Coronavirus Australia live news: Schools linked to Melbourne cluster, emergency powers extended
About 100 school students self-isolating after a Melbourne outbreak linked to ‘multiple’ schools, as emergency powers are extended.
- Melbourne cluster identified
- Qld Premier eases local restrictions
- NSW scraps $810m stadium rebuild
- Vic emergency powers extended
- EU calls for WHO solidarity
- Tuberculosis case on Ruby Princess
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. About 100 school students are in isolation after Melbourne cluster identified. Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has eased internal limits, but not borders. The EU has urged President Trump to rethink his decision to cut US funding for the World Health Organisation.
AFP 7.45pm Paris cafes to get extra terrace space
Restaurants, cafes and bars in Paris will be able to put more tables outside when they reopen on Tuesday after two months of lockdown, allowing them to serve more clients even as their inside dining rooms must remain closed.
“In this crisis, Paris needs to support its restaurants and bars. They are the heart of our city,” Mayor Anne Hidalgo told Sunday’s Parisien newspaper.
While other restaurants across France can fully reopen on Tuesday, the high number of COVID-19 cases and higher contagion risks in the densely populated Paris region prompted authorities to allow only limited operations for now.
But Paris restaurants and cafes will be allowed to spread out along footpaths and even set up tables in parking spaces in front of their buildings.
They can even expand their terraces in front of neighbouring businesses if the owners do not object, said Jean-Louis Missika, the city’s deputy major in charge of urbanism.
Terrace taxes have also been suspended in the capital and other French cities to help owners recover from the coronavirus shutdowns.
“This is going to let these businesses get back up and running,” said Didier Chenet, president of the GNI Synhorcat of restaurant owners.
He said Paris counts about 12,500 establishments with terraces, though only 1500 are covered.
Some Paris restaurants jumped the gun over the Pentecost holiday weekend, with police largely turning a blind eye to impromptu patios set up across the city.
Hidalgo told the Parisien that streets would be closed off entirely in some neighbourhoods, such as the picturesque Rue Lepic in Montmartre or the Place des Vosges in the Marais, a nightlife hotspot.
The restaurant reopenings are part of the second phase of France’s “deconfinement” plan, which will also lift a 100km limit on travel.
More schools will begin welcoming students back this week and museums and monuments can open, though face masks must be worn and many will require visitors to follow strict itineraries.
But gatherings of more than 10 people in public places will remain prohibited until June 21, and the wearing of a mask on public transport is obligatory.
READ MORE: Why Zoom is exhausting
Agencies 6.40pm India’s 8000 new cases a record
India reported more than 8000 new cases of the coronavirus in a single day, another record high that topped the deadliest week in the country.
Confirmed infections have risen to 182,143, with 5164 fatalities, including 193 in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
More than 60 per cent of the virus fatalities have been reported from only two states — Maharashtra, the financial hub, and Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The new cases are largely concentrated in six Indian states, including the capital, New Delhi.
Public health experts have criticised the Modi government’s handling of the outbreak. A joint statement by the Indian Public Health Association, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine and Indian Association of Epidemiologists, which was sent to Mr Modi’s office on May 25, said it was “unrealistic” to eliminate the virus at a time when “community transmission is already well-established”.
India has denied any community transmission even though new cases have continued to mount significantly.
The health experts said that the infections were rising exponentially despite the “draconian lockdown,” which began March 25.
There are concerns that the virus may be spreading through India’s villages as millions of jobless migrant workers return home from cities during the lockdown. Experts warn that the pandemic is yet to peak in India.
Remy Varga 5.25pm: 100 school students self-isolating in Victoria
Around 100 primary and secondary students are self-isolating after an outbreak of the coronavirus in Melbourne’s northwest that started with one family, Victoria’s Health Minister has confirmed.
Jenny Mikakos confirmed on Sunday that 80 students exposed to a cluster at Keilor Downs Secondary College and the entire grade two class of Holy Eucharist Primary School had been exposed to confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“I understand there’s about 80 through Keilor Downs Secondary College and then about 20-odd at the Holy Eucharist Primary School,” she said.
“So the entire class of the grade two student is now self isolating.”
