Coronavirus Australia live updates: Delay in states’ data access as app downloads pass 4 million
State-based health officials are yet to receive COVIDSafe data as the Deputy CMO urges ‘as many people as possible’ to install app.
- Delay in data access as app passes 4m downloads
- Aged care home ‘breached control measures’
- Restrictions lifted with Tas outbreak controlled
- Cases linked to meat processing facility
- Warriors given green light to enter Australia
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. State-based health officials are yet to have access to COVIDSafe data, as the Deputy CMO calls for ‘as many people as possible’ to add the app to their phone. NSW health authorities have flagged a possible breach of infection control at Newmarch House aged care with two new cases among staff.
Agencies 9.30pm: Coronavirus cluster found at Melbourne meat processor
A coronavirus cluster has been uncovered at a Melbourne meat processor, amid warnings Victoria’s progress against the pandemic remains “incredibly fragile”.
Seven new cases have been confirmed across the state, including a paramedic, bringing the total number of infections to 1371.
It came as Health Minister Jenny Mikakos revealed eight staff members at a meat processing facility in Melbourne had tested positive to COVID-19, including three overnight.
The business, which she refused to identify, closed on Friday for cleaning and all staff were being tested.
The Australian Meat Industry Council would not disclose the facility’s identity but said the case was being “extremely well managed”.
At a federal level, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment told AAP it was “engaged” in the matter.
READ MORE: Phillip Adams — No ‘herd imminity’ for drought
Heather McNab 8.30pm: Nursing home staff test positive for COVID-19
Another two staff members at Sydney’s Newmarch House nursing home have tested positive for COVID-19 following the deaths of 13 residents.
Anglicare Sydney confirmed the positive tests despite what it called “strict procedures and enforced infection control practices”.
More than 60 people — 24 staff and 37 residents — at the nursing home near Penrith have tested positive to COVID-19 since the outbreak on April 11.
It was announced today that NSW Health had deployed two infection control nurses to the facility to review its procedures.
“We’ve clearly seen transmission that on the surface looks like there’s been breaches of infection control amongst particularly the staff,” NSW chief medical officer Kerry Chant said.
“And that’s obviously a concern. There are have been some elements where consistent application of infection control practice has not occurred.”
READ MORE: China ‘endangered other countries’
Paige Taylor 6.15pm: WA government buys portion of Twiggy’s tools
The West Australian government has purchased a portion of the 90 tonnes of personal protective equipment procured from China by billionaire Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation.
WA Health Minister Roger Cook told The Australian in a statement: “To date WA Health has ordered approximately $1 million of Minderoo stock for use in our public hospitals, by our health care partners and by other government agencies who are working as part of the COVID response”.
The products purchased from Minderoo by WA Health include 296,700 masks, 31,894 coveralls, 100,000 gloves and 7,380 safety glasses, according to the statement from Mr Cook. WA Health has also purchased 49 ventilators from Minderoo at a cost of $3.5m, Mr Cook said.
“It is up to Minderoo to comment regarding their stock levels and sales of PPE to other organisations including private hospitals and aged care providers,” Mr Cook said.
On April 1, as the pandemic depleted Australia’s medical supplies, Minderoo announced it had a $160 million procurement deal with China for up to 600 cubic metres of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies weighing more than 90 tonnes.
The deal came after the WA government became the first state to cancel elective surgeries in part to preserve medical supplies. Under an arrangement with the McGowan government, WA Health would assess and purchase equipment as needed. Taxpayers would be charged cost price for the equipment that was usable.
Minderoo announced that it had secured supplies from China including more than 1 million N95 equivalent face masks, 400,000 surgical masks, 2.3 million medical-grade gloves, 100,000 nasal swabs, 200,000 medical coveralls, 10,000 medical goggles, 5,000 touch-less thermometers and over 33 ICU grade ventilators.
Separate to the deal with Minderoo, WA Health has ordered up to 10,000 hospital-grade face masks from a Perth manufacturer and taken delivery of two plane loads of critical supplies that it procured itself. The imported gear cost $9.5m and included approximately 1.5 million face masks, 580,000 surgical gloves, 160,000 isolation gowns and 234,800 anti-fog face shields.
