state,” she said.
“Will provide logistics and also a range of medical staff to actually help those to speed up the process in time. We will also provide, as I said, support at the quarantine points at the hotels.”
Max Maddison 8.05am: ABC cuts ‘pretty grim, bad day’
ABC managing director David Anderson says yesterday was “pretty grim”, but asserts jobs and content cuts weren’t made in the dark.
Speaking to ABC Breakfast News - one of only two interviews offered, both to ABC programs - Mr Anderson said he’d done his best to convince the government to reverse the indexation freeze.
“We have certainly, since I have been in this role, been making the case to the government about the extraordinary value that the ABC brings to the Australian public,” Mr Anderson said.
“In times of crisis, through bushfire coverage or whether it’s the COVID-19 pandemic, and everyday, and I think it’s a case that continually needs to be made. I think we provide outstanding value.”
However, Mr Anderson said although two-thirds of those savings have come from efficiency and third party renegotiation, inevitably content - including the flagship 7.45 news bulletin - had to be scrapped.
“One thing I will say - any of the changes we’re making, Michael, there are other things at the end of that that are losing their jobs. We’re doing everything we can to support them. It’s pretty grim. It’s been a bad day yesterday and it continues through as we go through the consultation process,” he said.
Up to 250 jobs at the ABC could be lost under the proposed plans, including scrapping the ABC Life brand, in a bid to save $40m.
READ MORE: ABC star faces axe
Max Maddison 7.45am: Medical leadership ‘needed in decision making’
The federal government requires medical leadership entrenched in decision making activity to manage the threat of future pandemics, says Tony Bartone, President of the Australian Medical Association.
Dr Bartone said the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) - the key decision making committee for health emergencies - didn’t have “real” long-term resourcing, or supported regulation.
“It doesn’t have, it needs that sort of permanency to guide it through the non-pandemic periods. We have seen with Zika virus and SARS, these biosecurity risks will always continue to be prevalent,” Dr Bartone told ABC News Breakfast.
“There will be more in the future. We can’t rely on good will and the people in those positions. We need to have permanency of both funding of processing of research to make sure we have got the right response in the pandemic.”
Due to appear in front of the Senate inquiry into Australia’s coronavirus response later today, Dr Bartone said it was still too early to table a full report on the crisis, as the country was still in the midst of battling the outbreak.
David Rogers 7.35am: ASX set for sharp opening fall as global markets tumble
Losses are likely early on the Australian share market after rising coronavirus cases in the US prompted a market selloff.
At 7am (AEST) the Australian SPI 200 futures contract was down by 92.0 points, or 1.55 per cent, to 5,837.0.
In the US, the S&P 500 skidded 2.6 per cent after new coronavirus cases climbed to the highest level in two months.
The United States has recorded the second-largest rise in infections since the health crisis began, with a flare-up of cases in states where restrictions meant to contain the disease were lifted early.
The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced that visitors from states with high coronavirus infection rates must quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
Max Maddison 7.15am: Deploying ADF ‘sends clear visual message’
Deploying the ADF to support health authorities sends a “clear visual message”, as Victoria faces a “crucial” period to avoid a second wave of infections, says Tony Bartone, President of the Australian Medical Association.
Dr Bartone said the decision to bring in the ADF reinforced the ongoing severity of the outbreak.
“It sends a very clear visual message about the importance and acuteness of the degree of severity of the threat. We need to jump on this before it becomes a second wave, the next couple of weeks are crucial in our response. This will obviously send a key message,” Dr Bartone told Sky News.
The uptick in cases had placed significant pressure on health authorities resources, and the ADF would provide “experienced and qualified assistance”, Dr Bartone said.
“Clearly what we’ve seen in the last few days is that especially with more than a thousand contacts of all the cases going at the moment, there’s a real pressure on the contact tracing personnel,” he said.
“The private investigators that look at how the disease is being spread, there’s a significant amount of logistical demand at the testing site.”
READ MORE: Eid family feast sparks cluster
Max Maddison 7.05am: Pandemic yet to peak in Americas
Global confirmed cases of coronavirus passed 9.3m, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Confirmed cases stand at 9,326,423, while global deaths have reached 479,310.
Brazil, which has reported over one million cases, recorded another 39,440 cases in the past 24 hours. Mexico also reported a record daily increase in cases, with the 6,288 additional infections taking the country’s total to 191,410 cases and 23,377 deaths.
In a press conference, Dr Mike Ryan, Head of the World Health Organisation emergencies programme, said the pandemic was yet to peak, particularly in the Americas, where health authorities have “seen a steady and worrying continuation of trend”.
“Many countries experienced between a 25 and 50 per cent rise in cases in the last week, which means many, many countries in Central and South America, and in the Americas in general, are still suffering sustained community transmission,” Dr Ryan said.
The resurgence in the US continues, with 34,720 cases recorded overnight. The US has reported 2.34m cases and 121,228 coronavirus-related fatalities.
