Coronavirus Australia live updates: Death toll reaches 56; Qantas hits back at ACTU over crew safety
Tasmania ‘ring-fences’ a regional outbreak and the federal government promotes cheap education during the shutdown.
- Qantas slams ACTU as staff infections rise
- Another 50 fined for breaches in NSW
- Victorian, NSW deaths push toll to 56
- Worldwide virus death toll hits 100,000
- Boris Johnson back on his feet
- Social distancing may last six months
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. The federal government is encouraging discounted online courses during the shutdown and an Oxford team is aiming for a vaccine by September. Australia’s death toll has risen to 56 and the nation has been told social distancing measures may be kept in place for at least six months.
AAP 12.10am: Minister backs cut-price education courses
Higher-education institutions will be offering cut price courses starting in May to fill skill shortages to assist the economic rebound once the coronavirus pandemic has run its course.
Education Minister Dan Tehan says the initiative will also provide people with the opportunity to re-skill or advance their careers after the economic disruption caused by COVID-19.
“The cost of these courses has been reduced by over 50 per cent, and in some instances up to 74 per cent,” Mr Tehan told AAP.
The online courses will run for six months in what are deemed to be “areas of national priority”, such as in nursing, teaching, counselling, IT and science.
“There has been a disruption to the economy, so we are providing an opportunity for people to re-skill or to look at other areas to advance their careers,” Mr Tehan said.
He said the Morrison government would guarantee funding for universities at current levels, even if there was a fall in domestic student numbers, and would provide greater flexibility in the use of these funds than ever before.
Tertiary and international education providers will also get regulatory fee relief so they can better support domestic and international students, as well as providing exemptions from loan fees under FEE-HELP and VET student loans.
Mr Tehan said these reforms would incentivise students and universities to align with the needs of industry to meet the skill demands for the new economy that would emerge from the pandemic.
“This plan will help Australians who have lost their job or are looking to retrain,” he said.
“It will also provide a revenue stream for universities and private providers to assist their financial stability.”
The Morrison government has committed to provide universities with more than $18 billion this year.
Agencies 11.30pm: Badly hit Italy begins to consider an easing
European countries sought at the weekend to keep people from travelling in sunny Easter weather and grappled with how and when to start loosening weeks-long shutdowns of much of public life.
Plans for revival come with the warning from a World Health Organisation official: “The fact of pandemics is that they move in waves, and normally the second wave is more dangerous than the first. Because the guard has been lowered, you think you can return to normal and a heavier blow arrives.’’
Across the Atlantic, the US’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak approached that of Italy, the world’s biggest so far. The US has by far the largest number of confirmed cases, with more than 500,000. As of Saturday, its death toll of more than 18,700 was only just short of Italy’s.
The Times 11.30pm: Oxford team aims for vaccine within months
A vaccine against coronavirus could be ready as soon as September, as opposed to predictions of next year at the earliest, the scientist leading one of the world’s most advanced efforts has said.
Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, told The Times she was “80 per cent confident” that the vaccine being developed by her team would work, with human trials due to begin in the next two weeks.
The British government signalled that it would be willing to fund the manufacture of millions of doses in advance if results looked promising. This would allow it to be available immediately to the public if it were proven to work.
Asked if the most optimistic scenario for a working vaccine was September, she said: “Yes and we have to go for that.” Success by the northern autumn was “just about possible if everything goes perfectly”.
But she added: “Nobody can promise it’s going to work.”
A South Australian team is testing for another immunity path.
AAP 10.30pm: Tasmania has to ‘ring-fence’ outbreak in northwest
Tasmania has stepped up quarantine measures in the state’s northwest, where an outbreak of coronavirus has hit two hospitals.
Thirty-eight people linked to the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital in Burnie, including 26 healthcare workers, have tested positive to COVID-19.
About 130 staff from the hospitals have been stood down and placed in quarantine to mitigate the outbreak.
In an extension of restrictions, the state government on Saturday ordered the households of quarantined workers to self-isolate as well.
Households of patients discharged from March 27 onwards have also been told to quarantine in their homes.
“We would ask people that are affected, that they would work with us and that their families would work with us,” Premier Peter Gutwein said.
“We need to ring-fence this, we need to get on top of it. We need to ensure that community transmission doesn’t occur.”
Of the 38 hospital-linked cases, seven are inpatients, one a discharged patient and four are close contacts of healthcare workers.
Eleven new cases in the northwest were confirmed on Saturday night, but no link to the hospitals was confirmed.
It takes the state’s case tally to 133, with 52 people recovering. It was announced on Friday that the hospitals’ medical and surgical ward staff would have to self-quarantine for two weeks.
AAP 9.05pm: Government letter outlines NRL return
A NSW Government letter to the NRL shows that the sport has been told the game can resume provided it meets certain safe-workplace requirements.
The letter, dated April 8 and signed off by NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller to ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys, was in response to a question of whether game could restart without crowds.
The document, which has been obtained by AAP, is on a NSW State Emergency Operation Centre letterhead and says players can travel to and from games and training for work.
It also states other directions must be complied with, including not having more than 500 people in stadiums and the venues being big enough to ensure safety for all workers.
Any player who contracts the virus must also be quarantined until they are cleared medically.