These were in addition to regular deliveries of supplies from established WA Health suppliers.
WA Health also purchased 304 ventilators in addition to those purchased from Minderoo.
READ MORE: Warriors given green light to return
Emily Ritchie 4.15pm: SA records 10th straight day of no new cases
South Australia has recorded its tenth straight day with no new coronavirus cases, but health officials have warned complacency could lead to a second wave of infections.
The state’s total number of coronavirus patients remains at 438 – 98 per cent of whom have recovered. There are 7 active cases remaining and three patients being cared for in the Royal Adelaide Hospital. This week a 68-year-old man was discharged from the intensive care unit.
More than 58,000 tests have been completed in the state.
The state’s deputy chief public health officer, Dr Mike Cusack, said new spikes in the virus remained possible, particularly heading into winter.
10 days of no new cases - we're doing great South Australia!
— SA Health (@SAHealth) May 2, 2020
But let’s not undo all the good.
Continue with the hygiene measures, stay 1.5 metres apart whenever and wherever you can, and download the #COVIDSafe app to keep playing your part to help stop the spread. pic.twitter.com/4Wd6HOhlZp
“It only takes one or two cases in the community for things to run away a bit,” he said on Saturday.
“We are mindful that we could see a second spike and that’s why all of our systems are lined up in terms of vigilance, social isolation and contact tracing.”
He said a framework for easing social distancing restrictions in the state would be announced early next week, and that border restrictions would be some of the last to be lifted.
“We are concerned we’d be importing coronavirus again into SA,” he said.
Dr Cusack said during the period of lockdown less people had made contact with emergency departments and their GPs and urged people to not neglect their health during this time.
“There has been less testing of routine checks and that does make us worried people out there are holding off seeing their doctors and not getting the care they need,” Dr Cusack said.
“We do need people to keep connected with their doctors and ensure any health issue they have is being monitored.”
READ MORE: Homework’s done, now the big test
Adeshola Ore 4.10pm: ACT continues its coronavirus-free streak
The ACT has continued its coronavirus-free streak, with no new cases since last Saturday.
The territory has begun the first Australian jurisdiction to be coronavirus-free, with no active cases.
The territory’s coronavirus count remains at 106, with three COVID-19 deaths.
Acting ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Vanessa Johnston said it was important for the public to remain alert to the virus, despite restrictions easing.
“Now is the time to continue to build upon the good work we’ve done so far. We must maintain physical distancing and good hygiene practices at all times, even as some restrictions are easing,” she said.
“Canberra is part of the broader Australian community and while there are currently no known active cases of COVID-19 within the ACT, we are not isolated and need to remain vigilant.”
The ACT’s relaxed restrictions allow one household to visit another, as long as there are no other visitors present. Canberrans are also allowed to leave their households for non-essential shopping.
Canberrans with even mild cold and flu-like symptoms are encouraged to be tested for COVID-19.
READ MORE: Corona baby may offer antibody clues
Emily Ritchie 4.00pm: Delay in access as app downloads pass 4m
More than 4 million people have now downloaded the official COVID Safe contact-tracing app, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael Kidd has announced.
Professor Kidd said this was an incredible uptake but that more “as many people as possible” should download the software so social distancing restrictions could ease across the country.
“If you have been putting off downloading the app, please do so today,” Dr Kidd said.
“It is very important that as many people as possible download the app so we can use this as part of our efforts to improve contact tracing right across the country.”
In order to quell privacy concerns, Dr Kidd said the only people with access to the data gathered by the app would be contact-tracing health officials from each state. He added that state officials are yet to be able to access that data, but “that will be happening during the current week”.
“That facility is still to go live … but the important thing is that if people have downloaded the app and they have it running in the background on their phone, it’s already gathering details of people you’ve been in close contact with,” he said.
“There’s a delay from now until when the contact tracer in the state or territory where you are based has activated the system.”
There have been just 16 new positive cases of coronavirus identified in Australia in the past 24 hours, with 28 people being treated in intensive care - 21 of those requiring ventilators.