The infected students are siblings from the same family group.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 5.10pm: Newmarch House cleared of cases
Residents at Anglicare’s ill-fated Newmarch House aged care centre have all recovered from coronavirus, ending a deadly cluster outbreak that originated with a worker at the facility who tested positive on April 11.
The rapid spread of infection throughout the facility resulted in NSW’s second deadliest outbreak behind the Ruby Princess cruise ship - 17 residents died with coronavirus and two died after recovering from the disease.
A total of 37 residents and 34 members of staff were infected with the virus. The extent of the outbreak resulted in an investigation into the operator’s handling of the outbreak by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
In a statement, Anglicare Sydney said the result was “an enormous relief” to the residents and their families.
We are grateful to the many agencies who have made this happen including supports provided by the Commonwealth Government, NSW Health, the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and those agencies which provided us with much needed staff when our own staff were self-isolating.
“We acknowledge our staff, those from Newmarch House as well as those from other services in Anglicare who have joined our surge team. Their dedication, sacrifice, inspirational care and support have made this day possible.
“Our paramount consideration is the safety of our residents, their families and our staff at Newmarch House.
“There is still more work to do. We remain vigilant to ensure we maintain strict infection control protocols for all our residents at Newmarch House until the site itself is declared COVID-19 free by NSW Health.”
Agencies 5pm: Another week of zero cases for South Australia
South Australia has recorded another full week of no new coronavirus cases and only one case remains active, AAP reports.
Last Sunday, it emerged a British woman who was granted an exemption to fly in from Victoria to visit a dying relative tested positive after arriving in Adelaide.
She had spent about a week in quarantine and tested negative while there, but the result from her second test made her South Australia’s 440th case - the first for almost three weeks.
Premier Steven Marshall has suspended international travel exemptions on compassionate grounds, saying an administrative error led to the woman presenting herself to authorities on arrival rather than being met by health officials.
READ MORE: What’s normal any more?
Agencies 4.35pm: Qld rules mean many pubs ‘unlikely to reopen’
A Queensland Health plan to heavily curb wait staff movements will have such a financial impost on pubs they will not open despite the easing of restrictions, says an industry body, AAP reports.
Starting midday Monday, pubs, clubs and restaurants will be able to seat 20 patrons while from June 5 that number could increase to 20 per area within a premises if a COVID safe industry plan is in place.
Patrons will need to be seated, table service provided and staff will be limited to only one area, says Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Each area has to meet the one person per four square metre criteria and patrons are not to move around a venue, she says.
“Now you can have multiple groups of 20, if you can make sure those groups don’t interact with one another...and as long as staff don’t move from group to group,” Ms Young told reporters.
Restricting staff movement will hobble many venues during slow periods and the financial pain will not make it worth them opening, says Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan.
“If you’re down to four people in one area, two in another and six in another, you can’t move them together, but you have to have one-on-one service, all you are doing is magnifying the losses,” he said.
“We would not be instructing our members to work in a loss-making manner.”
Clubs Queensland acting CEO Dan Nipperness was grateful the easing of restrictions had been brought forward a fortnight.
“You are not going to see a rush of venues reopening,” he said.
READ MORE: Celebrities go it alone together
Victoria Laurie 4.05pm: 3yo infected as WA reports new cases
A three-year-old child is one of three new active cases of COVID-19 reported overnight in Western Australia, bringing the State’s total to 589.
The three-year-old is a known contact of a confirmed case, while the other two cases are a woman in her 60s from Western Australia and a man in his 30s from interstate. All cases are recently returned overseas travellers and are in hotel quarantine.
There are 28 active cases in Western Australia. Of the active cases, three are West Australians, five are from interstate and 20 are foreign crew from the livestock ship Al Kuwait.
The ship, which arrived in Fremantle port last week, has seen nearly half of its 48 crew infected with coronavirus, and one man who had been in hotel quarantine was admitted to a Royal Perth hospital ward overnight. The rest are in quarantine in a Perth hotel.
To date, 552 people have recovered from the virus in WA. To date there have been 91,530 COVID-19 tests performed in WA.
READ MORE: Peak bravery
Agencies 3.55pm: Morrison set for ‘meeting' with Indian PM
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will hold a “Virtual Summit” with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Thursday, AAP reports.