The letter pertains only to NSW-based teams as they fall within the government’s jurisdiction, but the NRL is working to ensure other clubs are able to travel to the state for games.
“In addition, the competition organisers must comply with all the existing state and federal work, health and safety requirements and ensure that a safe workplace is maintained for all participants,” the letter reads.
“In summary, subject to the compliance with the matters dealt with above, the NSW Health Minister’s directions would not preclude the commencement of the modified NRL competition.”
REPORT
AAP 7.50pm: Another 50 fined for breaches in NSW
A Sydney woman who told police “it’s a free country” and a man visiting people across NSW are among the latest hit with $1000 fines for breaching COVID-19 restrictions.
The 32-year-old woman, who was officially warned on Thursday after leaving home without excuse, was found in the middle of Belvoir Street in Surry Hills in inner Sydney on Friday.
Asked why she was out, police on Saturday said she replied, “It’s a free country,” and offered no valid reason.
She was among 50 people ticketed by NSW Police in the past two days, taking to 295 the total number of people fined since March 17.
Ten people were also charged with breaching public health laws on Friday, making for 38 since March 17.
Police on Friday also fined a teenager walking down a South Grafton street in northern NSW with a case of beer and a 30-year-old who was told three times to go home after he walked into Albury police station to “hang out”.
A Victorian man towing a trail bike on a trailer told police on Friday he had visited friends in Wollongong and was on his way to see family in Deniliquin near the border.
The 27-year-old was hit with a $1000 fine for non-essential travel.
More than $1 million on-the-spot fines have been issued in Australia for breaches of COVID-19 restrictions, including a whopping $610,000 in Queensland and more than $160,000 in Victoria.
Agencies 6.10pm: Wristbands to track quarantined South Koreans
South Korea has announced plans to strap tracking wristbands on people who defy quarantine orders and Christians were urged to stay home on Easter weekend as the global coronavirus death toll passed 100,000.
South Korean officials on Saturday said stricter controls were required because some of the 57,000 people who were under orders to stay home had slipped out by leaving behind smartphones with tracking apps.
Plans for broader use of wristbands were scaled back after objections by human rights and legal activists.
Worldwide, confirmed infections rose to 1.7 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Lee Beom-seok, an official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said the government lacked authority to compel people to wear the wristbands. He said they would be asked to sign consent forms.
Under the country’s recently strengthened laws on infectious diseases, people can face up to a year in prison or fined as much as $US8200 ($12,900) for breaking quarantine orders.
Mr Lee said those who agree to wear the wristbands could be considered for lighter punishment.
South Korea’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 886 of the country’s 10,480 coronavirus infections had been traced to international arrivals.
The number of people under self-quarantine includes 49,697 who arrived from abroad. Another 1340 foreign short-term visitors are quarantined.
Agencies 5.40pm: Qantas slams ACTU as staff infections rise
Qantas has hit back at union suggestions the airline is not adequately supporting its cabin crews who are ferrying stranded Australians home from overseas during the coronavirus crisis.
The union umbrella body the ACTU says Qantas flight crews are concerned about insufficient health protections and leave entitlements should they be exposed, fall ill or are required to self-isolate due to potential exposure.
But a spokesman for Qantas said the airline had fully complied with the requirements of Australia’s chief medical officer in relation to the quarantine exemptions for air crew.
Qantas rejects the ACTU’s claim that if a cabin crew member falls sick because of the virus, the airline will not cover the cost of a hotel should the individual elect to stay in one for their 14-day quarantine. The airline is operating the federal government’s rescue flights for a month and the cabin crew will be paid a full month’s roster, which covers any work they do plus self-isolation in the month.
Qantas Group medical director Ian Hosegood says the risk to staff “remains low”. “We have put in place increased measures to protect our people while they are at work and our customers, including enhanced cleaning at airports and on aircraft and providing necessary safety equipment,” he said.
Dr Hosegood said in most of these cases, the employees have contracted the coronavirus while overseas, including staff who were on holidays. “There’s been no confirmed cases of transmission of the coronavirus to employees or customers on board our aircraft, or any aircraft globally for that matter,” he said.
READ MORE: Death spiral: The case for saving Virgin
Agencies 5pm: SA trial to build workers’ immunity
About 500 South Australian hospital staff will be asked to participate in a medical research trial to boost their immune systems to better protect them against COVID-19.
Of those 500 people, 250 will receive a BCG vaccine to stimulate their immune systems while the other half will receive a placebo.
The announcement comes as one new case is recording in SA, bringing the state’s total to 249.
Agencies 4.40pm: Australia builds oil reserves during pandemic
Australia has highlighted its efforts to build up emergency reserves of petroleum at a special G20 energy ministers meeting prompted by the coronavirus crisis.
Australia’s Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylorm said on Saturday the virtual meeting focused on the importance of uninterrupted and affordable oil and gas supply, especially to healthcare sectors. As an oil-importing country, Mr Taylor told the video conference, Australia had been building up emergency reserves of petroleum in an arrangement with the US.
“This arrangement will enhance not only Australia’s domestic fuel security by bolstering our stock holdings, but will also assist supporting the global oil market during this challenging time, he said.