Dr Kidd said there had been 93 deaths with about 900 Australians actively infected and 5755 people who had recovered from the virus.
There have been 611,000 COVID-19 tests carried out in Australia so far and the criteria for testing has been widened to include anyone experiencing respiratory tract illness, coughs or fever.
Dr Kidd also urged people to continue accessing healthcare for illnesses other than coronavirus, saying over 7.2 million telehealth consultations had already been undertaken since March.
“It is absolutely essential people continue to receive the healthcare they need during this time,” Dr Kidd said.
“Don’t put off regular healthcare at this time.”
READ MORE: Things to know when you download COVIDSafe
Paige Taylor 3.48pm: No new cases in WA for third consecutive day
The number of people known to have coronavirus in Western Australia has fallen to 23 after no new cases were detected across the state for the third day in a row.
A total of 551 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 but most have recovered. Eight people have died from the virus in WA, all of them cruise ship passengers.
WA Health Minister Roger Cook announced the latest figures as a Perth medical supply company began producing 10,000 hospital-grade face masks. The shields have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Mr Cook said strong demand for personal protective equipment was expected to continue throughout the pandemic. Fears over shortages of face masks and other personal protective equipment forced WA to suspend elective surgeries before other states.
The new venture has been led by biomedical engineers from the East Metropolitan Health Service’s Centre for Implant Technology and Retrieval Analysis, who will also oversee production.
The six-member team is based at Royal Perth Hospital and is internationally renowned for its expertise in assessing the safety and quality of medical products and devices.
On April 1, billionaire Andrew Forrest’s charity, Minderoo Foundation, and the McGowan government jointly announced that Minderoo had procured planeloads of personal protective equipment from China. Under the arrangement, the equipment would be tested in Australia and taxpayers would charged cost price for the supplies that were up to standard.
The WA government confirmed this week that it had bought $1m worth of the personal protective equipment procured by Minderoo and purchased another $9.4m worth of personal protective equipment through its own channels.
READ MORE: Virus reveals west’s true power
Emily Ritchie 2.22pm: Calls for healthy residents to be taken from Newmarch
NSW Labor is calling for all healthy residents of the embattled Anglicare Newmarch House aged care facility to be offered a place in the public health system until its coronavirus outbreak cluster is contained.
NSW opposition leader Jodie McKay said on Saturday she was “disappointed” Health Minister Brad Hazzard was treating the outbreak at the facility as an “aged care issue and an issue for the commonwealth”.
“This is a public health issue, it is a NSW public health issue and it must be treated as that,” Ms McKay said.
There are currently 61 positive cases at the facility in Caddens, including 37 residents, and there have been 13 deaths.
Another two staff members were confirmed positive today and the state’s chief medical officer Dr Kerry Chant said they would be investigating if there had been “any infection control breaches” at the site.
“It is clear that there is a second wave of infection, a second wave of spread, within the Newmarch facility,” Ms McKay said.
“This is the first time today that the chief medical officer has admitted there is a second spread. In the last three days there have been an additional seven cases in staff and residents. It is clear that COVID-19 is not being contained in Newmarch House and is in fact out of control.”
Ms McKay said she was imploring the government to “take charge” and offer residents who are healthy a place within the public health system for the next two weeks or “until (we) are certain that the second wave of infections is under control”.
“It is the only way to fix this situation,” she said.
Ms McKay said families of residents had contacted her office with concerns over a lack of communication from NSW Health about the ongoing situation.
“The lack of communication between health and families has certainly left much to be desired over the last couple of weeks,” Ms McKay said.
“The families have said that the communication has been poor and they’ve had to speak out publicly to get that fixed.
“The current approach is not working. It is imperative this spread is brought under control and that families know there is an option for people to move out of that facility.”
READ MORE: Survivor sees bright side after the horror
Adeshola Ore 2.02pm: Aged care home ‘breached control measures’
NSW health authorities have flagged a possible breach of infection control at Newmarch House aged care.
The facility at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak has been linked to 61 cases and 13 deaths. An additional two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in staff members on Saturday morning.