Mr Morrison said he was looking forward to discussing the countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As like-minded democracies and natural strategic partners, Australia and India are in full agreement that our strong bilateral relationship is key to a more open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” Mr Morrison said in a statement on Sunday.
“Prime Minister Modi and I will also discuss new opportunities in defence, trade, maritime safety and security, science and technology, and education.”
READ MORE: Wage rise ‘no good for anyone’
Agencies 3.30pm: Words of warning as NSW prepares for big easing
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged people to use their new freedoms wisely, warning that the state is not out of the woods as it prepares to ease restrictions on pubs, beauty salons and travel.
NSW recorded three new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to Saturday night, all of them travellers in hotel quarantine.
The state’s case total now sits at 3095, with 2685 of those recovered. It comes as NSW prepares for the easing of restrictions, with pubs, beauty salons and museums set to reopen and intrastate travel permitted from Monday. The premier on Sunday said the easing of restrictions was perhaps “the most difficult decision our government has taken”.
From Monday, museums, galleries, libraries and beauty salons will reopen while up to 20 people will be allowed to attend weddings and up to 50 people will be allowed at a place of worship or a funeral.
The maximum number of pubs and restaurant patrons will increase from 10 to 50, allowing Newtown’s Courthouse Hotel and others to reopen.
READ MORE: Revival of the Australia dream
Agencies 3.05pm: Super Netball announces season start date
Super Netball bosses have committed to completing a full season after announcing a competition start date of August 1, AAP reports.
What we know from today’s netball announcement: NA has committed to 60 games of SSN and a 4 game Constellation Cup Series by the end of the year. SSN starts back up on August 1. We don’t know how, when or where those matched will be played. Quad Series will not happen this year.
— Eric George (@ericpaulgeorge) May 30, 2020
Chief executive Chris Symington also confirmed that group training will resume on Monday, ending a period of uncertainty for the eight clubs after COVID-19 forced the league’s suspension until at least June 30.
The fixture list is still being finalised but Symington said it would span 60 games, comprising the full double round-robin structure that was set down for the original season planned to start on May 2.
A grand final would probably take place in late November.
READ MORE: The challenges facing the nation
Agencies 2.35pm: Holiday inside South Australia, locals urged
South Australians are being urged to roam their state to help communities and businesses that have suffered from coronavirus restrictions, which came after drought and fires in some regions, AAP reports.
Premier Steven Marshall said the $1.5 million “Welcome Back” tourism campaign launched on Sunday was about getting tourism regions back on their feet as quickly as possible.
Since intrastate restrictions were eased on May 8, regions had reported huge amounts of web traffic and phone calls, with places in the Riverland, Yorke Peninsula, Barossa and Flinders Ranges already booked out for the June long weekend, Mr Marshall said.
The campaign is similar to the successful #BookThemOut campaign to help Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Hills recover from devastating summer bushfires, and also urges South Australians to explore Adelaide.
“We have heard directly from accommodation providers that people are coming back,” Mr Marshall said.
“New data from Airbnb has shown a surge in domestic bookings, particularly in regional areas, with South Australia reporting a significant increase in same- state travel, with bookings up 77 per cent compared with the same week last year.” The state border remains closed.
READ MORE: Harsh reality about our future
Agencies 2pm: Spike in cases feared amid US protests
The massive protests sweeping across US cities following the police killing of a black man in Minnesota have sent shudders through the health community and elevated fears that the huge crowds will lead to a new surge in cases of the coronavirus, AP reports.
Some leaders appealing for calm in places where crowds smashed storefronts and destroyed police cars in recent nights have been handing out masks and warning demonstrators they were putting themselves at risk.
“If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Saturday evening. “There is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”
Minnesota’s governor said too many protesters weren’t socially distancing or wearing masks after heeding the call earlier in the week.
The demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee into his neck, are coming at a time when many cities were beginning to relax stay-at-home orders.
That’s especially worrisome for health experts who fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering without masks.
