Coronavirus Australia live updates: Myer closes, stands down 10,000 staff; Scott Morrison ramps up quarantine for arrivals
In one of the biggest shocks to the retail sector in a week where tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, the nation’s biggest department store has decided to close.
- What stage 3 lockdowns look like
- NSW alarm over 145 unknown source infections
- Time running out for Aussies in US
- New York deaths again spike overnight
- Revealed: our most infectious suburbs
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. Australians in the United States have been warned that time is running out to secure passage home. The PM has announced that new arrivals to Australia will be forced into two weeks quarantine.
Jacquelin Magnay 10.58pm: Boris Johnson tests positive
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive to coronavirus. Mr Johnson has mild symptoms and will self-isolate at his home in Downing Street. Mr Johnson issued a video saying he will continue to be charge of the government’s handling of the crisis with virtual meetings via video link.
If he becomes too unwell, the Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, Dominic Raab, would temporarily replace him.
Mr Johnson tweeted on Friday evening AEDT saying: “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.
“I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.
“Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives.”
Angelica Snowden 10.50pm: Fifth person fined in NSW for self-quarantine beach
NSW police have fined the state’s fifth person for failing to self-quarantine after returning from overseas.
The 64-year-old man arrived at Sydney International Airport on Monday and returned to his home in the state’s north-west on Monday.
Police say they warned the man against plans to leave his home in North Bourke, but he left to visit the CBD and was fined $1000.
Central North Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Hurst, said communities in regional areas should be particularly vigilant.
“This deadly virus is a national issue, but we must remain particularly vigilant in regional areas, because failing to do so could be devastating for our communities,” Mr Hurst said.
“If you choose to put the lives of your community at risk by ignoring a direction, you will be caught and you will be fined.”
On Thursday, NSW Police fined a Sydney a massage parlour owner, three staff members and a returned traveller from the Lake Macquarie area who were the first to receive infringements following amendments to the Public Health Act.
Angelica Snowden 10.12pm: 600 Private hospital nurses stood down
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association says 600 private hospital nurses have been stood down after the federal government’s “bungled” announcement about elective surgery.
The nurses, who have been told to take leave or start looking for another job, were employed by Healthe Care and were told in a letter that they were out of work for four weeks.
NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said the “damage was done” after Scott Morrison initially announced that elective surgery would be put on hold from Wednesday but later announced they would be able to go ahead until April 1.
“Wednesday’s announcement by the Federal Government to suspend all elective surgery, other than category 1 and urgent category 2 cases, sent shockwaves through private hospital sector nursing staff,” Mr Holmes said in a statement.
“With little time to negotiate logistics around the distribution of any resources to the public hospital sector, private hospital employers have taken the drastic step of laying off their highly skilled, lifesaving workforce in the middle of a global health crisis,” he said.
The nurses were stood down from the Forster Private Hospital on the Mid North Coast and Hirondelle Private Hospital at Chatswood on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.
The CEO said the government should legislate to ensure there are no further losses to an essential workforce amid the coronavirus crisis.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to fix the mess it has made, by way of legislation and funding, to ensure we do not see the capacity of our public and private health services diminished overnight.”
Angelica Snowden 9.45pm: Prince Charles emerges post diagnosis on Instagram
The Prince of Wales joined in the ‘Clap for our Carers’ movement in the UK, appearing in a video on Instagram for the first time since he was diagnosed with coronavirus.
The 71-year-old heir to the throne was pictured participating in a national round of applause in a show appreciation for National Health Service staff.
Prince Charles’ wife Camilla could also be seen in the video, but it is clear she was filmed clapping at a separate location while she isolates from her husband.
He was “enormously touched” by “get well soon messages”, according to another post from Clarence House on Instagram.
He was not the only royal taking part in the country-wide Clap for Carers.
His grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were filmed by the Cambridges applauding, while the tribute was also observed at Windsor Castle where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are staying.
It was no surprise the prince was pictured in a suit despite his mild symptoms of coronavirus.
Paige Taylor 9.25pm: Perth man charged for failing to self-isolate
A 61-year-old Perth man has been charged with failing to self-isolate after a holiday in Indonesia.
West Australian Police allege they caught the man going to the beach after somebody alerted them. Failing to self isolate from COVID-19 after overseas travel or after close contact with someone known to be infected attracts a fine of up to $50,000 in WA under special state o emergency laws.
“It will be alleged the man returned to Western Australia from Indonesia, on Thursday 1 March 2020,” according to a police statement sent to media.
“A member of the public contacted Police regarding this man and when inquiries were mad it is alleged he was travelling to the beach.
“Under the Western Australian Emergency Management Act, a Directionhas been made requiring anyone who returned from overseas travel to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.”