The G20 energy ministers produced a joint statement saying they would take “all the necessary measures to ensure balance of interests between producers and consumers, the security of our systems and the uninterrupted flow of energy”.
READ MORE: Luxury cruise went ahead despite virus fears
Adeshola Ore 4pm: Queensland pharmacy worker tests positive
Nine staff members at an Ipswich pharmacy are in quarantine after a fellow employee tested positive to coronavirus.
Queensland Health said social distancing measures at the pharmacy at Riverlink Shopping Centre means customers who visited the store are at low risk.
On Saturday, Queensland Health announced an additional nine new cases of COVID-19 in the state.
From midnight tonight, the state will enforce stricter restrictions for Queenslanders returning from Sydney and the Central Coast. All Queensland residents returning from a list of hot spot locations will be required to self-isolate at home for fourteen days.
The hotspots in NSW include the Northern Beaches, Waverley and Ryde.
Queensland Health said the public hotspots could be expanded or amended over coming days.
A full list of the hot spots can be found here.
Emily Ritchie 3.25pm: 70pc of Australian cruise passengers test positive
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has confirmed 70 per cent of Australians who are returning from Uruguay off the Greg Mortimer cruise ship have tested positive for coronavirus.
Dr Coatsworth said there were just over 100 Australians who would be returning from the coronavirus-plagued ship, which has been anchored off the Uruguay coast for two weeks.
He said Border Force, the federal health department and the Victorian government had organised a plan to meet the plane so anyone who needs to can be taken straight to hospital.
“I am aware of the detailed plans to meet that aircraft when it arrives tomorrow morning,” Dr Coatsworth said on Saturday.
“Making sure that all of the passengers get a thorough medical assessment on their side and then depending on that medical assessment, either go to hospital or go into a hotel quarantine.”
Dr Coatsworth also commented on the decision by the NSW government to approve the NRL to return to training and soon resume its playing season, saying the national advice was still to avoid playing sports and maintainnsocial distancing.
“The authority is a state matter but I think at the Australian principal health committee level, we have to have an approach which covers all codes and I think at this point in time it is that we don’t have training and we don’t have matches and we keep social distancing. Which is the object of not having sporting events,” Dr Coatsworth said.
“We do understand though that sport is a major part of the Australian psyche. As we see the curve flattening, it is logical that it is one of the first things that we need to address.”
He said 56 Australians had now died from the virus, with 6290 positive cases now recorded nationally. There are 231 people being treated in hospitals across the country, 75 of those in intensive care and just under 40 needing ventilators.
So far there have been 340,000 people tested for the virus in Australia.
“We need to sustain those gains, we need to keep those number of cases low,” Dr Coatsworth said.
He said telehealth services would be expanded so that people could access health services like counselling from home during this time.
READ MORE: John Durie — Red flags in big tech’s virus response
Adeshola Ore 3.20pm: Transparency call as mining worker tests positive
The mining union has called for greater transparency after a BHP Mitsubishi Alliance worker tested positive to COVID-19 in central Queensland.
On Friday, BHPMA announced a worker at its Blackwater mine had tested positive to COVID-19. The man had not been on the site since April 1.
CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland president Stephen Smyth said the union had received minimal information about the diagnosis.
“In this case, there are multiple points of potential cross-contamination including machinery, transport, mess facilities and camp accommodation,” Mr Smyth said in a statement on Saturday.
“Workers across the whole operation need reassurance that all of these risks have been identified, that they are being managed, and that all potential exposure will be appropriately tracked.”
– With AAP
Agencies 3pm: China’s rise in new cases triggers second wave fear
China has reported a rise in new coronavirus cases, as authorities try to head off a second wave of infections, particularly from imported and asymptomatic cases, as curbs on cities and travel are lifted.
The National Health Commission on Saturday said 46 new cases were reported on Friday, including 42 involving travellers from abroad, up from 42 cases a day earlier.
In its statement the commission added that 34 new asymptomatic cases were reported, down from 47 the previous day.
Mainland China’s tally of infections now stands at 81,953. The death toll rose by three to 3339.
Tough curbs imposed since January helped rein in infections sharply from the height of the pandemic in February. But policymakers fear a second wave triggered by arrivals from overseas or asymptomatic patients. Northeastern Heilongjiang recently reported a spike in new cases because of Chinese nationals entering the province from Russia, which has seen a surge of cases.
Provincial health officials said it had 22 new imported cases on Friday, all Chinese nationals coming from Russia, and one new local case, in its capital of Harbin.
Emily Ritchie 2.25pm: Hundreds recover, but Victoria ‘not out of the woods’
Another 60 people have recovered from COVID-19 in Victoria, taking the number of people in the state who have recovered from the virus to 986.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen said she was “pleased” the number of new cases overnight, 24, had been much lower than previous weeks but that we were not yet “out of the woods”.
“We are very pleased that that means that the Victorian public are really heeding our messages and staying home and being very, very vigilant if they have any sort of symptoms and really isolate themselves,” Dr van Dieman said.
“What that means going forward is that we are no way out of the woods yet and not the time to become complacent. What that means is we will continue to monitor very closely, watching what is happening overseas and will be covering all of the evidence to determine what the steps may be.”
Dr van Dieman said a number of Australians had been and would continue to return to Victoria this weekend on repatriation flights from India and Peru, as well as some Australians who were evacuated from the Greg Mortimer cruise ship in Uruguay.