Two expert infection control nurses were deployed to the facility in Cadden in Sydney’s west this week to reassess the facility’s infection control procedures.
The state’s chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the new cases among staff suggested that secondary transmissions were now occurring.
“We’re looking at secondary cases and we’ve clearly seen transmissions that on the surface looks like there has been breaches in infection control, particularly among staff,” she told reporters on Saturday.
Dr Chant said the visits by the two senior infection control nurses revealed that not all stringent measures were being followed.
“There have been some elements where consistent application of infection control practice has not occurred,” she said.
Dr Chant said this feedback had been relayed to the centre and changes had been implemented.
NSW Health said residents who tested positive to the virus had the choice of being cared for at the centre or Nepean Hospital, based on their advanced care directive.
“We put the resident at the centre of their decision making. So if they have COVID-19 they have choices about their care path,” Dr Chant said.
Anglicare said the two new cases in staff members came despite the facility having “strict procedures and enforced infection control practices in place.”
“We are investigating further as to how this occurred and we continue to work closely with the NSW Public Health Unit on this,” a statement read.
READ MORE: Dying in their beds as ‘fire’ takes hold
Adeshola Ore 12.50pm: Queensland case linked to cruise ship
One new case of coronavirus has been recorded in Queensland in a returning overseas traveller who contracted the virus on a cruise ship.
Queensland’s Health Minister Steven Miles said there were 63 active cases in the state.
“This is the result of these low, ongoing numbers of new positive cases,” he said.
Passengers on flight QF614 on April 22 are urged to contact 13-HEALTH (13 43 25 84).
Those who were seated close to the passenger will be required to quarantine for two-weeks.
The number of people receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19 continues to fall. There are currently 10 Queenslanders in hospital for the virus, with four in ICU.
READ MORE: Hospital heroine’s epic virus battle
Emily Ritchie 12.37pm: Extensive testing but just five new cases in NSW
Five new cases of coronavirus have been detected in NSW over the past 24 hours, with health minister Brad Hazzard saying there has been a 40-fold improvement in outcomes since the end of March.
Minister Hazzard said 8809 people had been tested in the past 24 hours, which was the second highest daily number of tests the state has recorded.
“The highest was 8835 tested on 27 March and those tests produced 212 positive cases,” Mr Hazzard said on Saturday.
“This time, a similar figure tested yesterday have only produced five positive cases. That is a 40 times better outcome for our community since the end of March. We are doing so much better in terms of the rate of positives.”
Two of the new cases are staff members at the Anglicare Newmarch House aged care facility in Caddens which now has 61 positive cases, 37 of them residents.
There are currently 109 cases being treated by NSW Health, 14 of those in ICU and 12 requiring ventilators.
Mr Hazzard said of the state’s 3031 confirmed cases, 2300 had recovered, which indicated the community was doing “extremely well” in slowing the spread of the outbreak.
“I have to say thank you to the community, they have responded fantastically,” Mr Hazzard said.
Mr Hazzard said that, in the lead up to Mother’s Day, beauty tanning, waxing and nail salons will be allowed to open for the purposes of selling their retail items.
“As health minister I can’t open those (for many of their other services), it’s not the right time,” Mr Hazzard said.
“But we are opening them for the purposes of retail items people like to buy from these facilities. You can also buy vouchers from them. How good is that with Mother’s Day coming up?”
READ MORE: Seven day timetable to free a nation
Adeshola Ore 12.34pm: Warnings of a ‘second wave’ as restrictions are relaxed
Labor MP Andrew Giles has warned of a second wave of coronavirus, as some states ease restrictions.
The national cabinet will consider relaxing coronavirus measures on Friday, with the Prime Minister saying Australians have “earned an early mark”.
But the opposition’s immigration spokesman said it would be distressing if the lifting of restrictions had to be reversed.
“Everyone has really taken very seriously the experience of Singapore, which was of course lauded as a great example of how to manage the pandemic and of course they have been struck by a very significant second wave,” Mr Giles told the ABC on Saturday.
“And I think this is something that I am sure is on the minds of all the chief medical officers and everyone who sits around the national cabinet table.”