It is alleged the man failed to self-quarantine, and he was subsequently charged.
The 61-year-old man from Carlisle has been charged via summons with one count of ‘Failure to Comply with Direction’ under section 86(1)(a) of the Emergency Act of Western Australia.
He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
Eli Greenblat 8.48pm: Myer closes, 10,000 staff sent home
In one of the biggest shocks to the retail sector in a week where tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, the nation’s biggest department store Myer has decided to close its stores for four weeks and stand down 10,000 staff.
It is a butter blow for the 120 year old retailer and Australia’s biggest department store, and is the latest casualty from the health crisis.
It follows Thursday’s decision by Premier Investments, owner of chains like Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti and Smiggle, to close down in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic with the loss of 9000 jobs.
But the closure of Myer is the biggest deathknell to an already embattled retail sector with many now looking to David Jones to see when it will close.
Myer said late Friday night the health and wellbeing of customers, team members, their families and the broader communities in which they operate remains Myer’s absolute priority.
“We are, therefore, fully supportive of the various measures undertaken by both governments, and their respective agencies, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through social isolation and distancing measures, including staying at home, wherever possible.”
As such, Myer said it will temporarily close all stores from the close of business on Sunday, for an initial period of four weeks until April 27.
Myer will continue to operate all online businesses, while ensuring a safe and hygienic environment for those team members.
Myer has reduced the threshold for free delivery to $49 per order and has relaxed the returns policy.
Myer said it has also made the “difficult decision” to stand down approximately 10,000 team members across the store network and Store Support Office, from March 30 March.
“As team members will not be working, they will not be paid during this period of imposed closure.”
Amos Aikman 8.30pm: Darwin woman tests positive after Pakistan trip
A Darwin woman in her 50s who recently returned from overseas has tested positive for coronavirus this afternoon.
She was in self-quarantine for a number of days after returning from Pakistan before developing mild symptoms.
The woman is being treated in isolation at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
The delay between returning home from travelling and becoming unwell means she is not considered to have been infectious on her flights.
Authorities said that under national guidelines, contact tracing on the flights was not required.
There are now 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Territory. Twelve of these cases are Territorians, one is from New South Wales and the other from Queensland.
Another Territory man diagnosed with COVID-19 is being cared for by New South Wales Health.
Agencies 8.10pm: Infected cruise passengers treated in WA
Nine people confirmed or suspected of being infected with coronavirus have disembarked from the Artania cruise ship and will be treated in Perth. Premier Mark McGowan said they had been taken to hospital for an initial assessment then would be quarantined at police academy accommodation. “We were unable to secure a Commonwealth facility for this purpose,” he told reporters on Friday.
The healthy passengers and some crew will be flown to Germany on three planes at the weekend.
Agencies 7pm: ‘No beers’ in Tasmania’s ban on gatherings
Tasmania has banned gatherings of more than 10 people and warned those who don’t follow the rules could be fined up to $16,800.
The strict coronavirus measure applies to private and public gatherings from 6pm on Friday.
Premier Peter Gutwein said he didn’t want to see groups of people having “a few beers” at the beach in forecast sunny weather at the weekend. “We don’t want to see backyard parties, we don’t want to see parties in the park ... parties at the beach,” he said.
“It’s not on. The message is clear. Unless you need to go to work, to go out to get supplies, stay at home and save lives.” The gathering ban is indefinite and will only end “when the risk has been lowered”, Mr Gutwein said.
An exception is for families of more than 10 people in the same household. Tasmania has recorded 47 virus cases but there not yet any evidence of community transmission. Five people have recovered.
In other new measures, travellers who have spent 14 days in isolation interstate will still be forced to quarantine for two weeks in Tasmania. Overseas visitors will be obliged to self-isolate in one of three soon-to-be- opened state-government-controlled facilities.
Paige Taylor 6.15pm: Five month-old baby infected in Perth
A five month old baby has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Perth as testing clinics in Western Australia confirmed another five former passengers from the Ruby Princess have coronavirus.
The baby with the disease is at home with both parents, who also have COVID-19, West Australian Health Minister Roger Cook told reporters.
WA recorded an additional 24 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, eleven of them from cruise ships including five from the Ruby Princess that disembarked 2700 passengers at Circular Quay last week.
WA police commissioner Chris Dawson confirmed two of his officers arrested a woman who was a known close contact of a person with COVID-19 but was not self isolating. Two police officers arrested her in the central business district of Perth.
“She was non compliant there was no confidence that she was going to remain out of contact,” Mr Dawson told reporters.
“She is not presently listed as COVID-19 positive but all of the evidence indicates that she’s been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive for those reasons the chief health officer has issued a direction and she is under guard at a Perth facility.
