Coronavirus Australia live updates: Ruby Princess crisis deepens with two new deaths
Two more passengers have died after catching COVID-19 on the Ruby Princess, with the cruise ship now linked to 18 deaths nationwide.
- 33 new cases over the past 24 hours
- Fauci: ‘Things may have been different’
- Boris Johnson released from hospital
- Biosecurity ‘must be hardened’ at ports
- Trump’s friend, donor dies of virus
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. In Australia, the coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess has now been linked to 18 deaths as two more people die in NSW. Thousands of Tasmanians will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days after a virus outbreak forced the shutdown of two hospitals. A leading national security figure has called for a “hardening” of biosecurity at Australian ports in the wake of the Ruby Princess fiasco. Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says it’s too early to talk about relaxing restrictions as 33 new cases are reported over the last 24 hours while the US’s foremost infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has said things may have been different if the country shut down earlier and Boris Johnson has released a video message to thank medical staff following his release from hospital.
Imogen Reid 8.33pm: Petition to re-open Sydney beaches
Residents from Sydney’s Eastern suburbs are rallying behind an online petition calling for beaches that have closed under COVID-19 social distancing restrictions to reopen to allow people to swim for “exercise and mental health reasons”.
Bondi and Bronte beach were closed on 21 March after hordes of people fled to the beach breaching social distancing measures and attracting a wave of criticism. Shortly after, Randwick and Woollahra council also decided to close their beaches to the public.
However, a change.org petition directed to the Randwick Council urges Mayor Danny Said to consider establishing a ‘Swim and Go’ policy at Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly Beach.
Since its launch over two weeks ago, the petition has almost reached its target of 5,000 signatories with 4,962 supporting its cause.
In its description, it argues a ‘Swim and Go’ policy will “alleviate the gathering of people previously seen on the beaches and it should be easily enforceable.”
“For many - especially the elderly - swimming is the only form of exercise they can do,” the description says.
“It also delivers outstanding mental health benefits which is crucial for all at this time.”
It says the council will still have the power to close the beach whenever they deem it necessary.
Sydney’s eastern beaches have one of the highest rates of community transmission in the state, partly driven by crowds and high levels of physical activity.
A pop-up clinic was set up in Bondi earlier in the month in response to a local outbreak of the virus among backpackers residing in the area.
Two new COVID-19 deaths were recorded in NSW on Monday, bringing the state’s death toll to 26.
READ MORE: Sewage tests a ‘good screening measure’
6.20pm: Low virus cases may soften WA restrictions
Coronavirus restrictions may be softened in Western Australia once there is evidence of a “sustained period” of low cases, but the health minister has continued to warn against complacency.
WA recorded six new cases overnight, including four from the Artania cruise ship which remains docked in Fremantle, taking the state’s total to 523. There are now 28 coronavirus patients in Perth hospitals, including 14 in intensive care.
Health minister Roger Cook said if there continued to be “unequivocally great numbers” in WA, adjustments to restrictions could be made to help “reinvigorate or reawaken” the economy without putting the public at risk. “I think the trigger point is a sustained period of very low numbers, which we’re starting to see emerge now,” he told ABC radio on Monday. “If we take our foot off the pedal now, we could see a resurgence of the virus and that will be bad for everyone.” Premier Mark McGowan has repeatedly warned that some restrictions, including border closures and social distancing, would remain in place for several months but has also flagged monthly reviews.
Mr Cook said he still expected the plagued Artania to leave on Saturday. “Each of the crew members is isolated ... we anticipate that as we get to the end of the 14 days (of quarantining), those who have not been exposed to the virus will not get it and they’ll be in a position to then sail the ship away,” he told reporters.
Authorities are continuing to work with airlines to get hundreds of other travellers, who have completed their two weeks of quarantining in WA, back home. Some managed to fly home on Monday.
Mr Cook also announced eight private pathology labs would soon be used to increase testing, with patients requiring a referral from a doctor. “We’ve gone through a very successful period of suppression and now we want to go through a period of vigilance,” he said.
“It’s time to actually double our efforts to make sure we consolidate the gains that we’ve made.” Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said officers had not issued any infringements at beaches during the Easter weekend, but they were investigating a couple of house parties.
A decision on schools will likely be made later this week after the national cabinet meeting.
Asked whether report cards would still be available for term two, WA education minister Sue Ellery said she thought parents would want feedback more than ever, given the disruption that has already occurred.
“While reporting to parents might look different, I anticipate that reporting to parents will indeed be provided,” she told 6PR radio.
AAP
READ MORE: ‘A small country with a big heart’
Angelica Snowden 5.33pm: Will schools open for term two?
Schools in most states and territories across Australia will move to online learning in term two.
While some have not yet announced their plans, here is a summary of school programs confirmed so far.
READ MORE: ‘Help cure COVID-19 in your sleep’
Imogen Reid 4.02pm: Virus vaccine ‘ready in 18 months’
Immunologist and Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty says he’s optimistic a coronavirus vaccine will be ready and available in 18 months time, but warns there are several problems with the virus hindering the production of a robust vaccine.
Professor Doherty said issues of safety emerging from the short amount of time the virus has been around and the lack of understanding on COVID-19 has led to a level of doubt on whether a vaccine will be ready in time.
“You have to be very sure about safety because you are putting a vaccine in a number of basically normal people. So you have to be sure it’s safe,” Professor Doherty said.
“But I reckon we can get to a vaccine and I think we can get there in 18 months.”
He said viruses can trick the immune system to do the wrong thing and suspects coronavirus could be taking a similar course. However, he said there are different ways to eradicate the virus.
“We can make an end run around that by simply targeting various bits of the virus and fooling the virus by ignoring the other parts,” he said.
“So I think we can make a vaccine, but it will take time.”
Professor Doherty said he was “delighted” the curve in Australian is flattening and congratulated the government at every level for implementing a “fit for purpose” system to stop the spread of the virus.
“The Prime Minister and his cabinet are taking advice from standing committees that advise the chief medical officers so it’s a good process and it’s working well and I don’t see why it wont continue to work well into the future,” he said.
“But it’s going to be difficult for the policy makers. When you take your foot off the break is a tough one to answer.”
READ MORE: Records to fall as miners defy crisis
Rachel Baxendale 3.47pm: Victoria renters’ package on the way
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he will have “announcements to make soon” regarding an assistance package for residential and commercial tenants who have lost income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrotet on Monday announced his state would provide a 25 per cent rent rebate or waiver for landlords who pass on an equivalent amount of rent relief to their tenants.
Mr Andrews said he was not yet ready to make any announcements, but that his government had been working hard on the issue.
Mr Andrews said National Cabinet’s decision to place a moratorium on evictions was “very important”.
“We don’t want to see people essentially becoming homeless as a result of this pandemic, having lost their job, being in a position where they’re perhaps unable to pay their full rent or any rent at all,” Mr Andrews said.
“Beyond that, National Cabinet also decided that given the variability in residential tenancies law ... that it was best if each state did their own thing on (residential tenancies).
“There’s a power of work being done. We’ll have some announcements to make soon.
“My message to renters, particularly those who have had to move from full or part time employment on to either the job seeker or job keeper payment, we will have a package that supports you and make sure that your rights are appropriately protected, and also for those landlords, who through no fault of their own are good landlords, they have tenants, they rely upon that income, we obviously have not just sympathy for them, but we’ll have a package that deals with some of the challenges that they’re facing.”
READ MORE: Check out the work ethic of this ace student
Rachel Baxendale 3.19pm: Police told to use discretion over cemetery fines
Victoria Police say their members have been given “clear instructions” to “use discretion” with respect to issuing social distancing fines to people visiting cemeteries to pay respects to loved ones.
The police statement follows unconfirmed reports, which police say they are unable to verify, that fines were issued over the weekend to people visiting Fawkner Cemetery in Melbourne’s north.
“Victoria Police sent clear instructions to its members last week that discretion is to be used if people are attending the cemetery to pay their respects to loved ones,” police said in a statement.
“At this stage we are unable to confirm whether any fines have been issued.
“However, as per our process, all fines in relation to the Chief Health Officer directions will be reviewed to determine whether they should be withdrawn or whether it was more appropriate to issue a warning.
“In the case of people visiting cemeteries, in the absence of any other factors which may have led to an infringement being issued, these fines will be withdrawn.”
3AW newsreader Tony Tardio tweeted on Sunday that he had been “told numerous people were fined $1600 for going to Fawkner cemetery to put flowers on loved ones (sic) graves on Easter Sunday”.