Mr Morrison has said the easing of restrictions was contingent on “millions more” Australians downloading the federal government’s coronavirus contact tracing app.
More than 3.5 million Australians have registered for the COVIDSafe app, which uses Bluetooth connections to determine who infected people came into close contact with.
With AAP
READ MORE: Beware second-wave coronavirus calamities
Adeshola Ore 11.32am: Restrictions lifted with Tas outbreak controlled
Tasmania’s Premier has confirmed the additional coronavirus restrictions on the state’s northwest will be lifted on Sunday evening, with the outbreak now under control
Peter Gutwein said it was vital Tasmanians continued to practice social distancing, despite no new cases recorded on Friday.
“You should still stay at home. You should only leave your home if you need to go out for essential supplies, for medical services,” he said.
Mr Gutwein said it was important to increase the state’s level of testing to better determine the hot spots of the virus.
He flagged that access to the state’s green spaces could be one of the first restrictions to be lifted.
The state’s total number of coronavirus cases remains at 221.
READ MORE: Mona gambling on spring opening
Adeshola Ore 10.59am: Cases linked to outbreak at meat processing facility
Three new coronavirus cases in Victoria are linked to an outbreak at a meat processing facility.
Eight employees at the site, which has now closed, have tested positive to COVID-19.
Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the business was being cleaned and there was no concern for food safety. Contact tracing is being conducted by public health authorities.
The state recorded seven new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the state’s total to 1371.
“The fact that we’ve had seven new cases overnight demonstrates that the situation is still fragile,” Ms Mikakos said.
Ms Mikakos encouraged Victorians even with mild symptoms to be tested. Since the state ramped up its testing from Monday, 30,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted.
Ms Mikakos said an increase in testing would provide the state government with more accurate data to determine the possibility of easing restrictions on May 11.
There are now 12 Victorians in hospital for coronavirus, including seven ICU patients.
The state has now conducted more than 129,000 COVID-19 tests.
READ MORE: Corona baby may offer antibody clues
Adeshola Ore 10.30am: Petrol prices in Queensland spike as restrictions ease
Petrol prices in Queensland have spiked as the state emerged from weeks of lockdown.
Fuel pumps across Brisbane have bucked recent record low prices, jumping as high as $1.19 on Saturday morning, as people head outdoors for picnics and retail shopping following an ease of restrictions.
However, some southern suburbs are still selling for as little as 82.9c at the end of a week where the state recorded just eight new diagnoses for COVID-19.
All Queenslanders are restricted to staying within 50 kilometres of their home and must continue to practise social distancing.
With AAP
READ MORE: Petrol profits highest in 10 years: ACCC
Brent Read 9.23am: Warriors given green light to enter Australia
The New Zealand Warriors will arrive in Tamworth on Sunday afternoon after the NRL received final approval for the club to isolate, train and play in Australia.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the Auckland-based side had been granted permission by Border Force to fly to Australia on Saturday morning.
— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) May 2, 2020
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys thanked the federal and state governments for their assistance in the matter.
The Warriors will enter 14 days isolation in Tamworth, where they will be permitted to train in the lead-up to the recommencement of the Premiership on May 28.
“This is an excellent outcome for rugby league and another step towards the competition resuming on May 28,’’ V’landys said.
“I want to thank the federal and state governments, in particular Border Force and NSW State Emergency Operation Centre for their assistance in making the Warriors’ arrival a reality.
“The club will follow the strictest biosecurity protocols and, like all clubs, will participate in an education day about the protocols on Monday morning.”
V’landys paid tribute to the Warriors players, staff and their families for the sacrifices they had made.
“As a game we cannot thank the Warriors enough for everything they are doing,” V’landys said.
“Right from the start of this pandemic the club and its players have put the competition first and for that we will be forever thankful.”
READ MORE: NRL players and club bosses at loggerheads over return to training
Adeshola Ore 9.20am: Two more Newmarch House staff test positive
Two more staff members at the ill-fated Newmarch House aged care facility have tested positive to coronavirus.
The outbreak at the Anglicare’s Western Sydney aged care centre has now been linked to 13 COVID-19 deaths.