READ MORE: Medics cast doubt on testing
Anne Barrowclough 6.25am: Oxygen shortage looms as cases reach 10 million
Global supplies of medical oxygen are at risk with demand from hospitals treating COVID-19 patients outstripping supply, the World Health Organisation warns.
The UN health agency warned that with cases expected to reach 10 million this week, a shortage of concentrators - devices that purify oxygen - to help critically ill patients was looming.
“Many countries are now experiencing difficulties in obtaining oxygen concentrators.
“Eighty percent of the market is owned by just a few companies, and demand is currently outstripping supply,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference.
“WHO estimates that at the current rate of about one million new cases a week, the world needs about 620,000 cubic meters of oxygen a day, which is about 88,000 large cylinders.”
“In the first month of this outbreak, less than 10,000 cases were reported to WHO. In the last month, almost four million cases have been reported,” he said.
“We expect to reach a total of 10 million cases within the next week.
“This is a sober reminder that even as we continue research into vaccines and therapeutics, we have an urgent responsibility to do everything we can with the tools we have now to suppress transmission and save lives.”
READ MORE: Third world more than collateral damage
Imogen Reid 6.05am: Sydney school closes as pupil tests positive
A Sydney school has closed its gates after a Year Two student tested positive to coronavirus.
Staff and students from Lane Cove West Public School on the Lower North Shore will undertake online learning on Thursday while the campus is cleaned and contact tracing is conducted.
A statement released by the department of education on Wednesday said a clinic has been set up at Royal North Shore Hospital for students from the school.
“The department has been advised by NSW Health that a Year 2 student has tested positive for COVID-19,” the statement read.
“The school will continue to support students with learning materials provided by classroom teachers using SeeSaw and Zoom tomorrow.
“Only students who are unwell with a fever or respiratory symptoms such as a sore throat or cough will need to be tested.”
READ MORE: Tensions rise as holidays loom
Rachel Baxendale 5.15am: Coburg cluster traced back to Eid family feast
A family Eid celebration that broke public health restrictions has emerged as the cause of one of Victoria’s biggest family clusters, as Premier Daniel Andrews calls in the army to help contain the state’s escalating coronavirus crisis.
A receptionist at the Pakenham Medical Clinic in Melbourne’s southeast told The Australian on Wednesday that a female patient who had attended the clinic on June 10 for testing and received a positive COVID-19 result three days later was believed to have contracted the virus at a family Eid celebration in Coburg now associated with the cluster.
Two Pakenham Springs Primary School students, who are understood to be the patient’s children, are also part of the Coburg cluster.
At least 14 other cases have been linked to a cluster of security contractors at the Stamford Plaza quarantine hotel in Melbourne’s CBD, while 17 have been linked to an earlier cluster at Rydges on Swanston.
Read the full story, by Rachel Baxendale and John Ferguson, here.
Yoni Bashan 5am: NSW Health to meet with Sydney ethnic communities
NSW Health officials are now pre-emptively targeting Sydney’s ethnic communities in a bid to prevent COVID-19 complacency, as concerns increase about a second wave of infections occurring in Victoria and the potential for one to flare up among NSW multicultural groups.
Meetings will be held with community leaders, and social media campaigns will warn of the potential for the virus to spread, even though infection rates seem low.
Mr Hazzard declined to name which multicultural communities would be targeted, but said engagements would occur between health officials and local governments in the western and southwestern suburbs of Sydney, both of which are home to numerous ethnic populations.
Read the full story here.
Jacquelin Magnay 4.45am: UK eases restrictions but bans screaming, dancing
No screaming please, we’re British. Nor dancing, nor yelling, nor singing. And for weddings, 30 can attend the nuptials, but most have to then head home, for there cannot be a reception of more than six people in total.
These are some of the new rules the British government has introduced as it seeks to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions on July 4.
While theme parks will be allowed to open with social distancing, rollercoaster fans won’t be allowed to scream.
Great news! We WILL be reopening the Resort on 4th July! Please visit our website https://t.co/Kmj8rjwZld for further information and updates. pic.twitter.com/KJJXsUJDPI
— THORPE PARK Resort (@THORPEPARK) June 23, 2020
Under the new government guidance people are prohibited from raising their voices and shouting, meaning workplaces have to reduce or eliminate background music.
Churches can also hold services, but singing hymns is banned.
Standing in a lift means facing the walls, and on-site canteens are banned, with workplaces to instead provide workers with packed lunches.
Read the full story here.
Burke mulls cancelling visa of academic who called Oct 7 ‘a celebration’
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is considering the visa status of a US-based academic who attended Monday’s Hizb ut-Tahrir-associated rally in Sydney, praising the Houthi rebels and saying Hamas's attacks were a day of 'growth' for Palestinians.
How retail umpire mediated a row while on Ukraine mercy mission
Food Code’s Chris Leptos spends his days arbitrating disputes between suppliers and supermarkets, but after hours he’s part of an international group helping to ease the plight of Ukrainians.