I am told numerous people were fined 16 hundred dollars today for going to Fawkner cemetery to put flowers on loved ones graves on Easter Sunday
— Tony Tardio (@tonytardio) April 12, 2020
However, no member of the public has come forward to say they have been fined, and police say they are not aware of the fines being issued.
Asked about the reports, and whether Victoria should follow NSW in introducing a fine exemption for people visiting cemeteries and crematoriums, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he would not discuss “hypotheticals”.
“Let’s work out whether there’s been a fine issued,” Mr Andrews said.
Asked whether police had been too willing to issue fines, Mr Andrews said they had provided “many thousands more warnings than infringement notices”.
“I think police are doing a very good job in challenging circumstances.
“From time to time they will seek to revise the decisions they make. I think that’s a good thing.”
READ MORE: What Virgin needs to survive
Lachlan Moffet Gray 3.15pm: Fears of an aged care facility cluster
NSW Health has revealed that two of the state’s nine new cases were related to an aged care facility in western Sydney, raising fears that a deadly cluster breakout in the home could result in further deaths of elderly aged care residents.
In a statement released on Monday, NSW Health said a resident and a healthcare worker at the Anglicare Newmarch House aged care centre in Caddens tested positive.
The healthcare worker also briefly worked at a facility in Leura in the Blue Mountains.
“A number of other staff and residents have been identified as close contacts and in isolation,” the statement said.
“One other symptomatic contact is being tested with the result pending. Visitor restrictions are in place.
“The worker also worked two shifts at Greystanes Disability Services in Leura. All residents in the service have been identified as close contacts and are being isolated in their own rooms, while six staff are in home isolation.”
NSW Health said testing and surveillance has been ramped up in the areas of Penrith, Sydney’s inner west, Liverpool, Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra, Blacktown, Cumberland, Westmead, Ryde, Manning and Lake Macquarie in a bid to tackle unknown community transmission.
READ MORE: Health insurance faces radical surgery
Angelica Snowden 2.50pm: 6000 Aussies returned home in two weeks
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said over the past two weeks over 6000 Australians returned from overseas.
“In terms of the police operation at Sydney International Airport, I can confirm, over the past 14 days, we had 6,600 Australians come back through the Sydney International Airport and into hotel accommodation across the Sydney Metro area,” the Commissioner said.
“And thank goodness for 2,700 of those Australians - they have now come out of isolation and are safely either back at home or travelling back home,” he said.
We’re still seeing numbers around the 300 to 400 per day coming through the International Airport, that seems to be a fairly steady number.”
Mr Fuller says he will confirm how long the investigation into the Ruby Princess will take tomorrow.
“I have given an undertaking to the Premier that by tomorrow morning I will give her an estimate in terms of how long the investigation may go for,” Mr Fuller said.
He said the investigation has had over 200 leads so far as a result of a call-out to passengers to come forward with information.
“That could be two months all up chasing information on those leads.”
He said police could have at the least 2500 witnesses.
Mr Fuller said he stands by the letter he sent to Peter V’landys, approving the start of the NRL season.
“Professional sports are not closed, nevertheless they have hurdles to get over in relation to work health and safety,” he said.
“I wish them the best in terms of getting their employment back up and running, and every other sporting institution.”
READ MORE: Sweat is sweet if you’re tired of staying at home
Elias Visontay 2.49pm: Bowen lashes Dutton on Ruby Princess
Opposition health spokesman Chris Bowen has accused Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton of overseeing “a rolling disaster” brought on by allowing the Ruby Princess cruise ship to dock in Sydney several weeks ago.
Mr Bowen was responding to an “extraordinary public intervention” by Australian Border Force boss Michael Outram who called for a “hardening” of biosecurity at Australian ports in the wake of the Ruby Princess fiasco, in which scores of passengers infected with COVID-19 were dispersed across the country.
“It is an admission that the rules at our ports have been more lax than the rules at our airports, and here we have a classic example of a rolling disaster that the Ruby Princess has been for Australia’s health system,” Mr Bowen said of Mr Outram’s comments.
“It’s a clear indication that we need better rules at our ports, and for the head of Border Force to publicly call out the Federal Government on that I thought was an extraordinary intervention and underlines that more should have been done on the Ruby Princess and more should have been done more generally as well.
“Peter Dutton has the political responsibility and the ultimate responsibility for Australian borders and he has been called out by a man who works for him today,” Mr Bowen said.
On social distancing restrictions, Mr Bowen said Labor supported the government’s position of holding off easing measures already in place, saying “there is a whole lot of risk if we take our foot off the brake too early”.
Mr Bowen also described the government’s move to allow Australians early access to their superannuation as “a bad policy”, and called on “those Australians thinking about accessing their superannuation (to) please, please get every bit of advice before you do so and think about the long-term implications for your finances”.
He also reiterated Labor’s support for hotel accommodation for front line healthcare workers who were treating and testing COVID-19 patients but hadn’t contracted the virus themselves, saying those workers should not have to worry about “inadvertently taking the virus home”.
READ MORE: How do we stop a second wave?
2.37pm: Police hunt man who coughed at couple
A prank could have a costly end for a young man after he coughed at an elderly Port Stephens couple out on a walk on Easter Sunday.
A 73-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were approaching a pedestrian crossing on Victoria Parade in Nelson Bay about 2pm on Sunday when a car pulled up. A young man leaned his head and shoulders out of the window before coughing and making retching noises at the pair, police said on Monday.
An investigation is underway after two people were coughed on by an unknown man in the state’s Hunter Region yesterday. https://t.co/3oePZk9JYz
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) April 13, 2020
He and the car’s other occupants started laughing before they drove away. Detectives are hoping to speak with a tanned Caucasian man with short, dark, curly hair, aged in his late teens or early twenties, about the incident. It is an offence to cough or sneeze on someone under new regulations tackling the spread of the coronavirus.
In March, two men were charged after allegedly coughing on police officers and claiming they had coronavirus in separate incidents.
AAP
READ MORE: Taxpayers may back domestic flights
2.17pm: Trans-Tasman travel not on NZ agenda
As New Zealand mourns a fifth victim of COVID-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned a return to trans-Tasman travel remains a way off. New Zealand’s coronavirus elimination strategy, which has involved a four-week lockdown, relies on tight border arrangements.
Only citizens and established residents have been allowed back into New Zealand since March 20, and arrivals in the last week have been subject to mandatory quarantine arrangements.
A dramatic fall in cases has Ms Ardern pondering an exit strategic to the country’s most severe lockdown restrictions, due to end on April 23, but not a relaxation of the border controls.
“We have created no end date for the border restrictions,” Ms Ardern said, adding that her goal was the resumption of “everyday life” in New Zealand. “The fastest way we can do that is to maintain the border restrictions we have. “We will have to live with a very different ability to move globally while we continue to give back freedoms.” A former chair of the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum, Adrian Littlewood, has suggested New Zealand and Australia begin planning to resume trans-Tasman travel, given both countries have had some early success in stamping out the virus.
Ms Ardern said that conversation with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison “will be a way off”.
READ MORE: Enemies of freedom spread influence in crisis
Elias Visontay 2.03pm: Planning road out of social restrictions: Hunt
Health Minister Greg Hunt has reaffirmed the government’s line that “it’s too soon” to ease social distancing restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but said authorities are “actively planning that road out”.
Mr Hunt thanked Australians for “magnificently” adhering to self isolation and social distancing requirements, but said the country must now consolidate the progress it has made in flattening the curve marking the containment of infection.
He also echoed concerns expressed by Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy earlier on Monday about an effective eradication of coronavirus, saying “we can never guarantee that absolutely”.
“Over the weekend, over the last week, throughout the course of this week, we’re actively planning that road out,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt outlined the “road out” of social distancing measures, listing three elements that will likely be required for restrictions to be eased; “clear indication that we are suppressing the case numbers in Australia”, “making sure that we have rapid response capability, testing the tracing capability”, and “planning through … the steps out, which would also be gradual”.
Mr Hunt said as part of progressing to a point where measures could be eased, the government would consider assessing sewage profiles, similar to what had been done in the Netherlands, “to see whether or not there are early trace signs”.
He also noted countries including South Korea, Japan and Singapore have had to tighten measures in different ways after being in a position to ease restrictions, and that Scott Morrison would consider this when planning how to ease measures.
“What this weekend shows is that Australians can do it, and when we do do this then we are giving ourselves the pathway through the virus and the pathway out the other side,” Mr Hunt said.