In a statement, Anglicare said the recording of additional cases had occurred despite the centre having “strict procedures and enforced infection control practices” in place.
“Additional positive cases associated with Newmarch House are very distressing for our staff, our residents, and their families,” the statement read.
More than 60 people have now tested positive to the virus at the centre - 24 staff and 37 residents.
The Federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said residents were receiving the best possible care supported by the local public health unit.
Newmarch House has been criticised by residents’ relatives for a lack of communication. In an attempt to improve communications, the nursing home has started window visits.
With AAP
READ MORE: Dying in their beds as ‘fire’ takes hold
Paul Garvey 7.45am: Tech data shows how Australia flattened curve
Data harvested by tech giants Google and Apple has illustrated in stark detail the sharp impact of coronavirus containment measures across the country, with the information showing just how effective measures to limit movement have been.
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy released new information yesterday showing the dramatic changes in the way people across the nation had changed their behaviour during the outbreak.
The data shows a 60 per cent-plus fall in searches for driving directions through Apple technology in NSW, reflecting what Professor Murphy said was the success of the restrictions introduced in the state.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 7.15am: ‘I will never lie’, Trump’s new press secretary promises
President Donald Trump’s new spokeswoman, Kayleigh McEnany, vowed not to lie to reporters from the podium as she made her debut at the first White House briefing by a press secretary in more than a year.
“I will never lie to you,” McEnany told reporters. “You have my word on that.”
"The Trump Administration will distribute a total of $12 billion in Provider Relief Fund payments to 395 hospitals across the country that have been hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic." pic.twitter.com/lhouM1JIss
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 1, 2020
Ms McEnany, who joined the White House last month, took the stage behind a podium that had quite literally been collecting cobwebs before the president began the practice of holding his own daily briefings because of the coronavirus. Ms McEnany said she spends most of the day with the president and is “constantly with him, absorbing his thinking.” She said she sees it as her “mission to bring you the mindset of the president, deliver those facts, so this president gets fair and accurate reporting and the American people get fair and accurate information.”
America's healthcare providers are our heroes! pic.twitter.com/zKhW9yJv80
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 1, 2020
During past administrations, a formal briefing by a White House press secretary would hardly be news. But it was the first such briefing since March 11, 2019, when Sarah Sanders took to the podium for the first time in more than a month and was pressed on comments Mr Trump reportedly made at a fundraiser claiming that Democrats hated Jewish people. Ms Sanders left her post that summer, and her successor, Stephanie Grisham, never held a briefing during her entire nine-month tenure.
The briefings were must-see TV during the early days of the Trump administration, when viewers would tune in to see Mr Trump’s first press secretary, Sean Spicer, spar with the press.
The White House has long made the case that the briefings are less important in the Trump administration because the president is so accessible, answering reporters’ questions on an often-daily basis. Mr Trump had been holding his own daily briefings through much of the pandemic, but scaled back this week as the White House pivoted toward a focus on reopening the country.
READ MORE: Disease fear drives action on bats
John Antczak 6.30am: California county defies governor’s shutdown order
A rural California county allowed non-essential businesses to reopen and diners to eat in restaurants today, becoming the first to defy Governor Gavin Newsom’s statewide shutdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic.
Modoc County is “moving forward with our reopening plan,” said Heather Hadwick, the county’s deputy director of emergency services. She said the county of about 9,000 people in the state’s far northeast corner had no COVID-19 cases.
Ms Hadwick said the county had not heard from the governor about its reopening plan, but she asserted it aligns with Newsom’s indicators for reopening. Schools were not opening, but it was an option for districts that can accommodate preventative measures, she said.
“We are utilising his guidance of those plans and we have zero cases,” she wrote. “Our residents were moving forward with or without us. We really needed to create guidelines for them so that they could do this in the safest way possible.” — AP
Modoc County, California, which has decided to defy King Newsom's unconstitutional shelter-at-home decree, has a grand total of zero COVID-19 cases.https://t.co/yqeqpPjtFn
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) May 1, 2020
READ MORE: China ‘desperate to remove me from power’, Trump says
Yoni Bashan 5.45am: ‘Worst may be yet to come’, NSW Premier admits
Gladys Berejiklian says the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic may be still to come, with her cabinet set to make bold decisions around the lifting of restrictions to stimulate the economy.