“We have reports that up to 70 per cent of these patients have tested positive to COVID-19,” Dr van Dieman said of passengers from the Greg Mortimer.
“The government has been working very, very closely with the cruise ship operators to organise this fight to come back to Australia. The Victorian government … will ensure that this flight is met by a number of medical staff, ambulances as required. The plan for this is that everybody will be assessed when they get off the flight via a medical team. Everybody who needs to go to hospital will go to hospital and the remaining passengers will go to quarantine in hotels as is the process for all international arrivals at this point in time.”
Emily Ritchie 1.45pm: Parents urged to vaccinate ahead of flu season
NSW Health has issued a reminder to parents and carers to ensure their children are vaccinated on-time, particularly amid the coronavirus outbreak and ahead of the upcoming flu season.
Professor Kristine Macartney, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), said while there was not yet a vaccine for COVID-19, there were vaccines to prevent other diseases which could contribute to protecting the vulnerable in our community.
“It’s really important that we ensure protection on-time against the most serious diseases,” Professor Macartney said.
“On-time vaccinations can also help protect those more vulnerable people in the
community. Although there is not yet a vaccine for COVID-19, there are vaccines to prevent other diseases that are prevalent in our community such as whooping cough, measles, influenza and meningitis.”
She said it was still safe to access health services for non-coronavirus treatment, unless you’ve been directed to self-isolate.
“If a child has a runny nose or slight cold, they can still get vaccinated,” Professor Macartney said.
“Delaying vaccinations can leave children exposed to serious illnesses at a time when they’re most vulnerable.”
All children aged six months to less than five years are also recommended to have their free annual influenza vaccination, which is available from mid-April.
READ MORE: Peter van Onselen — Ideology goes out the window in this crisis
Adeshola Ore 1.25pm: 19 Qantas staff among latest NSW cases
Nineteen Qantas staff are among NSW’s latest coronavirus cases.
NSW Health reported 44 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including the death of a 91-year-old woman.
There are 13 confirmed cases at Gosford Hospital, including two patients, six staff members and five family members and friends of patients.
Currently 212 people with COVID-19 are being treated in hospitals, with 30 in ICU.
Adeshola Ore 1pm: Labor cautions against early rollback of stimulus
Labor has urged the government to not prematurely roll back stimulus measures once the pandemic is over, saying it could hinder economic recovery.
Labor frontbencher Amanda Rishworth warned against setting any arbitrary time frames for withdrawing support.
“I think we’ve got to see where the world is in six months time, in a year’s time,” she told the ABC on Saturday.
“If they do it too quickly, if they do not closely calibrate it, what we could have is prolonged economic downturn, which will not be good.”
The federal government has spent over $320 billion in recent weeks to keep the economy
afloat during the pandemic.
READ MORE: House vendors cash in on captive audiences
Agencies 12.45pm: Queensland issues half a million dollars in fines
Queensland police have issued more than 400 fines for coronavirus-related transgressions, raking in more than half a million dollars for the state government.
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the majority of people had been compliant and officers took people on their word and also showed compassion before issuing a $1334 fine.
“However, we have issued over 400 penalty infringement notices,” Ms Carroll said on Saturday.
“Most people are doing the right thing, but if there is blatant disregard, and there has been many examples of that, people will be issued with an infringement notice.”
READ MORE: New rules bordering on lunacy
Adeshola Ore 12.30pm: ACT records no new cases of COVID-19
The ACT has recorded no new cases of coronavirus in the past twenty-four hours, but the territory’s health officials have urged people to continue to comply with social distancing.
Acting ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Vanessa Johnston said Canberrans needed to stay home over Easter to help flatten the curve.
“If you do need to go out for essential reasons, then complying with the rules on physical distancing and practising good hand and respiratory hygiene are the most important tools in slowing the spread of COVID-19.”
There are three cases under current investigation that are awaiting further test results. This includes an ACT Health staff member and their close contact who have recently returned from overseas.
The territory has a total of 103 cases, of which 62 have recovered. Four patients are currently in Canberra hospitals.
There have been two COVID-19 deaths in the territory.
READ MORE: Nikki Gemmell — COVID-19, the great reckoning
Emily Ritchie 12.20pm: Woman becomes 23rd person to die in NSW
Another person has died from coronavirus in NSW, taking the state’s death toll to 23 and the national toll to 56.
A 91-year-old woman with pre-existing health conditions died in hospital overnight, with the source of her infection of COVID-19 not yet known.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed that in the 24 hours from 8pm on Thursday to 8pm on Friday there were an additional 44 positive cases of COVID-19 uncovered in NSW.
There are now 2857 cases in the state with 212 people being treated in hospitals — 30 of those are in intensive care and 23 require ventilators.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while it was “pleasing” the number of new cases each day were stabilising, people needed to continue to heed social distancing measures especially ahead of Easter Sunday.