READ MORE: Aged-care system comes through in a crisis
Elias Visontay 1.44pm: $3m for tech to help train clinicians
The federal government will invest $3 million to support new web-based technology to help clinicians “rapidly upgrade their skills” in diagnosing COVID-19, as well as improving treatment for intensive care patients.
Artificial intelligence-driven technology designed to help train clinicians to diagnose breast cancer being adapted for COVID-19 treatment will receive $1 million as part of the new initiative supporting frontline health workers announced on Monday.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the remaining $2 million will be given to the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne “to assist with preparing for better, earlier more rapid diagnosis of patients in aged care and support for patients in intensive care”.
“These are immensely important steps to help save lives and protect lives,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said there were 6,335 cases as of Monday afternoon. While 3338 of those cases have recovered, 61 have died.
There are currently 238 coronavirus patients in hospitals across the country, with 81 in intensive care, and 35 of that group relying on ventilators.
READ MORE: ‘A small country with a big heart’
Angelica Snowden 1.33pm: No fine for Harwin’s house guest
NSW Police say they “satisfied” former Liberal candidate Geoffrey Winters had a “reasonable excuse” to stay with MP Don Harwin in his holiday home, in defiance of COVID-19 social distancing rules.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb made the remarks at a press conference on Sunday.
“I am informed that after an investigation that that person had a reasonable excuse and I am satisfied that that’s the case,” the Assistant Commissioner said.
NSW Police said a fine had not been issued and “inquiries continuing”.
“As part of inquiries, detectives spoke with a 31-year-old man earlier today (on Saturday),” a spokesperson said in a statement.
Mr Winters stayed with the former Special Minister of State after he returned from the UK on March 17.
NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin resigned from cabinet on Friday after he was fined $1000 for allegedly breaching a public health order set by his own government.
The NSW government ordered residents to remain self-isolated in their homes unless they have an essential purpose for being outdoors since March 30.
Mr Harwin maintained that he had abided by these rules in a statement announcing his resignation, but said remaining in his position would create a distraction for the government.
READ MORE: Don Harwin resigns after breaking rules
Charlie Peel 1.12pm: Qld students to stay home next term
Queensland students will study from home for the first five weeks of Term 2 as teaching moves to online platforms and potentially television broadcasts.
Schools will remain open for the children of essential care workers who are unable to supervise them at home and for vulnerable students.
Making the announcement on Monday morning, a week ahead of the start of term, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision would be reviewed on May 22.
The announcement came as Queensland recorded seven new cases of COVID-19 overnight, among the lowest rises in positive tests in weeks.
Teachers will work from the classroom unless they have been given an exemption due to factors that place them at high risk from virus.
Education Minister Grace Grace said the requirements would mean extra work for teachers and parents, and that those who are ill should be kept away from school.
The Education Department has procured 5000 sim cards from Telstra to be provided to students who do not have internet at home and laptops could be provided to those without one.
Students will also be able to access print material and some classes could be delivered via commercial television networks.
Ms Palaszczuk said there could be “some type of educational facilities” provided by commercial television networks for students without internet access.
“There’s a lot of work that’s happening behind the scenes and I really commend all those networks who have engaged with the Department of Education,” she said.
“There will be some cost [to taxpayers].
Schools and teachers will continue to set the curriculum, teaching and learning programs for students and will remain the primary point of contact for parents.
Class sizes will be reduced, permitting no more than 12 students and one teacher in a standard-sized classroom and students will be made to follow social distancing requirements.
Students will also be urged to regularly wash their hands and classrooms will be subject to extra cleaning measures.
Teaching staff will be able to be tested for the virus if they are showing flu-like symptoms.
READ MORE: Nightmare on the southern seas
Angelica Snowden 1.00pm: Ruby Princess patient zero ‘unknown’
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said authorities are not sure who “patient zero” was on the Ruby Princess.
There are now eight coronavirus deaths associated with the Ruby Princess in NSW. Nationally, the ship is linked with a total of 18 deaths.
“It is a very challenging issue for the medical people to actually track down the original source,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The Chief Health Officer’s view has been if the ship stayed alongside for any length of time, there could have been a lot more people infected and it could have been an even worse outcome.”
The Minister also said Carnival, the owner of the Ruby Princess, provided contact details of all passengers to NSW Health, but that he was not sure how many passengers who returned to their home overseas contracted the virus.
He also would not respond to questions about the actions of NSW Health that allowed some 2700 passengers into Sydney when some displayed COVID-19 symptoms.
“Some of the things can be looked at now with the benefit of hindsight,” he said.
“It will be all looked at by the coroner and by the police in an appropriate time.”
READ MORE: Curve flattens but we’re not out of the woods
Rachel Baxendale 12.50pm: Vic schools could reopen earlier than planned
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has refused to rule out reopening schools earlier than the end of Term Two, despite last week announcing that any child who could learn from home would be obliged to do so for the duration of the term.
Children are due to begin Term Two on Wednesday, with Victoria’s schools open only to vulnerable children and those of workers who are unable to supervise them.
The Premier’s comments come after Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy on Monday said opening schools and lifting limits on the size of gatherings would be among the first measures the federal government would look to relax when medical experts are satisfied community transmission of COVID-19 is under control.
Mr Andrews said the Term Two plan had been put in place to give parents, students and teachers “as much certainty as possible”.
“I freely concede that’s quite challenging, because this virus is very fast-moving and things do change rapidly,” the Premier said.
Mr Andrews said he did not believe the majority of students would be learning from home for the rest of the year.
“Will (the Term Two plan) change? It possibly can, but it’ll be based on the sort of stability we have in our numbers, how the disease is presenting, how many people we have in ICU, where things are at in the weeks and months to come,” he said.
“So I wouldn’t rule out changes, but we are very conscious to try and provide as much certainty as possible. We don’t want things changing literally day to day.
“This is a model, and we’ve always been keen to build something that could be sustained for a term, and it may even be longer than that, so I suppose there’s no disagreement with what Brendan’s saying and what we’ve done, we’ve just taken the common sense view that it’s best to put in place a set of arrangements, keep them in place for a period of time, let people adjust to that, and then potentially change after that.”
READ MORE: Debate looms on self-sufficiency
Angelica Snowden 12.37pm: New rental measures ‘about protection’
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said new measures to support renters who lose more than a quarter of their income from automatic eviction if they cannot make rent are about “protection”.
“This policy is about protection, to protect tenants from circumstances outside of their control,” he said.
“It protects landlords from circumstances in which payment of rent is not being paid when it should be paid.”
The Treasurer said the NSW government will provide a 25 per cent rebate or waiver for landlords who pass on an equivalent amount of rental relief to their tenants.
“We will also be deferring land tax for the next three months for those who have yet to pay their land tax bill for this year,” he said.
“This policy is complementary to the federal government whether it is the JobKeeper or JobSeeker packages, and we are trying to fill the gaps there.”
READ MORE: Ebola drug leads race for treatment
Angelica Snowden 12.17pm: Two more Ruby Princess passengers die
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed two new deaths in the state while only nine new COVID-19 cases were recorded overnight.
“Sadly, we have had two more deaths,” Mr Hazzard said.
A 74-year-old woman died in John Hunter Hospital and 76-year-old man also died in the Northern Beaches Hospital.
Acting NSW Health Director Christine Selvey confirmed the pair were passengers on the coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship.
“Both of those people were passengers on the Ruby Princess cruise,” Dr Selvey said.
“I would like to emphasise that the passengers all acquired their infection whilst on board the ship.”
Dr Selvey also said that 66 crew members tested positive to COVID-19 after they were “recently tested”.
“Their infections have been spread out over a few weeks,
“They have just been tested recently which is why the numbers have gone up so high.”
Despite the two new fatalities bringing the state toll to 26, Mr Hazzard said NSW was “moving in the right direction.”
“The fact that we had nine new cases, clearly indicates we are moving in the right direction but we still have a lot more to do.”
“No-one should think that we can slacken off in the efforts that we’re trying to undertake at the moment as a community, as a government, to keep our community here in NSW safe.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: border farce at porous ports
Rachel Baxendale 12.08pm: Not the time to ease rules: Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has warned that now is not the time to ease social distancing restrictions, despite an increase in COVID-19 cases of just 13 overnight, and only three additional cases on Sunday.
The new cases bring the state’s total number of cases to 1,281, with 14 deaths, none of which occurred in the past 24 hours.
A total of 40 people are in hospital, including 14 in intensive care.
“These numbers confirm that the strategy, as difficult, as frustrating as it is for every single Victorian, is working,” Mr Andrews said.