“Whether they’re fired up or not that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
READ MORE: Troublemakers ‘mostly white’
Olivia Caisley 1.20pm: We’re in a recession, Labor MP Chalmers says
Opposition Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers says even if this week’s economic growth numbers prove to be positive, there is little doubt Australia is in a recession.
Speaking on Sky News on Sunday Dr Chalmers said that even if the March quarter was not negative, it would be fanciful to suggest Australia wasn’t in a recession.
Robodebt has turned out to be the illegal thieving of people's money, which has ruined lives and in some cases cost lives. As recently as yesterday we had a senior Cabinet Minister saying the Government has nothing to apologise for. It’s a disgrace. #auspol pic.twitter.com/TADQPpmApF
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) May 31, 2020
“Most economists, the government, the Reserve Bank, and certainly Labor expect that the June quarter will be much worse than the March quarter,” Dr Chalmers said.
The national accounts for the March quarter will be released on Wednesday and will take into account the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Economists’ forecasts centre on a 0.3 per cent economic contraction in the quarter, which will drag annual growth down to just 1.4 per cent.
Treasury has forecast a contraction of 10 per cent in the June quarter to be reported in September.
READ MORE: No certainties as PM eyes trifecta
Agencies 12.50pm: NSW scraps $810m Olympic stadium rebuild
The Western Sydney Business Chamber is disappointed the Berejiklian government is scrapping plans to redevelop ANZ Stadium, saying it would have created a lot of jobs very quickly, AAP reports.
The government has shelved the $810 million Olympic Park stadium refurbishment in favour of a $3 billion fund for smaller, shovel-ready initiatives to create jobs and boost the economy.
But David Borger from the Western Sydney Business Chamber says the stadium project would have had an “ongoing tourism multiplier effect” which was “frankly more significant than smaller projects”.
“The reason we’re doing this is to make sure we have the best possible experience for people attending, that we can keep attracting great content, that Sydney can continue to compete in a tourism sense,” Mr Borger told AAP on Sunday.
“It was one of the few projects that’s absolutely ready for a shovel in the ground. It would have created lots of jobs very quickly.”
However, Mr Borger welcomed media reports the government would proceed with plans to relocate the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta.
READ MORE: Lockdown ‘like living in the 1950s’
Remy Varga 12.30pm: Fresh outbreaks traced to multiple schools
About 80 students are self-isolating after an outbreak of the coronavirus in Melbourne’s northwest was traced to a class attended by pupils from multiple schools, Victoria’s Health Minister confirms.
Jenny Mikakos said the bulk of the students exposed to the virus attended Keilor Downs Secondary College but a shared VET class had seen students from St Albans Secondary College and Taylors Lakes Secondary College enter the mandatory 14-day isolated period.
“Just to be clear, the VET students from the other two schools attended a VET class at Keilor Downs Secondary College and this is why they’re impacted by this,” she said.
“All those students will be required to self isolate period as well as any relevant staff members.”
Ms Mikakos said the families of the students had been notified of what self isolation required.
She said the outbreak had been traced to two siblings at different schools testing positively for the coronavirus.
“So we’ve got two siblings, different schools, testing positive at different points in time,” she said. “All the appropriate action has been taken by both of those schools.”
READ MORE: How to lose the lockdown pounds
Remy Varga 12pm: Victoria extends its state of emergency
The Victorian government declaration empowering strict social distancing laws has been extended.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announced the State of Emergency would now end at 11.59pm June 21.
The declaration gives the Chief Health Officer powers to make orders protecting public health, including restricting movement, detaining people and preventing entry to premises.
The directives are empowered by Victoria Police with breaches carrying fines of $1652 for individuals and $9913 for businesses.
“We know restrictions can be frustrating, but they are working,” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
“It’s vital we continue to follow these directions to keep our community transmission numbers low and protect more Victorians.”
It comes after the Andrews government announced on Friday that businesses would be fined if they asked employees to return to working in offices for the rest of June.
READ MORE: Death of the scientific method
Remy Varga 11.50am: Community transmission warning in Victoria
Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said there was potentially community transmission of coronavirus in the suburb of Keilor Downs after the family cluster, urging residents to get tested.
“We obviously have some concerns about what might be happening in the Keilor Downs area and it’s possible there might be community transmission happening in that community,” she said.