“I know for many families across NSW Easter is the time when they may have gone to a place of worship at church or else gathered together in family homes,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Unfortunately this is not allowed tomorrow. And I please ask everybody to respect that. We don’t want anybody unintentionally getting sick on Easter Sunday, because they have not appreciated the significance. The numbers are stabilising which is very pleasing. But we are nowhere near out of the woods. The worst is yet to hit us. But the early signs are encouraging that the restrictions are having a positive impact.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the 1100 crew members onboard the embattled Ruby Princess had reached the end of their 14-day quarantine period, with 88 people tested and 44 returning positive results to coronavirus.
Adeshola Ore 12.05pm: Famous coastal walk shut to discourage crowds
Sydney’s famous Bondi to Bronte coastal walk has been closed after visitors continued to flock to the area, despite a ban on non-essential travel.
Waverley Council said people were also ignoring signs in the area and ranger instructions.
Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos urged residents to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
“I appreciate that this temporary closure will be met with frustration from some residents. I also appreciate how important it is for people to be able to exercise for mental health,” she said in a statement.
“I encourage people to be a tourist in their own suburb and find places to exercise on other streets and parks.
Waverley Council said rangers had the powers to fine people who trespassed barricaded areas.
Christine Kellett 11.50am: NSW Premier to address the media | WATCH
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is due to address the media at noon to provide an update on the situation in the state. You can watch our live stream here:
Adeshola Ore 11.45am: Four charged with breaching travel bans
Four Tasmanians have been charged with breaching the non-essential travel bans during the Easter long weekend.
Tasmania’s Premier Peter Gutwein said 90 people were turned around on the state’s roads on Good Friday afternoon.
“They were heading to the coast or places they shouldn’t have been, many of them with caravans and camper trailers,” he said.
Police directed an additional twenty people to leave their shacks and return to their primary residence.
“Now these penalties are harsh, up to $16,800 or up to six months in jail. And at the end of the day, the reason that these penalties are there, the reasons that these rules are in place, is that we want Tasmanians to be protected.”
Tasmania’s police said helicopters would be flown to keep an eye on people travelling for leisure purposes.
READ MORE: On the other side of a nightmare — life returns in Wuhan
Adeshola Ore 11.30am: Tasmanian hospital cluster forces quarantine crackdown
Tasmania has extended its quarantine measures in response to a cluster of cases in the state’s north-west.
The Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the outbreak at the North-West Regional Hospital and North-West Private Hospital has resulted in 38 infections.
Ms Courtney said households of healthcare workers that have already been asked to quarantine will also be required to self-isolate. Patients who have been discharged from March 27 will be required to quarantine.
“With regards to the North West Regional Hospital, over 100 calls were made to staff last night.”
Ms Courtney said the state government was ramping up the outbreak management team.
On Friday, eight of the state’s eleven new cases were healthcare workers at the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital. Two of them are North West Regional Hospital patients.
“The challenge of an outbreak in a health facility is not new to this coronavirus pandemic across the world, nor across the country.” Peter Gutwein said on Saturday.
There are 122 confirmed cases in the state, 70 of which are active.
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Agencies 11.25am: WHO warns of COVID-19’s ‘deadly resurgence’
The World Health Organisation chief has warned that a premature lifting of stay-at-home and other restrictions by countries to fight the coronavirus outbreak could spark a “deadly resurgence.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged that some countries are already planning to transition out of stay-at-home restrictions, and insisted that the U.N. health agency “wants to see restrictions lifted as much as anyone.”
“At the same time, lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence,” Tedros told reporters from WHO headquarters in Geneva. “The way down can be as dangerous as the way up, if not managed properly.”
Emily Ritchie 11.05am: Victorian death pushes national toll to 55
A Victorian man in his 80s has died in hospital overnight, taking the state’s coronavirus death toll to 14 and than national toll to 55.
The state has recorded an additional 24 positive cases of COVID-19 since yesterday, taking the total number to 1265.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said on Twitter there were 118 cases of COVID-19 that indicate community transmission of the virus. Forty-four people remain in hospital, with 15 of those in intensive care.
More than 670,000 Victorians have been tested and 986 people have recovered from the virus.
There are now 1265 confirmed cases of #COVID-19 in Victoria. Sadly, another man in his 80s has died in hospital taking the number of people who have died in Victoria from #COVID-19 to 14. My thoughts are with his family #springst 1/2
— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) April 11, 2020
Emily Ritchie 11am: Queensland records just nine new cases
Queensland has recorded its equal-lowest number of new coronavirus cases overnight, with just nine additional positive results in the last 24 hours.
The state’s total is now at 974, with 28 people being treated in hospital and 12 in a serious condition in intensive care.
Queensland’s Health Minister Steven Miles said on Saturday the state’s seven day increase in COVID-19 cases was 77, down from 274 last Saturday and the peak of 380 the Saturday before.
Minister Miles said 2149 tests had been done overnight with a positive testing rate of just 0.42 per cent resulting in the nine new cases.
“Everything that Queenslanders are doing to defeat COVID-19 is working,” Minister Miles said.
The Queensland government announced on Saturday it would be amending the state’s drug therapy protocol to expand the range of services that pharmacists can offer.
“We will allow pharmacists a wider range of options for emergency medications, so that if people can’t get to their prescriber, they will be able to access emergency medications,” Minister Miles said.
“To widen the circumstances in which pharmacists can substitute medications, but, most importantly, we are amending our drug therapy protocols so that pharmacists will be able to, when we have a COVID-19 vaccine, deliver that vaccine. That means that communities right across the state, everywhere in this State will have very quick access to the vaccine when it comes.”