“We are seeing a curve that is flattening, but it is fragile, and these are the points that Brett Sutton as the Chief Health Officer and others have made again and again, and that’s why whilst we would all like to be able to ease some of the restrictions, to ease the some of the impact that these rules are having on people’s lives, that would not be the responsible thing to do at this time.”
Mr Andrews said he appreciated that the restrictions were “deeply frustrating” for many Victorians.
“We’d all like to be able to give our fellow citizens an end date, a timeline with different milestones along the way, but that’s not the nature of this global pandemic, it’s not the nature of the fight that we are in,” he said.
“This is one of those long battles, where we have to all work together to make sure that we make significant gains, and then consolidate those gains, and that’s what the stability in these numbers is all about.”
Victoria’s total number of cases is made up of 669 men and 612 women, with people aged from babies to their early nineties.
Of the 1,281 cases, 122 are believed to have been acquired through community transmission, with no known links to overseas travel or other cases.
There are 1075 Victorians who have recovered, and more than 70,000 have been tested.
There have been 1022 cases in metropolitan Melbourne and 235 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation.
Victoria Police have conducted 20,426 checks to ensure people are complying with self-isolation orders since March 21, including 1,123 in the last 24 hours.
READ MORE: Picking when to re-enter the market
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.40pm: Thousands self-isolate after hospital outbreaks
Between 4000 and 5000 Tasmanians will be forced to self-isolate in their homes for 14 days as the North West Regional and Private Hospitals in Burnie are closed to contain a cluster outbreak of coronavirus that originated in the facilities.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the decision to close the hospitals for public health reasons was an unprecedented one “never been done before in 100 years,” and federal assistance would be required to continue providing health services to residents in the north west of the state.
“It is an extreme measure but it’s a measure that we have needed to take,” Mr Gutwein told reporters on Monday.
“I’m pleased that we’ve made a request to the federal government to provide further resources, and we will see an AUSMAT team, an Australian medical assistance team, key leaders supported by the ADF, coming into the state over the course of this week to help us deliver the medical services that we need on the northwest coast.”
“We need to ensure that the extreme measures that we put in place in terms of closing these two hospitals, in terms of asking 1,000 staff to quarantine with their families around 4,000 to 5,000 north westerners to do this, they need to follow the rules.
“We need to ask you to work with us, because we need to get on top of this. One death is too many. Five is distressing, and unfortunately, there will be more.”
The decision to close the hospital facilities has been combined with new regulations that will force most businesses in the state’s north west region to close, with exception for essential services such as groceries, pharmacies, newsagencies, laundromats and bottle shops.
Mr Gutwein also said that 11 new cases of the virus have been diagnosed over the last 24 hours, bringing the state’s total to 144. 72 of the state’s cases are linked to the north west region, with at least 43 being healthcare workers at the hospital facilities.
Premier Gutwein also urged Tasmanians to abide by social distancing regulations, revealing 114 people have been caught holidaying in contradiction of non-essential travel rules and 42 people have been charged for breaching public health orders.
“Over the break, there have been 114 people that have been advised to turn around or leave their shack and go home,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Since Good Friday, there have been 42 Tasmanians who have been charged. 28 of those have been arrested, and 14 that have been summoned and charged. That is simply not good enough. The rules are clear.”
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said that of the state’s most recent 11 cases, eight were healthcare workers.
“We have got within that cohort, eight healthcare workers. Seven are from the North-West Hospital. One worked across both the North-West regional and the Mersey hospital,” Ms Courtney said.
With the two north west hospital facilities closed and being cleaned by the ADF and AUSMAT, Ms Courtney said that patients will be transferred to the Mersey community hospital in Latrobe and additional health resources provided to the region to fill the shortfall.
“We have around 23 patients who will be decanted from the North-West Regional to the Mersey Community Hospital,” she said.
“With regards to the emergency department and access to the emergency services on the northwest coast, we have additional aeromedical support provided.
“We also have across the northwest coast, an additional 10 GP practices, which is 20 GPs, that will be open today and tomorrow to support medical support.
“We have also got further Ambulance Tasmania resources deployed on the northwest coast.”
Tasmanian health authorities are attempting to track the source of the outbreak in the north west hospital facilities, with the strongest lead being the first coronavirus patient at the hospital, a passenger from the Ruby Princess, who later died of the virus.
READ MORE: Grateful Boris: ‘NHS saved my life’
Hugh Tomlinson 11.36pm: Himalayas visible for first time in 30 years
Residents of northern India are marvelling at their first sight of the Himalayas in a generation, as a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus triggers a drop in the country’s notorious air pollution.
Jalandhar in northern Punjab is enjoying the view of the mountains, which for 30 years have been obscured by some of the world’s foulest air. Locals have posted pictures from rooftops of the distant range, some seeing the view for the first time in their lives.
Never seen Dhauladar range from my home rooftop in Jalandhar..never could imagine that’s possible..clear indication of the impact the pollution has done by us to Mother Earth ðŸŒ.. this is the view pic.twitter.com/laRzP8QsZ9
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 3, 2020
Indians have had little to cheer in recent days, with 1.3 billion people quarantined as the country enters its third week of the biggest lockdown yet attempted during the crisis. With cars no longer jamming the roads, air travel halted and heavy industry shut down, India is experiencing its cleanest air for decades, while its people are trapped indoors. Evenings now reveal a rarely seen canopy of stars.
The Times
READ MORE: Why Nine is trying to kill NRL Island
Angelica Snowden 11.13am: US passes global virus milestones
The US is leading the world in coronavirus deaths and cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
It says that 22,023 people have died after contracting COVID-19, with the most deaths concentrated in New York City.
The university confirmed there are also now 555,398 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.
READ MORE: Tom Hanks re-emerges, zooming in on Aussie accent
Agencies 10.50am: Trump rejects claims he’s been too slow to react
US President Donald Trump has rejected criticism of his response to the coronavirus crisis, lashing out on Twitter at what he called the “fake news” Democrats and media.
“If the Fake News Opposition Party is pushing, with all their might, the fact that President Trump ‘ignored early warnings about the threat,’ then why did Media & Dems viciously criticise me when I instituted a Travel Ban on China? They said ‘early & not necessary.’ Corrupt Media!”
If the Fake News Opposition Party is pushing, with all their might, the fact that President Trump “ignored early warnings about the threat,†then why did Media & Dems viciously criticize me when I instituted a Travel Ban on China? They said “early & not necessary.†Corrupt Media!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2020
US media reports have increasingly highlighted growing concerns about how the White House handled the initial signs that a pandemic was coming, at times downplaying the risk to the US and failing to ensure medical stockpiles were sufficient.
Reports in both the Washington Post and New York Times claim that senior advisors to the president had warned of a coronavirus pandemic in late January that could kill hundreds of thousands of Americans. Mr Trump initially downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus, publicly maintaining until early March that the virus was no cause for concern for the US.
In those initial months Mr Trump also praised China’s efforts at containing the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
READ MORE: Hospitals shut, 1000 in quarantine
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 10.30am: Ivanka Trump urges Americans to wear masks
US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump has taken to Twitter to urge Americans to follow the new Centre for Disease Control guidelines that recommend people wear masks in public.
As we enter the new week, let’s keep each other safe by following @CDCgov guidance to wear a mask or face covering when out in public.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 12, 2020
You can find instructions online on how to make your own mask. (I made Arabella’s and she made mine - yes, she stitched USA on it!!) #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/rByFGkvNwG
The US CDC is the first health authority in the western world to recommend the measure, despite an acute shortage of masks resorting to some Americans having to fashion their own masks out of old t-shirts and pieces of cloth.
The AMA has previously said it will await results from studies being conducted on the effectiveness of the measure before deciding if it will issue similar guidelines
READ MORE: Do you really need a face mask to go out in public?
Charlie Peel 10.15am: Queensland police admit to fines bungle
The Queensland Police Service has been forced to overhaul its interpretation of the state’s orders to stay at home after officers wrongfully issued fines for legal activity over the Easter weekend. All fines issued by police relating to the Queensland Health direction which covers the COVID-19 rules will go to a review committee and those that were issued by officers with an incorrect interpretation of the law will be withdrawn.
Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said 496 $1334 penalty infringement notices had been issued over the Easter weekend. More than 700 fines have been issued since the law came into effect. But “interpretation issues” have forced the police service to reevaluate some of the fines which may have been wrongfully issued.
Among the fines was a ticket issued for a man who was dumping rubbish at a local tip in Brisbane, which remained open.
Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski was forced to clarify the laws on Monday morning, saying it was lawful for a person to visit a business or service that remained open. “This is one of those areas where interpretatively we’ve had to really look at it,” he said. “We had a very senior level discussion with Queensland Health yesterday to clarify it, finally.
“The bottom line is there are businesses that under the directions are allowed to remain operating … your local council tip is one of those. If those businesses are allowed to keep operating, it’s reasonable for people to be able to use those services.”
Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said people visiting businesses or using community services still needed to abide by social distancing rules. Police have established a review process to ensure fines have not been issued in error.
“Because this is such a new system and it’s been put together so very quickly for our officers, like anyone else it’s difficult for everybody to adjust so quickly,” Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said. “What we’ve done to make sure we’re getting it right is that all notices that have been issued are subject to a review and we will look at those to make sure they are appropriately issued and if they haven’t been they will be withdrawn.”
Land-based recreational fishing in Queensland is still allowed, however anglers must abide by social distancing rules.
About 10 per cent of the $660,000 in fines over the weekend were issued for breaches of quarantine. Almost 1000 vehicles have been turned away at the Queensland border since the state’s hardline border restrictions came into force last week. There have been 81,000 vehicle inceptions since the start of the border closure at the end of May.
READ MORE: Editorial — Shutting the gate to no avail
ANGELICA SNOWDEN 10am: 400 Aussies arrive from India on charter flight
Over 400 Australians have arrived from India to Melbourne overnight on a chartered Lion Air flight. The repatriated Australians were immediately taken to the Travelodge in South Bank where they will spend the next two weeks in quarantine.
Supported the repatriation of 444 people who just took off on charter flight JT2846 from #Delhi for #Melbourne. The flight was organised by a group of Australians led by Simon Quinn. Thanks to @PMOIndia @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia for facilitating. @MarisePayne @dfat pic.twitter.com/gDVOUCGRoZ
— Australian High Commission, India & Bhutan (@AusHCIndia) April 11, 2020
The Australian High Commission of India and Bhutan tweeted that the 444 Australians left on Sunday night after an Australian, Simon Quinn, organised the flight. Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, supported the travel arrangements.
READ MORE: Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor dies of coronavirus
Elias Visontay 9.50am: Size of gatherings likely to be first measure relaxed
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has revealed limits on the size of gatherings will likely be one of the first measures that the government looks to relax when medical experts are satisfied community transmission is under control.
However, Professor Murphy said “it’s far too early to relax anything” now, and that despite possible easing of measures, “these restrictions in some form or another...are going to be in place for months and months, there’s no possibility of large scale relaxation in the short term”.
Professor Murphy told Sky News that as well as ensuring schools open, the first steps the government will take to ease measures will be looking at increasing gathering limits, noting 10 people were still allowed to gather in South Australia.
“It may be possible to have some discussions about consistency across that...but I wouldn’t want to preempt the sort of measures that we’re considering because we’re not talking about doing anything in the short term, we need to stay the course in the coming weeks.”
He also said “international travel is certainly a long way off”.
Earlier on Monday, Professor Murphy said medical experts that advise the National Cabinet will only begin reviewing if and when to scale back social restrictions “within the next few weeks” as he warns “the thing that worries us most at the moment is complacency”.
READ MORE: Robert Gottliebsen — The secrets of JobKeeper
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 9.50am: Murphy confirms two Australians died overnight
Two more Australians have died from coronavirus overnight, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Monday, although he did not reveal which states the individuals were from. The national coronavirus death toll is now 61.
Dr Murphy also said that a further 33 cases have been confirmed across the country overnight, but said that number likely reflected a decline in testing over the Easter weekend rather than a dramatic flattening of the curve.
“We won’t know what happens over Easter for a week and more,” Dr Murphy told Sunrise on Monday. “We will be very clearly watching the numbers over the next week to 10 days.”
READ MORE: Curve flattens but we’re not out of woods yet
ANGELICA SNOWDEN 9.44am: NSW Police happy with public behaviour
NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Corboy says police are happy with the way people responded to COVID-19 messages over Easter despite 111 fines handed out on Saturday alone. “We were happy with the way NSW responded to our messages over Easter,” Mr Corboy said. “We have seen in some cases a 90 per cent drop in the traffic volume across the major highways,” he said.
Mr Corboy said a few people tried to travel to holiday homes but they were caught quickly and returned home.
He also said 111 COVID-19 infringements were issued on Saturday and that 19 of those came from a”motor vehicle gathering”. In relation to the COVID infringements we gave out 111 on Saturday by itself,” he said.
“In fact one of those was 19 people that attended a motor vehicle gathering where they were doing burnouts and other illegal activities which in itself is disgusting.”
Mr Corby said that three people were killed on NSW roads over the weekend.
“We have had unfortunately three people killed on our roads over this Easter,” he said. “It’s really important to remember that the double demerit points are still going.”
READ MORE: AI technology to lead virus fight
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 9.35am: Wrong to be reliant on overseas supply chains
Australia will expand its current manufacturing base and look at restoring long-dead manufacturing sectors within the country under a government initiative to reduce the nation’s exposure to the whims of the global supply chain.
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Karen Andrews told 2GB on Monday that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed Australia’s vulnerability to interruption in trade, and action will be taken to grow the capacity of the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture medicines on shore.
“I think what the coronavirus has proven to us is that it’s wrong to be totally reliant —even reliant to a large extent — on supply chains that bring in products from overseas,” Ms Andrews said. “Last year I started talking to the manufacturing sector in depth...one thing that came out of that clearly is that we couldn’t just compete on cost, we had to compete on value.
“That’s demonstrated another range of issues. If we face another epidemic or crisis where supply chains are demonstrated — how do we deal with that? Part of that is keeping a strong and high level of storage capacity here,” she said, adding that she would talk with pharmaceutical companies to upscale production and manufacture more medicines within the country.’’
Ms Andrews said the upscaling of certain industries is already underway, giving the example of Victorian manufacturer Grey Innovation’s recent engagement with the government to produce 2000 ventilators at a cost of $32 million.
The minister also said she was “happy” to look at areas where Australia has lost “some manufacturing capacity” like automotive manufacturing and the textile industry, particularly in relation to the production of personal protective gear for health workers.
However, she did not give specifics as to whether those industries would be revived by subsidy or the implementation of import tariffs. “Our manufacturing capacity is there but we haven’t used it,” she said. “Let’s be sensible about this, let’s look at what our capacities are, let’s look at what we need.”
READ MORE: Oxford team aims for vaccine soon
Richard Fergsuon 9.25am: Murphy pours cold water on NRL re-start
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has dismissed the chances of the NRL re-starting its season by the end of May.
NRL chairman Peter V’landys has pushed for rugby league to return by May 2, as clubs struggle under the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic.
Professor Murphy said on Monday that it would be at least four weeks before he even considers lifting restrictions on professional sports. “It’s premature at the moment. I would like to watch the data before the next two to four weeks before we make any recommendation about that,” he told Sky News. “I’m not involved in discussions with the NRL, I know some of the state health departments are. But I think it’s a bit premature to be calling on a date.”
READ MORE: Barilaro pledges NSW government support for NRL return
Elias Visontay 9.15am: Nursing homes must help residents stay in touch
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck has told nursing facilities they must facilitate contact between residents and their families to avoid isolation as some homes begin to ban all visitors to prevent COVID-19 spreading.
On Sunday, Senator Colbeck announced the government will spend $101 million putting contingency health workers on standby around the country to help fill staff shortages in aged care homes struck with a “worst case scenario” COVID-19 outbreak.
“We’ve also said to aged care facilities that they need to facilitate some form of contact whether it be by electronic means or otherwise, so that residents don’t become isolated because we do understand that that is a particular issue for them and maintaining contact is extremely important,” Senator Colbeck told ABC Radio National on Monday morning.
“They need to make sure that they provide a mechanism for their residents to maintain contact with family and loved ones...they need to ensure this capacity, particularly for people with dementia, to maintain the contact that they need. In the circumstance of palliation, people need to be able to have the contact that they need. We’ve also said that anyone who goes into an aged care facility from the first of May needs to have a flu vaccination so we’ve put some very very detailed guidance out to the sector.”
READ MORE: For hugger Hilkka Ovaskainen, her loved ones are so near — yet so far
ANGELICA SNOWDEN 9am: We’re getting rid of the plague: Trump
US President Donald Trump has issued a confusing message to Americans this Easter, admitting that people are isolating but that they should “celebrate” and “bring the family together like no other”.