“We have established a new pop up screening clinic for that community at the Keilor Downs community hub.
Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said there was no evidence connecting the outbreak to abattoir Cedar Meats but the cluster remained under investigation.
“We’re not aware of any links to Cedar Meats but we are investigating all potential links,” she said. “We are doing genomics on all our confirmed cases and that does take a little while.”
READ MORE: SpaceX rocket takes off
Sarah Elks 11.40am: Qld to review border closure at the end of June
Ms Palaszczuk said the border would remain closed for June and would be reconsidered at the end of the month, taking into consideration epidemiological evidence to go to National Cabinet in a fortnight.
“The border will remain closed for the month of June ... I’m not going to give anyone false hope,” she said. Ms Palaszczuk said this was the “shot in the arm” the tourism industry had been calling for.
READ MORE: Unis push for foreign return
Remy Varga 11.30am: Virus cluster pinpointed in Melbourne
A coronavirus cluster has been identified in Melbourne’s northwest after 13 members of the same family contracted the virus from each other, Victoria’s Health Minister has confirmed.
Jenny Mikakos told reporters on Sunday there was a potential cluster in the suburb of Keilor Downs in Melbourne’s north west after the virus spread over two households.
“We had a family grouping and it appears they have all contracted it from each other,” she said. “This includes the two school students that have been impacted by this.”
“There’s two households, effectively part of an extended family grouping [and] it appears the school students contracted it as part of that outbreak within that family.
Keilor Downs Secondary College and Holy Eucharist Primary School will reopen on Monday after being thoroughly cleaned over the weekend, Ms Mikakos said.
The net number of cases of the coronavirus in Victoria increased by four to 1649.
READ MORE: Leaders unite to create jobs
Sarah Elks 11.20am: Pubs, restaurants eye relaxation of restrictions
From June 5, pubs and restaurants in Queensland will be able to have 20 people in each section, a major relaxation.
Queensland has just five active cases with one in hospital.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said there had been 12 cases Australia wide over the weekend. “It’d perfectly safe for us to open up our economy...and all get moving again,” Dr Young said.
BREAKING: Start planning your holiday! We’re opening Queensland for Queenslanders from noon tomorrow.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 31, 2020
Queenslanders will be able to undertake unlimited travel, including overnight stays throughout the entire state, in a major easing of COVID-19 restrictions.#covid19 #qldjobs pic.twitter.com/tQknt4ttxW
Sarah Elks 11.10am: Qld travel eased but borders still shut
Queenslanders will be able to travel anywhere in the state from tomorrow - more than a month ahead of schedule - but the border will not reopen.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “opening up Queensland for Queenslanders” with the decision, which accelerates intrastate travel to tomorrow, instead of July 10.
People will also be able to stay overnight.
No new cases have been recorded overnight.
Gatherings of 20 people will be allowed from lunchtime tomorrow.
READ MORE: A-G ‘can’t apologise’ for robodebt
Agencies 10.40am: Global coronavirus cases surpass 6 million
Global coronavirus cases have topped six million, according to a Reuters tally, as Latin America reported a grim milestone of 50,000 deaths from the disease, AAP reports.
Countries such as Brazil, Chile and Mexico are struggling to stem the spread of the virus, which initially peaked in China in February before large-scale outbreaks followed in Europe and the United States.
The COVID-19 respiratory illness has claimed more than 367,000 lives worldwide, though the true number is thought to be higher as testing is still limited and many countries do not include fatalities outside of hospitals. The first 41 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Wuhan, China, on January 10 and it took the world until April 1 to reach its first million cases. Since then, about one million new cases are reported every two weeks, according to a Reuters tally.
The pandemic has claimed more than 367,000 lives worldwide, though the true number is believed to be higher because testing is still limited and many countries do not include fatalities outside of hospitals.
Despite the continued increase in cases, many countries are opening schools and workplaces following weeks of unprecedented lockdowns that have stemmed the spread of the disease - but also hammered economies and thrown millions out of work.
READ MORE: Trump wants Australia at G7
Sarah Elks 9.55am: Premier set to make call on easing Qld restrictions
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will today announce whether the state’s coronavirus restrictions will be eased faster than expected.