Adeshola Ore 10.45am: Aussies trapped in India plan escape
Australians stranded in India have organised private chartered flights to fly them home during the coronavirus pandemic.
It follows the federal government announcement that Australians stuck in Peru, Argentina and South Africa will be brought home on mercy flights over the next week.
More than 1,000 Australians stuck in India have had their travel plans hampered by the country’s strict border controls. India has entered its third week of a country-wide lockdown that prohibits domestic and international travel.
Casper Symondson said the first flight organised by an Australia company will fly 400 people out from the capital, New Delhi on Saturday.
“Delhi was a good hub for a lot of people but there’s a lot of Australians spread all over the country that simply couldn’t get to Delhi,” he told the ABC on Saturday.
Expats are planning to coordinate flights out of other parts of the country, including Mumbai and Chennai.
Mr. Symondson said the flights came with a hefty price tag.
“I think it is coming in at $2,300 per seat, but when you look at the other repatriation flights back to Australia they have been upwards or $4,000 to $5,0000. It is not too bad.”
“There will be a lot left behind that can’t afford the $2,3000 price tag.”
READ MORE: Bernard Salt — Generational boom, crash, then reset
Tom Parfitt 10.30am: Dictator ‘hiding death toll’ in lone stand
As leaders across the world act to prevent the spread of coronavirus with lockdowns and quarantine, one is suggesting alternatives that are not so much ineffective as completely irrelevant: vodka, saunas and ice hockey.
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, a former collective farm manager who has ruled with an iron fist since 1994, has refused to introduce strict measures to halt the spread of the virus.
He describes concerns about the pandemic as “coronavirus psychosis” – and warns that a shutdown could ruin the economy. Factories continue to work, kindergartens, restaurants and universities are open and the Belarusian football league, with spectators, is the only one still playing in Europe.
Officially Belarus has reported under 2,000 cases of the virus and only 19 deaths. But there is growing anger at Mr Lukashenko’s blase attitude, and a feeling that the true scale of the outbreak is being hidden.
“The situation is catastrophic,” said Andrei Sannikov, a former presidential candidate in a telephone interview yesterday (Friday). “I suspect the real figures could be five or ten times higher than what the people are being told.
“Information comes out piecemeal from doctors and other sources and people pass it on via social media. Lukashenko is a dictator who is used to solving things with violence, and locking up his opponents. But that doesn’t work with coronavirus.” Mr Sannikov, 66, and a group of other leading opposition figures want an immediate strict lockdown, in line with those brought in by surrounding countries, including Russia.
Mr Lukashenko, 65, describes the disease as “imported” and claimed this week that Belarus was using “pinpoint tactics” to tackle it.
– The Times
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Adeshola Ore 10am: Australia’s virus curve continues to fall
Australia’s coronavirus curve is continuing to fall, but health authorities are warning the public against complacency.
Australia has recorded 106 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, the ABC is reporting, the second consecutive day the country has recorded fewer than 110 new infections.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said while the trend was positive, relaxing strict shutdown measures could see the virus explode.
On Thursday, Australia’s daily increase in cases fell below 100, the first time it has slipped under that threshold for three weeks. The latest deaths have been recorded in Tasmania, NSW and Victoria.
In Tasmania, a man in his 70s who died on Friday brought the state’s death toll to four. There were 11 more cases of COVID-19 recorded on Friday, bumping the total to 122. Eight of the new cases are healthcare workers who have worked at either or both the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital.
In NSW, a man in his 60s became the state’s 22nd coronavirus fatality. NSW Health said the man is believed to have acquired the virus during an interstate trip to Queensland. There are now 2,822 cases of COVID-19 in the state.
Victoria’s death toll rose to 13 on Friday. A man in his 80s died in the state on Friday. There are now 1,241 recorded cases of coronavirus in the state, with 158 of these health workers.
Australia has recorded 6,203 cases of COVID-19, with 54 deaths of people who tested positive to the virus.
The global death toll has now surpassed 100,000.
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Christine Kellett 9.30am: Two spitters slapped with $5000 fines
NSW Police have used new powers to slap $5000 on-the-spot fines to two men accused of spitting on officers in separate incidents overnight.
A 24-year-old man who was sitting in a car with a woman in the south-western Sydney suburb of Ashcroft was told to move on in line with social-distancing rules when he allegedly became aggressive and spat at a male sergeant while making comments about the coronavirus.
And in a separate incident in the Port Stephens-Hunter region, a female constable responding to a domestic-related incident was allegedly pushed, hit and spat on by a 62-year-old man.
Both men were charged with various offences and fined $5000 each under new penalties announced by NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday. The increased penalties are designed to protect frontline health and emergency services workers, who have found themselves coming under attack by people coughing and spitting at them.
“How incredibly ridiculous is it that anybody could think it’s acceptable to spit or caught on frontline health workers, health officials, police or indeed any of our Border Force officials,” Mr Hazzard said.
“These frontline workers are caring for us and the simple fact is we need to care for them.”
Intentionally spitting on frontline workers could also now result in six months’s jail.
“Foul acts like coughing and spitting, which can potentially spread COVID-19, pose a risk to public safety, so police won’t hesitate to take action,” NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said.