“We’re getting rid of the plague,” Mr Trump said. “It’s a plague on our country like nobody has ever seen but we are winning the battle, we’re winning the war,” he said.
In the video message tweeted by Mr Trump, he also said Americans have a lot to be thankful for. “But this Easter will be much different than others because in many cases we will be physically separated from our Churches,” he said.
HAPPY EASTER! pic.twitter.com/UX5Bhm82H2
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2020
“We won’t be sitting there next to each other which we would like to be and soon we will be again. Celebrate, bring the family together like no other. We have a lot to be thankful for.”
The United States has 546,874 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and almost 22,000 deaths.
READ MORE: Henry Ergas — Grim reaper will kill off our words first
Elias Visontay 8.45am: Don’t bet on that overseas trip in December
The government will encourage Australians to first consider domestic destinations once travel restrictions are lifted, as Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham warns there is no guarantee overseas flights will be permitted by December.
However Senator Birmingham appeared to distance himself from the suggestion the government would subsidise domestic air travel to help both struggling airlines while encouraging Australians to visit local regions, saying “I think that is an unlikely step but, ultimately, we will keep working carefully through this crisis”.
“There may be a slightly earlier point in time where it becomes feasible to think about domestic travel again. We’re not there yet but certainly this time is a good time for a bit of dreaming, planning, thinking about the Aussie break that you might take when we finally get to the other side of this,” Senator Birmingham told ABC TV.
“I wouldn’t put any guarantees that you could undertake that overseas trip in December. That is a long time away and hard to make predictions about what will happen then. We could be in this circumstance for quite some period of time.
“The success we are having, in terms of slowing the spread of the virus in Australia, does mean we could be at risk, in terms of exposure to people from overseas and countries who have not controlled it so well for quite some period of time.
“At least we can relax some of the travel restrictions within Australia and that will give you a chance to be able to get out, if you’re in a position where you can afford to do so, perhaps to support some of the regions who, at the start of the year, were dealing with bushfires or the many other tourism regions who are struggling at present because of the loss of business.”
READ MORE: Why Nine is trying to kill NRL Island
ELIAS VISONTAY 8.30am: 33 new cases reported over past 24 hours
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says medical experts that advise the National Cabinet will only begin reviewing if and when to scale back social restrictions “within the next few weeks” as he warns “the thing that worries us most at the moment is complacency”.
Professor Murphy said as of Monday morning, there have been 33 new cases over the last 24 hours, bringing Australia’s confirmed cases to 6322, with 61 deaths.
He explained that soaring death rates in the UK and the US are driving Australian medical experts’ caution against lifting social restriction measures, and said authorities need to be “absolutely confident that we have the best possible public health system that can detect, isolate and contact trace every new case”.
He also said that to ease restrictions, Australia’s testing capacity needs to be broadened further “to pick up cases and control outbreaks and clusters before they occur”.
“We are pretty close to that. But the challenge is...making sure we have a good supply line of test kits and we’re diversifying that supply line very aggressively at the moment because you can’t rely on imports from any particular country now with the way countries are behaving with sovereign responsibilities,” he told ABC Radio National.
“The measures that are in place now, whilst the Prime Minister and I have said on many occasions there will need to be restrictive measures in place for the long haul. But the scale of measures at the moment are something we clearly do have to review, but it’s not now, it’s within the next few weeks.
“I think we need to look at all of the data, look at our preparedness and the National Cabinet will be making a lot of decisions about what, if anything, can be relaxed in them in the coming weeks.”
Professor Murphy also cautioned against those calling for Australia to adopt the elimination method of containment New Zealand is pursuing, saying “nobody yet knows whether it’s possible, we don’t know to what extent there is asymptomatic transmission of this virus”.
He also said an elimination policy would require “the most aggressive” border closures until a vaccine was released, and said New Zealand was pursuing the method because it has less critical care beds in the country.
READ MORE: Health insurance faces radical surgery
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 8.25am: Tehan rules out discount courses for foreign students
Dan Tehan has ruled out expanding the government’s “education-binge” package to international students, saying the initiative, which offers cut-price online university courses, is designed to help Australians who have had “their lives turned upside down.”
Despite the university sector facing the loss of 21,000 jobs and $3 billion in revenue as travel bans prevent lucrative international students from attending Australian universities, the federal education minister said a majority of international students have managed to continue study.
“72 per cent of our international students are here and studying, so this was specifically designed for those Australians who have had their lives turned upside down as a result of the coronavirus,” Mr Tehan told Sunrise on Monday. “We want to give them the opportunity to re-skill or embark on a new career in these areas where we know there will be work post the pandemic. So nursing, counselling, agriculture, all these areas we will need people and so we want to ensure that people can get the skills during the next six months.”
Mr Tehan also reiterated the federal government’s wish for states to keep schools open in term two of the 2020 school year, saying it is still in line with official health advice. “The clear, national guideline is that we want schools to be open so that those parents who need to work can have their children supervised safely while they learn,” Mr Tehan said.
READ MORE: Overseas students left high and dry by job subsidy scheme
ELIAS VISONTAY 8.15am: Deputy PM: No date when social distancing will end
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says the government “can’t give any assurances” on when social distancing and isolation restrictions will be lifted, as Australia’s infection rate continues to slow. Mr McCormack said the government will follow the advice of Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy and his state counterparts, and said their instructions so far had meant Australia had performed “very, very well to contain the virus” compared to other countries.
“Who knows how long this is going to take. But how ever long it takes, that’s how long we need to follow the rules and that’s how long we need to follow the expert medical violence,” he told the ABC on Monday.
On the aviation sector, Mr McCormack, who is also the Transport Minister, said “discussions are taking place now” with Virgin Australia to deliver government assistance to the struggling airline. “We’ll talk about what we can do, how we can set up and how we can be best placed to set up flights between the capital cities. But discussions are only in the early stages.”
He pointed out the government had spent more than $150 million to waive Airservices Australia fees, and said the government will continue that spending directly with the airlines.
Mr McCormack also confirmed the federal government was establishing a plan to bolster Australia’s manufacturing capacity to lessen the nation’s dependence on overseas supply chains for essential products like PPE and medical devices. “I think that this crisis has proven one thing, and that is that we need to be even more forward leaning in this regard, in manufacturing,” Mr McCormac said. “And we’ll do just that. I know that Karen Andrews will have those discussions with stakeholders, both private and public, and we’ll get a plan.
“We have been very, very proactive when it comes to putting on a plan to save our economy.”
READ MORE: Editorial — Mining can lead economic surge after the pandemic
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 8.05am: Qld Police issue 500 infringement notices
Queensland Police have issued 496 infringement notices to individuals flouting public health orders over the long weekend and more than 600 in total, including to a man who twice took a helicopter to a picnic on a remote island and a lonely heart who drove 70km to meet with a woman he met online.
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Martin said that he understood people were lonely at this time, but said the 27-year-old Cairns man who drove to Port Douglas to see a woman he met over online dating app Tinder was unacceptable.
“Look, I’m sure people are a bit lonely during this time and I suggest that anyone who has heard that, they don’t copy that. It is not a good thing to do,” Commissioner Martin told Sunrise on Monday, adding that most Queenslanders were being responsible and the Police would be sympathetic to those who are confused by the new rules.
“When there is confusion and the community is trying to do the right thing...we will give them advice and help them understand it better so they can comply,” he said. “I would have to say the message is getting through when you consider the long weekend over Easter with a state the size of Queensland with over 5 million people, overall the community has been fantastic and compliant.”
However, Commissioner Martin said Police would not show leniency to offenders like the Brisbane businessman who was twice fined $1334 for flying a helicopter to Moreton Island for a picnic last week. “Not only was he fined once, but he was fined twice for the same thing, so he’s clearly flouting the law,” Commissioner Martin said. “That won’t be tolerated.”
Queensland Police have issued more than $800,000 in fines to residents ignoring public health orders, according to the Courier-Mail.
READ MORE: Alan Dupont — Golden opportunity to broaden and strengthen our national security
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 8am: Aussies must be mindful of their mental health: AMA
AMA President Dr Tony Bartone has warned Australians to be mindful of their mental as well as their physical health amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying younger Australians are particularly vulnerable, having never seen war or economic depression. “Mental health issues know no boundaries when it comes to stress, fear and anxiety,” Dr Bartone told Sunrise on Monday.
“For younger members of the population, they would not have seen times like this in our lifetimes and it is only the older members that can remember things like the past wars and depression. We really have to understand that mental health issues are very prevalent in our community but in times like this, they become more pervasive and we have to have the support and the connectivity to ensure no-one gets left behind.”