While Ms Palaszczuk has been under increasing pressure to reopen the state’s border to tourists from elsewhere in Australia, it is unlikely she will fold on that front.
Instead, it is possible Queenslanders will be permitted to travel across the state in time for the June-July school holidays, instead of the 250km travel zones flagged in the state’s “road map” released this month.
Restrictions, including the border closure, are reviewed at the end of each month. The next stage was expected to kick in on June 12, and allow regional drive travel up to 250km from home and the reopening of tourism accommodation.
Queensland’s school holidays are from June 27 to July 12.
Yesterday, Queensland had six active cases. 1045 people have recovered, representing 99 per cent of the total confirmed diagnoses.
One person is being treated in intensive care in hospital.
Of the state’s total cases (1058), 1013 had recently travelled overseas or interstate, or had close contact with a confirmed case. Nearly 200,000 tests have been performed in Queensland.
READ MORE: Inside Twitter’s move to stifle Trump
Agencies 9.35am: Pope begs for end to ‘pandemic of poverty’
Pope Francis called on Saturday for a “more just and equitable society” in the post-coronavirus world, and for people to act to “end the pandemic of poverty”, AFP reports.
“Once we emerge from this pandemic, we will not be able to keep doing what we were doing, and as we were doing it. No, everything will be different,” he said, speaking in Spanish in a video message to mark the feast of Pentecost.
“From the great trials of humanity -- among them this pandemic -- one emerges better or worse. You don’t emerge the same. I ask this of you: how do you want to come out of it? Better or worse?” he added.
People needed to open their minds and hearts to learn the central lesson from this crisis: “We are one humanity,” said the pope.
“We know it, we knew it, but this pandemic that we are living through has made us experience it in a much more dramatic way,” he added.
Now there was a duty to build a new reality particularly for the poorest, who had been discarded, the pope said.
“All the suffering will be of no use if we do not build together a more just, more equitable, more Christian society, not in name but in reality,” he added.
He called for action to “end the pandemic of poverty in the world”.
READ MORE: Power to the party, China mangles history
Agencies 9.20am: Death toll in Italy tops 33,000
Italy added 111 new victims to the country’s official death toll from the new coronavirus and 416 new infections as it prepares to relax travel restrictions next week, AP reports.
The increases bring the official death toll to 33,340 and are in line with recent daily tallies, suggesting the contagion is under control nearly four weeks after the country began gingerly loosening a strict lockdown in what has been the epicentre of the European pandemic.
On Friday, the Health Ministry said the crucial weeklong, region-by-region monitoring had shown no critical problems, giving the go-ahead for relaxation on travel starting Wednesday.
Some regional governors, however, are insisting on restrictions for visitors from hard-hit Lombardy, or for tourists to certify they are negative.
The regional affairs minister has said such measures are unconstitutional, since the Italian constitution prevents any region from inhibiting the free circulation of people.
READ MORE: Cautious steps get the boot
Agencies 9am: UK faces ‘dangerous moment’ in virus fight
Britain is facing a “very dangerous moment” with the easing of lockdown restrictions, the deputy chief medical officer says after a growing number of experts questioned the relaxation of rules, AP reports.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam called for people to show restraint as shutdown measures are eased in England from Monday.
He told the daily Downing Street press conference that the government and the public had a “dual responsibility” to prevent a second wave of the virus, adding: “I believe this is also a very dangerous moment. We have to get this right.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this week that from Monday in England, friends and family can meet in parks and gardens in socially distanced groups of six.
But as people flocked to beaches over a warm weekend Prof Van-Tam said scientific opinions “always vary to some extent”, and told the press conference that the lockdown easing must go “painstakingly” slowly.
“Don’t tear the pants out of it, and don’t go further than the guidance actually says,” he warned.
The comments came as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced that elite sport events would begin again next week behind closed doors.
Declaring that “football is coming back”, Dowden said: “Football, tennis, horseracing, Formula 1, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker and others are all set to return to our screens shortly.
“I’m glad to confirm today that a third of matches to finish the season will now be free to view including the Liverpool v Everton derby and live Premier League football will be on the BBC for the first time in its history.”