“The rules are clear and they apply to everyone, so if you decide to ignore a direction, you will be caught and you will receive a hefty fine and possibly a prison sentence.”
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Agencies 9.15am: Charities to get $100m in virus aid
The Morrison government is providing an immediate $100 million funding injection to more than 300 charities and community organisations faced with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.
Called the community support package, Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said a further $100 million would be allocated over the next six months where it is needed, To assist in these allocations Senator Ruston also announced a new national coordination group to help identify emergency issues at the local, state and the national level.
“The government understands this is a trying time for relief providers facing rapidly increasing demand while dealing with challenges in maintaining the workforce and distribution lines needed to operate,” Senator Ruston said in a statement on Saturday.
“Many people reaching out to these services may have never needed this type of assistance before so we need to make sure we have the right supports in place to help people through this period and bounce back stronger when it’s over.”
HOW THE INITIAL FUNDING IS SHARED:
– $37 million to be shared among almost 200 Commonwealth-funded emergency relief organisations.
– $7 million to be provided to the Red Cross over the next six months.
– $16 million to be shared to food relief providers Foodbank Australia, SecondBite and OzHarvest.
– $20 million for financial counselling services including the National Debt Helpline, Money Support Hubs and Problem Gambling.
– $20 million for the Good Shepherd to offer 40,000 Australians access to safe, affordable financial products through the No Interest Loan Scheme.
AAP
Agencies 8am: Quarantined Aussies prepare to leave Sydney hotels
Hundreds of Australian travellers being kept in mandatory quarantine in Sydney hotels are set to end their two-week confinement in time for Easter.
About 1300 people who arrived at Sydney International Airport after the clampdown on March 29 are today finishing their 14-day quarantine.
They will undergo a final health check before they are allowed to leave for their homes around the country.
Police are overseeing the departures, assisted by health authorities, the Australian Defence Force and hotel staff.
Coaches will run to Sydney’s airport throughout the day, but some won’t be able to return to their home states on Saturday due to flight schedules.
“The remaining travellers are being assisted with alternate arrangements, as required,” police said in a statement today.
“The operation will run each day as returned travellers continue to complete their mandatory quarantines and depart hotels across Sydney CBD.”
The NSW health minister issued an order directing all overseas arrivals to go directly to a quarantine facility from March 29 to combat the coronavirus pandemic. — AAP
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Geert de Clercq 7.30am: French coronavirus death toll tops 13,000
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France has jumped by nearly 987, or 8 per cent, to 13,197 as nursing home deaths swelled but fewer people were in intensive care as the effect of nationwide confinement started to show.
The total number of confirmed and probable coronavirus infections in the country rose by 7120 to 124,869, although the ministry does not provide a total, splitting the number instead between cases in hospitals and cases in nursing homes.
That total number is set to increase as just under 5000 out of 7400 homes so far have reported coronavirus cases to the government.
The health ministry said on Friday that 7004 people were in intensive care, a fall of 62 or 0.9 per cent following a 1 per cent fall on Thursday. — REUTERS
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Agencies 6.40am: Trump facing the ‘biggest decision’ of his presidency
President Donald Trump said his decision on when to reopen the US economy, shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, would be the toughest he has ever taken.
“I’m going to have to make a decision and I only hope to God that it’s the right decision. But I would say without question, it’s the biggest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Mr Trump told a press conference earlier this morning.
Mr Trump, who faces a tight re-election battle in November, is keen to get the US economy back open after weeks of tough measures that shut down businesses and transport across the country to slow down the virus’ spread.
However, he also faces warnings that a premature opening would put lives at risk.
“I have to make the biggest decision of my life,” he said. — AFP
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Andy Bruce 6.20am: UK records biggest rise in daily virus deaths
The UK death toll from COVID-19 has risen by 980 to 8958, health minister Matt Hancock says, its biggest daily rise to date.
The toll exceeded the deadliest day reported by Italy on March 28, the country worst hit by the coronavirus.
WATCH: We’re ramping up #coronavirus testing. We have capacity for all key social care and NHS staff who need tests, we’ve opened 15 drive-thru testing centres, and are opening mega labs across the country. pic.twitter.com/AVYBRCcXAQ
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) April 10, 2020
Mr Hancock urged Britons not to leave their homes over the Easter holidays, during which hot weather is expected.
“This Easter will be another test of the nation’s resolve,” he said at a news conference in Downing Street on Friday.
“Thank you to all those of you who are already doing your bit as part of our national effort.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 10, 2020
"Stay well, stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.†– Health Secretary @MattHancock#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/0FOySJCshI
Hancock confirmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s health was improving after leaving a three-night spell of intensive care on Thursday.
Mr Johnson, who is being treated for COVID-19, is now able to take short walks, a Downing Street spokesman said earlier. — with Michael Holden, REUTERS
Stay at home this Easter weekend.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 10, 2020
#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/5PWwgXa5yY
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Agencies 6am: Worldwide coronavirus death toll hits 100,000
The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus hit 100,000 as Christians around the globe marked a Good Friday unlike any other — in front of computer screens instead of in church pews — and some countries tiptoed toward reopening segments of their battered economies.