Dr Bartone urged Australians not to neglect their mental health and to reach out to friends, family, mental health organisations or a GP if they are feeling depressed or anxious.
“We have to stay in touch with those around us, and staying in touch with your GP by
telehealth means is one of the ways, but there are also many other online services available through Beyond Blue, Black Dog, Lifeline,” he said, adding that maintaining good physical health will assist mental health. “Our TV screens are full of bad messages and bad information and values at the moment, so we have to try and balance that with exercise, proper dieting and just raking it up so we are not in that siege mentality and seeing all the doom and gloom.”
If you or someone you know needs help call Lifeline (13 11 14), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).
READ MORE: Sweat is sweet if you’re tyred of staying home
ANGELICA SNOWDEN 7.45am: Andrea Bocelli performs at Milan’s Duomo Cathedral
Global music icon and tenor Andrea Bocelli has performed at the Duomo Cathedral in a solo performance in Milan on Easter Sunday.
Andrea Bocelli singing 'Amazing Grace' today in Milan, Piazza Duomo.
— Andrea Bocelli (@AndreaBocelli) April 12, 2020
Watch the full #MUSICFORHOPE performance on @YouTube at this link: https://t.co/2CuEyL0K5xhttps://t.co/04dvbuiz9Z
Bocelli sang five hymns in the performance that was live streamed to YouTube, including Ave Maria and Amazing Grace. The Andrea Bocelli Foundation is raising money to help hospitals purchase medical gear including ventilators and personal protective equipment.
The fundraiser has collected over $A350,000 so far.
READ MORE: Chris Cheney in the Isolation Room
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 7.30am: ‘Everyone must shoulder the economic burden’: Perrottet
The NSW government will recall parliament before September to pass a $440 million package that will protect renters who lose more than a quarter of their income from automatic eviction if they cannot make rent. The half a billion dollar package will compensate landlords who reduce rents for tenants in financial stress by qualifying them for a 25 per cent land tax rebate or waiver.
Additional regulations will also be placed on leases, with the notice period for ending a fixed term tenancy to be increased, a 90-day warning period to be introduced for landlords who want to terminate a fixed term tenancy at the end of the lease and the introduction of a mandatory negotiation period prior to the forced termination of a tenancy.
Writing in Monday’s Daily Telegraph, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said everyone must shoulder the economic burden of the coronavirus pandemic. “The outcome depends on everyone shouldering some of the burden — governments, banks, landlords, tenants and taxpayers. And it remains critical — and obligatory — for those who still can pay rent to keep doing so,” he wrote.
READ MORE: Jane Halton navigates the new normal
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 7.20am: 200 Aussies home on charter flight from Cambodia
A flight chartered by the Australian government with almost 200 Australians who were tramped in Cambodia on board has landed in Sydney on Monday morning.
The Australian embassy in Cambodia said the Singapore Airlines flight for 164 Australian citizens and 20 residents was arranged as commercial alternatives were “drying up fast.”
🇦🇺’s Embassy in Cambodia & DFAT in Canberra have worked together to assist 184 Australians & families to depart Phnom Penh today. We are grateful for all the good work that made this happen @dfat @AusEmbPP @Smartraveller pic.twitter.com/bTSNYdSmJC
— Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) April 12, 2020
“So we decided to facilitate this one-off non-scheduled flight to a transit country, which then connected to a scheduled flight on the same plane to Sydney,” the embassy said in a statement on Sunday. “Passengers paid for economy and business seats.”
Australian ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang thanked the Cambodian government for their assistance in helping facilitate the flight from Phnom Penh.
Great to have been able to help Aussies re-connect with loved ones back home through this flight. We thank all involved, including the 🇰🇠Government, for their assistance, and our passengers for their patience & understanding @Smartraveller @dfat @MarisePayne https://t.co/HoFtSkuqku
— Pablo Kang 🇦🇺🇰🇠(@AusEmbPP) April 12, 2020
Cambodia, which has 122 confirmed cases of the virus and no recorded deaths, recently instituted travel controls in rural provinces of the country in a bid to contain an anticipated outbreak in infections.
READ MORE: How cruise adventure became a nightmare
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 7am: Africa acts: Sudan institutes road transport ban
The North African country of Sudan has instituted a ban on road transport between all cities, despite having just 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an indication that officials believe the virus has spread more widely than is detectable. Two Sudanese residents have died of the virus, according to government figures. The government has already instituted curfews, shut schools and banned gatherings, but its ability to enforce these regulations is spotty.
It’s a problem that the governments of many African nations have, as the amount of cases confirmed on the continent grows to 13,000 across 52 nations, with 742 deaths.
The hardest-hit nation, South Africa, also has one of the continent’s finest health systems, indicating that coronavirus counts are linked to the ability of a government to test for it.
South Africa has 2028 confirmed cases and 25 deaths, with a harsh lockdown that bans the sale of alcohol or cigarettes instituted late last month.
Michael Agwanda, founder of Life for Children Welfare in Kenya says there are many structural issues preventing African governments from containing the virus.
“Tracing the contacts, it’s very difficult in Africa to trace a contact of a victim of COVID-19, simply because many African countries do not have home addresses, where you say this is my home address and it can be easily traced,” Mr Agwanda told the ABC on Monday.
“It’s by chance perhaps you find individuals that interact with victims that perhaps was found positive.” Mr Aqwanda said African health systems were ill-equipped to deal with the pandemic. “Africans have not invested in human capacity in terms of experts in health issues,” he said. “For those countries invested so much in health, their experts have been exported to other first world countries and other African countries. We are seeing a shortage in that as well. Lack of equipment is another issue. When we talk about PPE equipment, many African countries have not got the PPE equipment. I have seen many healthcare workers saying we don’t have equipment, we don’t have PPE.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus exposes South Africa’s inequalities
ANGELICA SNOWDEN 6.45am: Italy records lowest number of deaths in weeks
Italy recorded its lowest number of new deaths in three weeks, saying 431 people died in the past day to bring its total to 19,899. For the ninth day running, intensive care admissions were down and hospitalisations overall were down, relieving pressure on Italy’s over-stressed health care system.
More than 4000 people tested positive as Italy began its fifth week under nationwide lockdown, continuing a general flattening in its infection curve.
The news comes after Pope Francis celebrated Easter at the Vatican in a mostly empty St. Peter’s Basilica. This year, however, the cobblestoned piazza was bare and ringed by police barricades to block the tens of thousands who would normally flock there to hear the pope’s noontime “Urbi et Orbi” speech and blessing “to the city and the world.”
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be slowing in France too, after health officials reported slightly fewer people, 35 fewer, admitted into intensive care.
The overall death toll in the country from the coronavirus has risen to nearly 14,400.
Sunday’s statistics issued by the Health Ministry confirm the country is reaching a “very high plateau” and reflect initial signs that nearly four weeks of confinement and the “drastic reduction in contacts” are producing an effect, a statement said. Of the 31,836 people currently hospitalised for COVID-19, more than 1600 were admitted in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.
Since the start of the epidemic in France, more than 95,400 people have been infected.
Spain has also reported its lowest daily growth in confirmed coronavirus infections in three weeks as it prepares to loosen its strict lockdown measures. Spanish health authorities reported 4167 confirmed new cases over the past 24 hours. The country’s total is at 166,019, second only to the United States. Deaths in Spain have reached a total of 16,972, with 619 new fatalities confirmed since Saturday. The country on Monday will allow workers in industry and construction to return to work after a two-week shutdown of economic activities other than health care and the food industry. — With AAP
READ MORE: Ebola drug leads treatment race
LACHLAN MOFFET GRAY 6.15am: Fauci: ‘Things may have been different’
The US’s foremost infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has said things may have been different if the country shut down earlier, but there was “push back” against the idea from the government.
As of Tuesday the United States has 546,874 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and almost 22,000 deaths — the most of any country in the world in both categories. For the first time in history, all 50 states have declared a state of emergency in response to the crisis.
Roughly 2000 deaths a day were reported for the last four days in a row, the largest number in and around New York City, which has just under 7000 deaths.
Speaking to CNN, Dr Fauci said more lives could have been saved had the US adopted shutdown measures earlier than mid-March.
“Obviously, if we had right from the very beginning shut everything down, it may have been a little bit different but there was a lot of push back about shutting things down back then,” he said, adding that restrictions may be eased still “in some way, maybe next month.”
Q: Will it be safe for voters to go to the polls in November?