But Professor Robert West emphasised on Saturday that some 8000 infections and 400 deaths a day were still occurring.
The Observer reported that a letter sent by 26 senior UK academics and health administrators to Downing Street complained about the impact of the Dominic Cummings controversy.
The PM’s key adviser sparked uproar after it emerged he had driven 400km with his wife and child during the lockdown.
The group also warned about a failure to enact an effective test, trace and isolate system to pinpoint and then quarantine newly infected people. As a result, they are now “very concerned for the safety and wellbeing of the general public” as the lockdown measures are relaxed, the newspaper reported.
The easing of England’s lockdown will also signal the reopening of schools to allow more students to return, while outdoor retailers and car showrooms are also able to reopen.
— AP
READ MORE: Morrison’s sink or swim moment
Agencies 8am: Victoria the only state to record new virus cases
Victoria is the only state to record new cases of coronavirus this weekend, bringing closer the day when Australia records zero additional cases. The 11 new cases reported in Victoria on Saturday took the national total to 7185.
Just 22 of the 475 active cases nationwide are being treated in hospital. That hasn’t stopped hundreds of demonstrators in capital cities claiming the COVID-19 pandemic is a “scam”.
Members of the anti-vaccination community breached social distancing rules to face-off with the police on Saturday.
Placards included “5G = communism” and “Mandatory vaccination is a human rights violation”.
Three of the new Victorian cases were linked to a school cluster and four to a Melbourne hotel where returned travellers are being quarantined The state’s top doctor, Brett Sutton, remains concerned “certain quarters of the community aren’t getting the message”.
Still, Australia continues to record far few cases than comparable nations. The death toll remains at 103, while in stark contrast the US passed the 100,000 mark this week.
However, a new survey by the Australia Institute suggests more than three quarters of Australians support states closing their borders to interstate travel.
Strong support was recorded in NSW (70 per cent), Victoria (76 per cent), Queensland (78 per cent) and Western Australia (88 per cent) in the survey of 1005 people.
READ MORE: James Kirby — Sharemarket’s remarkable recovery a win for Mum and Dad
Agencies 6.30am: Victorians prepare to dine out again
The simple pleasure of sitting down in a cafe, off limits for months, is about to become possible again in Victoria.
Cafes, restaurants and other spaces where people gather are preparing to re- open, albeit with 20-person limits, as the state’s coronavirus restrictions are set to ease on Monday.
The requirements on eateries demand 1.5m between tables and collection of patrons’ contact details to assist in rapid contract tracing should any become unwell with the virus.
Libraries, galleries, museums, amusement parks, places of worship, beauty clinics, nail salons and massage parlours will also be allowed to reopen with no more than 20 people.
People will also be permitted to stay in holiday homes and attend tourist accommodation such as caravan parks and camping grounds.
The easing of restrictions comes as Victoria was the only state or territory in Australia to confirm new cases on Saturday and the chief health officer urged continued vigilance and testing.
Among 11 fresh cases were three added to the cluster started from a student case at Keilor Downs Secondary College. One of these is a year 2 student, whose entire class from Holy Eucharist Primary School is now in isolation for two weeks.
The primary school is being cleaned and will reopen on Monday. A total of 78 contacts from two other high schools are in isolation as a result of the infected Keilor Downs student.
Victoria has recorded 1645 cases, of which 73 are active. Seven people are in hospital, including two in intensive care.
If Victorians are able, they must work from home until at least the end of June.
READ MORE: Ruby Princess passengers face new risk
Agencies 6am: NSW prepares for pubs, salons reopening
NSW residents will endure one more day of tight coronavirus restrictions before pubs, beauty salons and museums reopen.
Holiday travel inside state boundaries will also be permitted from Monday, as will up to 50 people at a place of worship or a funeral Zero COVID-19 cases were reported on Saturday, from 9500 tests. That result - not reached for almost three weeks - hasn’t led to authorities veering from the standard song sheet.
“The virus is likely circulating among people in the community with mild symptoms,” NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty said on Saturday. “The risk of outbreaks and a resurgence of cases remains real.” NSW still has three-quarters of the country’s 476 active cases, and the majority of the 22 hospital cases nationally.