Around the world, public health officials and religious leaders alike warned people against violating the lockdowns and social distancing rules over Easter and allowing the virus to come storming back.
Some churches held services online, while others arranged prayers at drive-in theatres.
Fire-scarred Notre Dame Cathedral came back to life briefly in Paris, days before the first anniversary of the April 15 inferno that ravaged it. Services were broadcast from the closed-to-the-public cathedral.
The holiday observances came as the worldwide number of deaths tracked by Johns Hopkins University hit a bleak milestone of 100,000 since late December, when the outbreak emerged in China. More than 1.6 million people around the globe have been infected, by the university’s count.
The true number of lives lost is believed be much higher because of limited testing, cover-ups by some governments, and different counting practices.
New data visualization tools offer real-time insight on the trends of the #COVID19 pandemic, thanks to a Hopkins-wide collaboration led by @civicimpact_jhu.https://t.co/w1hcQjyR0c
— Johns Hopkins University (@JohnsHopkins) April 10, 2020
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Michael Holden 5.15am: UK PM ‘up and walking’ in virus recovery
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is back on his feet in his recovery from COVID-19, the government says.
The prime minister’s rapid health decline shook the country earlier this week, but he came out of three nights of intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital on Thursday.
He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after his symptoms persisted. A spokesman for Mr Johnson said the prime minister, 55, was continuing his recovery in a hospital ward.
“I was told he was waving his thanks to all of the nurses and doctors he saw as he was moved from the intensive care unit back to the ward,” the spokesman said. “The hospital said that he was in extremely good spirits last night.”
His Downing Street office said later that Johnson had been able to do short walks, between periods of rest, as part of the care he was receiving. “He has spoken to his doctors and thanks the whole clinical team for the incredible care,” a spokesman said.
Great News to hear that @BorisJohnson is making a recovery. https://t.co/p6Y4B351vt
— Phil Taylor (@PhilTaylor) April 10, 2020
However, Downing Street has warned that Mr Johnson’s recovery was only at an early stage and he would take advice from his medical team.
“He must rest up,” his father, Stanley Johnson, told BBC radio. “You cannot walk away from this and go straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment.
Glad to hear @BorisJohnson is out of ICU and is on the mend #GetWellBoris pic.twitter.com/fuYjXQsv6D
— Sarah Atherton MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@AthertonNWales) April 10, 2020
Johnson’s pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who has also had coronavirus symptoms, tweeted a rainbow picture — in support of healthcare workers — along with hand-clapping emojis. — with Elizabeth Piper, REUTERS
ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘👠pic.twitter.com/83HkS1Vjhx
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 9, 2020
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Geoff Chambers 5am: Warnings of ‘second phase’ infections in winter
Australia’s social-distancing rules and health restrictions could remain in place for at least six months, despite the country being “on the cusp” of COVID-19 dying out, amid warnings of a second wave of infections heading into winter.
Three months after Australia recorded its first coronavirus case, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said it was possible the deadly disease could “die out” in regions across Australia within weeks.
As infection rates across the country drop significantly and Australians stay indoors at the Easter weekend following Scott Morrison’s plea to “stay at home”, Professor Kelly said health authorities would confront new challenges when the disease was controlled.
He warned that it wasn’t the time for “us to be changing the rules in terms of social distancing” and said the NRL would require permission to restart the rugby league season as planned.
Read the full story here.
Darren Cartwright 4.45am: Qld hits virus law-breakers with $400,000 in fines
Disobedient Queenslanders, including 18 hooligans, have been fined almost $400,000 for breaking coronavirus regulations.
As of Friday morning, 289 people had been fined a total of $385,526 for disregarding strict coronavirus regulations which include the banning of non-essential travel.
Police issued a further 18 COVID-19 infringement notices overnight after intercepting a number of vehicles allegedly conducting burnouts at an industrial area in Loganholme.
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 10, 2020
More here: https://t.co/wg6TFZvQLV pic.twitter.com/5T0cfbJct9
Officers were called to an industrial area in Loganholme where they cordoned off a street about 11pm on Thursday.
More than 10 vehicles were intercepted and 18 infringement notices of $1334 issued for failing to comply with a COVID-19 direction, police said. The hoons’ gathering at Loganholme followed 58 COVID-19 related fines handed out at a large car rally in Brisbane’s south last Saturday.
Further restrictions are being put in place to tighten state border controls and help reduce the spread of COVID-19. From midnight on Good Friday all QLDers returning home from interstate will require a new entry pass. https://t.co/gAiksdyQCE pic.twitter.com/oH2JxsfgZB
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 10, 2020
The fines were issued to both drivers and passengers, aged between 17 and 30 after about 150 cars and a large number of people gathered at a warehouse car park in Rochedale.
The strict non-essential travel and social distancing measures appear to be paying off after just 13 new cases were announced on Friday. It brings the seven-day total to 93 new cases, down from a high of 380 two weeks ago.
There are now 965 people suffering from COVID-19 in Queensland, with a current growth rate of 1.5 per cent per week. — AAP
All Queenslanders should stay at home unless you have an essential reason to leave. Visitors to your home should also be limited. Visit https://t.co/jCNsceXm42 for more info. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve pic.twitter.com/lFEB2hNQkt
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 7, 2020
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