But with so much uncertainty around the ramifications of each decision, the margin for error is slim. Each consideration is literally a matter of life or death, she says, with infections likely to rise each time restrictions are eased. “If we are serious about having a good economic recovery, we may need to be bold in some of the restrictions we raise,” the NSW Premier said. “So if that’s the case, that comes with some level of risk. I have to brace myself for the fact that the worst days may be yet to come.”
NSW recorded nine new cases out of more than 7000 tests during the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, bringing the total number of diagnoses to 3025 cases.
Ms Berejiklian said she had been forced to grow comfortable with making snap decisions during the initial, chaotic days of the pandemic, when information at hand was incomplete and uncertainty remained high around the world.
Read the full story here.
Ben Packham 5.15am: Chinese gene firms linked to military research
Companies providing coronavirus testing equipment for Australia — one of them with support from miner Andrew Forrest — have been linked to China’s forced collection of genetic information from Muslim minorities in Xinjiang province.
China’s BGI Group and US biotech giant Thermo Fisher are global leaders in genetic sequencing, supplying expertise and equipment used by China’s surveillance state.
Mr Forrest has campaigned to end slavery, but refused to criticise China’s detention of a million Uighurs in Xinjiang. This week he described his “very deep” friendship with BGI Group chairman Wang Jian, who provided 10 million test kits to Australia in a deal with the Fortescue Metals boss.
La Trobe University China specialist James Leibold said gene technology was “a very powerful forensic tool” that was being used by the Chinese Communist Party as part of its surveillance of Uighurs and other minorities.
“I have concerns about those two companies and their links to the uses and abuses of genomic surveillance in China,” Dr Leibold told The Weekend Australian.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 5am: Older citizens living with ‘untold fear’, UN says
The United Nations secretary-general says the COVID-19 pandemic is causing “untold fear and suffering” for older people around the world who are dying at a higher rate, and especially for those over the age of 80 whose fatality rate is five times the global average.
Antonio Guterres said that beyond the health risks, “the pandemic is putting older people at greater risk of poverty,” with an especially devastating impact on the elderly in developing countries.
The UN chief launched a 16-page policy briefing on the impact of COVID-19 on older people with several key messages, most importantly that “no person, young or old, is expendable” and “older people have the same rights to life and health as everyone else.” Guterres also called for improved social support and “smarter efforts” to use digital technology to reach older people who may face great suffering because of isolation and restrictions on their movements.
The #COVID19 Emergency Committee provided the following advice for all States Parties on additional health measures â¬‡ï¸ pic.twitter.com/Zm3GXZ1m7f
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 1, 2020
READ MORE: Coronavirus survivor sees bright side after the horror
Joe Kelly 4.45am: Australia has a week to earn easing of restrictions
Australia faces a pivotal seven days during which more than 3.5 million people will need to download the coronavirus app to give national cabinet confidence to ease tough restrictions and turn the fight to reviving the economy.
Scott Morrison on Friday announced national cabinet would bring forward by a week talks on relaxing restrictions, as active cases of COVID-19 fell to about 1000 and all states reported the incidence of the virus was declining.
The Prime Minister said the fight had to turn to reviving the economy, cutting unemployment, getting businesses open and enabling Australians to get back to work with almost one million jobs already lost in six weeks.
Success would be measured by repairing the economy together with health outcomes, he said.
Read the full story here.
‘Instruments of fear’: Fresh anti-Semitic attacks prompt calls for tougher penalties
Anti-Semitism is ‘an evil still spreading in our neighbourhoods’ said the Anti-Defamation Commission chair, as multiple vehicles and properties were plastered with graffiti in Sydney’s eastern suburbs overnight.
Almost half of young Australians vote because they’re scared of a fine
In a new landmark survey, researchers found – surprisingly – that young Australians not registered to vote were more likely to be wealthy students than registered voters who simply forgot to show up on election day.