But the one intensive care patient has been taken off ventilation. NSW Health will likely report the result of its 500,000th test on Sunday. Just one in every 160 tests since January has come back positive. From Monday, museums, galleries, libraries and beauty salons will reopen while up to 20 people will be allowed to attend weddings.
Intrastate holiday travel will also be permitted.
The maximum number of pubs and restaurant patrons will increase from 10 to 50, allowing Newtown’s Courthouse Hotel and others to reopen.
“That’s worth cracking a can or two over,” The Courthouse Hotel said.
READ MORE: After lockdown, families are seeking space
Agencies 12.45am: Pandemic far from over: EU’s plea to Trump
The European Union has urged US President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to cut American funding for the World Health Organisation as spiking infection rates in India and elsewhere served as a reminder the global pandemic is far from contained.
Mr Trump yesterday accused the WHO of not responding adequately to the pandemic, saying the UN agency was under China’s “total control”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday urged Mr Trump to reconsider, saying that “actions that weaken international results must be avoided” and that “now is the time for enhanced co-operation and common solutions.”
The US is the largest source of financial support for the WHO, and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organisation. Mr Trump said the US would be “redirecting” the money to “other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs”.
The WHO wouldn’t comment on the announcement but South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize called it an “unfortunate” turn of events.
TRUMP: We are terminating our relationship with the @WHO. pic.twitter.com/MmXk30JCND
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) May 29, 2020
India registered another record single day jump of 7,964 cases and 265 deaths, a day before it was to end its two-month lockdown.
That put the country’s total cases at 173,763 with 4,971 deaths and 82,369 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.
Even still, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an open letter that India was on the path to “victory” in its battle against the virus and would “an example in economic revival,” while asking his countrymen to show “firm resolve.”
READ MORE: Jacquelin Magnay — Brexit, virus ... then things got really bad
Luke Costin 12.30am: Ruby Princess crew member contracts tuberculosis
A Ruby Princess crew member in a Sydney hospital has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, prompting authorities to notify all recent passengers.
The NSW Health letter, dated Saturday, said the person was diagnosed this week while being treated in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
“Most importantly, there is no reason to believe you are at increased risk of contracting tuberculosis from being on the cruise ship,” Health Protection NSW’s Dr Christine Selvey said, in a letter published by the Network Ten.
Tuberculosis is spread after close and prolonged contact with the infected person, rather than casual exposure, the letter says.
Hospital staff, roommates, close friends and workmates of the crew member may be at risk.
The Ruby Princess has been linked to more than 20 coronavirus deaths and 600 infections across Australia, including a cluster in Tasmania. A NSW Special Commission of Inquiry is currently examining why 2700 passengers were allowed to disembark the ship on March 19 without proper checks. — AAP
READ MORE: Some, such as Ruby Princess’s colourful counsel, like it hot on social media
Agencies 12.05am: New infection detected on Al Kuwait livestock ship
No new active coronavirus cases have been detected in Western Australia but a historical case has been detected among the crew of the plagued Al Kuwait livestock ship.
The man, who was identified as having a previous illness, underwent serology testing and it was confirmed he had previously been COVID-19 positive. He is no longer infectious.
WA Health says the testing forms part of a thorough investigation to determine potential sources of the virus on board the Al Kuwait.
A further 20 crew members remain active carriers of the virus. The Al Kuwait docked in Fremantle on May 22 with 48 crew on board. All but 10 are in quarantine in a Perth hotel, and the remaining skeleton crew have tested negative but may be tested again.
No positive results have emerged so far from seven port and quarantine workers who boarded the infected live export ship after it docked in WA.
READ MORE: Ticky Fullerton — Austal shipyards sail through coronavirus crisis
Additional reporting: Agencies
More Coverage
Dutton shrugs off new Labor scare campaign
Labor will launch the start of federal parliament for 2025 with a multi-broadcast scare campaign against Peter Dutton, as the Opposition Leader signalled he would not accept a public service workforce above 200,000.
Queensland cans hydrogen pipe dream
Australia’s largest green hydrogen project has collapsed, with Queensland’s Crisafulli government pulling funding from construction of the $12.5bn plant and pipeline in Gladstone.