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 12, 2020
Fauci: "I hope so ... However, and I don't want to be the pessimistic person, there is always the possibility, as we get into next fall and the beginning of early winter, that we could see a rebound" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/ZRuRmoXjEZ
The New York Times on Sunday reported that President Trump was central to the White House “push back” on shutdowns, concerned about the impact it would have on the economy.
That same day, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Stephen Hahn said a tentative date of May 1 has been marked for easing restrictions.
Dr Fauci said parts of the country could begin easing restrictions in May — but was cautious.
“I think it could probably start at least in some ways maybe next month,” Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN. “We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, OK, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on? If so, do it. If not, then just continue to hunker down.”
Dr Fauci said that regions would be ready at different times rather than the United States turning back on like a “light switch.”
In New York City, a friend and significant donor to President Trump has died after being in a coronavirus-induced coma. Stanley I. Chera’s death Saturday was reported by The Real Deal, which covers the New York real estate industry. He was 78.
A White House official confirmed Chera’s identity and connections to the President.
“I had a friend who went to a hospital the other day. He’s a little older, and he’s heavy, but he’s a tough person,” Trump said last month.
“And he went to the hospital, and a day later, he’s in a coma ... he’s not doing well.” “The speed and the viciousness, especially if it gets the right person, it’s horrible. It’s really horrible,” he said.
READ MORE: Curve flattens but we’re not out of the woods
Agencies 5.45am: GPs to be able to email scripts direct to chemists
NSW doctors will soon be able to prescribe via email or fax, making it easier for patients to access medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. GPs and nurse practitioners will be able to send a digital image of the prescription to pharmacists from April 17, under changes by the state government.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the changes would make it easier and safer to access medications, particularly for those with chronic conditions. “It ensures people with compromised immune systems will not need to go to the doctor’s surgery in person and can get their script entirely through a telehealth appointment,” Mr Hazzard said.
READ MORE: Coronavirus by the numbers
Jacquelin Magnay 5.15am: Boris Johnson to recover at country retreat, Chequers
British prime minister Boris Johnson has travelled to his country retreat Chequers to recuperate from a week-long hospital stay where his battle against coronavirus included three nights in intensive care.
Mr Johnson, 55, was not immediately returning to work, Downing Street confirmed, leaving foreign secretary Dominic Raab in charge of the coronavirus crisis.
In the UK, deaths have topped 10,000, although health secretary Matt Hancock says the final death toll is still predicted to be under 20,000 and that there are thousands of spare intensive care beds across the country.
Mr Johnson issued a video message, saying: “I have today left hospital after a week in which the NHS has saved my life, no question.”
It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2020
The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/HK7Ch8BMB5
He thanked and named two staff who watched over him for 48 hours “when things could have gone either way, as being ‘Jenny from New Zealand — Invercargill on the South Island, to be exact — and Luis from Portugal, near Porto’.”
He added: “And the reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen was because for every second of the night they were watching and they were thinking and they were caring and making the interventions I needed.”
Mr Johnson has joined his heavily pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds, who has also had coronavirus, to recover at Chequers. He said: “It’s hard to find the words to express my debt — but before I come to that, I want to thank everyone in the entire UK for the effort and the sacrifice you have made and are making.
Boris Johnson leaves hospital, but won’t return to work immediately. https://t.co/82B2i7B7m8
— The Australian (@australian) April 12, 2020
“When the sun is out and the kids are at home; when the whole natural world seems at its loveliest and the outdoors is so inviting, I can only imagine how tough it has been to follow the rules on social distancing.
“I thank you because so many millions and millions of people across this country have been doing the right thing — millions going through the hardship of self-isolation — faithfully, patiently, with thought and care for others as well as for themselves.
“I want you to know that this Easter Sunday I do believe that your efforts are worth it, and are daily proving their worth.”
There were times last week that were very dark indeed. My heart goes out to all those in similar situations, worried sick about their loved ones.
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 12, 2020
The death toll in Britain climbed to 10,612 with 737 fatalities announced on Sunday, but the rate of new infections and those in intensive care has slightly dropped, suggesting the country may have hit the peak.
The former Bank of England governor Lord King said some schools and business should reopen as the NHS was more than coping with the current infection rate.
The government is expected to take advice from its scientific advisory group in the coming days to review the lockdown.
#Coronavirus brings an uncertain Easter for so many of us. We must persevere and follow the rules - then each new day will bring us closer to normal life. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/cEQfEIw9ss
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) April 12, 2020
Mr Hancock said at the daily press conference that Mr Johnson was resting, adding “I’m delighted that he’s out of hospital and he’s recovered.” He said it would be a clinical decision for doctors to take with the prime minister as to how long he will rest.
“The government is operating perfectly efficiently within the strategy that he set out,” Mr Hancock said.
Do your bit to protect the NHS and save lives. Stay at home this Easter weekend. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/4tJ0B6a0ey
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 12, 2020
READ MORE: Jennifer Oriel — Enemies of freedom spread influence in crisis
Paul Maley 5am: ‘Biosecurity must be hardened at Australian ports’
Leading national security official, Border Force boss Michael Outram, has called for a “hardening” of biosecurity at Australian ports in the wake of the Ruby Princess fiasco, in which scores of passengers infected with COVID-19 were dispersed across the country.
Agencies examining the conduct of the ship’s operator, Carnival Cruises, are understood to have been left astonished at the lax approach to overseeing the integrity of the nation’s seaports compared with its international airports.
Some officials believe serious oversights that led to hundreds of coronavirus infections across the country will force a major overhaul of biosecurity arrangements at the nation’s ports.
#BREAKING: Police launch criminal probe into coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship https://t.co/TVQUBiLJCX
— The Australian (@australian) April 5, 2020
Read the full story here.
Darlene Superville 4.45am: Donald Trump’s friend, donor dies from coronavirus
A friend and donor to President Donald Trump who the president had said was in a coma and seriously ill after becoming infected with the coronavirus has died.
Stanley I Chera’s death Saturday was reported by The Real Deal, which covers the New York real estate industry. The publication cited unidentified sources who have worked with Crown Acquisitions, the firm Mr Chera — who was in his late 70s — founded and ran.
A White House official on Sunday confirmed Mr Chera’s identity and ties to the president. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details about Mr Trump’s personal friendships.
Stanley I. Chera, Prominent Jewish Philanthropist And Real Estate Mogul, Succumbs To Coronavirus https://t.co/tVZTcapGmJ
— VosIzNeias (@VINNews) April 12, 2020
Mr Trump had spoken at recent White House briefings about a friend who had fallen ill with the virus, which has killed more than 20,600 Americans as of midday Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Mr Trump first spoke about his friend as he described the “viciousness” of the disease on March 29.
“I had a friend who went to a hospital the other day. He’s a little older, and he’s heavy, but he’s tough person,” Trump said. “And he went to the hospital, and a day later, he’s in a coma … he’s not doing well. The speed and the viciousness, especially if it gets the right person, it’s horrible. It’s really horrible.”
Seismic loss in NY real estate world - Stanley Chera, the friend who President Trump talked about from the White House as a coronavirus victim, has died after complications related to the disease. @yashar https://t.co/6NZmsaWpIZ
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 11, 2020
The president, who is 73, alluded next to having “friends” who were ill. “I have some friends that are unbelievably sick,” Mr Trump said. “We thought they were going in for a mild stay. And, in one case, he’s unconscious — in a coma. And you say, ‘How did that happen?”’
Mr Trump had left the impression that having personally knowing someone who had become sick with COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, had influenced his decisions about how to handle the outbreak.
But asked at a later briefing whether his friend’s case had marked a turning point in his thinking, Mr Trump said it had not because he had been seeing the statistics and the rising case numbers.
“He’s sort of central casting for what we’re talking about, and it hit him very hard,” Mr Trump said on April 1. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” — AP
NEW: Trump's business allies and over 400 bundlers are giving his 2020 campaign war chest a boost. Real estate exec Stanley Chera, Atlas Merchant Capital managing director Patrick Durkin and lobbyist Travis Brown are among those reaching out to donors. https://t.co/RpuJNoXB7B
— Brian Schwartz (@schwartzbCNBC) July 18, 2019
READ MORE: Nick Cater — Aged care system comes through in a crisis
More Coverage
Top scientist warns of ‘brain drain danger’
The Prime Minister’s Science Prize winner has a message for high school students: ‘If you haven’t tried anything hard, you won’t achieve your full potential.’
Brilliant brains score science prizes
Scientists curing cancer, a stargazing astrophysicist, engineers saving the planet and inspirational teachers have been honoured in the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. Discover more about the winners.