“People have to understand if you are in close contact with someone that’s had COVID-19 and you are not adhering to that (self isolation) you need to understand you will be confined in custody.
“The appeal to the rest of the community is take this seriously.”
READ MORE: ‘Fit, healthy’ Ray dead within 48 hours
Remy Varga 6pm: Police called to disperse crowds at St Kilda beach
Victoria Police officers have arrived to clear St Kilda beach after beachgoers flouted social distancing, triggering the closure of 11km of Melbourne’s beaches.
Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss ordered the closure, effective from 6pm Friday, after images of beachgoers congregating in groups sparked condemnation.
“People just aren’t listening,” she told 3AW.
Crowds of Melbourne beachgoers flocked to St Kilda despite similar scenes at Bondi Beach last weekend that sparked a rebuke from the PM.
At the same time Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was warning the public that people would die if social distancing measures weren’t observed, Melburnians on Tuesday gathered to enjoy the sunshine by the water.
Melburnians must stay at least 1.5m from each other, about two arms length, to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
St Kilda Beach 3pm.
— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) March 27, 2020
Dozens ignoring the Government advice on social distancing. #coronavirusaus #9News pic.twitter.com/50pefZj57c
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told reporters on Thursday that he did not want to see a repeat of what happened in NSW.
“We absolutely do not want to see large groups of people sitting cheek to jowl on the beach, on their mats, blowing up their blow-up things and getting on them,” he said.
“That’s just ridiculous.”
On Friday, Premier Andrews flagged Victoria would head into a stage-3 shutdown by Wednesday.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was “not okay” that thousands of people had gathered at Bondi Beach on the weekend.
Amanda hodge 5.35pm: Indonesia plea for medical staff
The Indonesian government has appealed for 1500 doctors and 2500 nurses and ambulance drivers to work at hospitals earmarked to handle COVID-19 cases as a mass exodus from Jakarta has raised fears the outbreak could escalate rapidly across the archipelago.
Health ministry spokesman Achmad Yurianto made the urgent call for volunteers late Thursday, just days after the Indonesian Doctors’ Association warned the country’s underfunded health system could not cope with a “worst-case scenario” such as in Italy where 80,579 people have been infected and some 8200 died.
Indonesia has some of the lowest ratios of doctors and hospital beds per capita in the region. Of 78 Indonesian COVID-19 deaths so far, at least ten have been doctors and nurses _ many of whom have had to work with insufficient protective clothing equipment.
On Friday the government received 40 tonnes of medical equipment from China, including N95 masks, medical protective gear, and rapid testing kits.
Indonesian public health expert Hasbullah Thabrany says one of the biggest problems is that the country has only 1200 lung specialists proficient in treating respiratory illnesses for a population of 267 million.
“Right now we can still handle up to 5000 cases as long as they are not concentrated in just one or just a few areas,” he told The Weekend Australian.
“But once it crosses that number then it will be a problem for us, a big strain. More than half of the cases right now are in Jakarta.”
Indonesia’s 893 infections and 78 deaths have overwhelmingly occurred in Jakarta and neighbouring West Java, though 27 of the country’s 34 provinces now have confirmed cases.
But tens of thousands of people have begun fleeing the capital ahead of a feared ban on returning home to their villages for the Idul Fitri Muslim holidays, and as work has dried up under emergency measures that have seen schools closed and many working from home.
President Joko Widodo, whose 77-year-old mother died of cancer on Thursday, has repeatedly ruled out a lockdown of the capital because of the effect it would have on the country’s army of vulnerable, informal workers who live hand to mouth and would have no way of putting food on the table if they could not go out to work.
He has also overruled lockdowns proposed in Papua, North Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara province, but local administrations have begun defying the President.
READ MORE: Medics pay price with predictions half Indonesia has virus
Sarah Elks 5.25pm: Voting in locked down communities
Queensland’s remote indigenous communities are in lock-down to protect vulnerable residents from coronavirus, but that has not stopped voting in tomorrow’s local government elections.
A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission of Queensland said the commission’s remote voting team had already gone to communities to allow citizens to vote, before locking the votes into a box for counting to begin in a central location once polls close.
The remote voting team was declared an essential service - to ensure they could visit the remote Indigenous communities in the Torres Strait and Cape York during the ban on non-essential travel - and underwent special health screening to make sure they were well.
There are also extra arrangements in place to make sure residents from the Cape York community of Aurukun can vote, given many fled the community due to unrest early in January.
There will be voting in Aurukun on election day - accompanied by extra police - and there’s been voting open in other communities where Aurukun residents are temporarily living.
Postal voting is another option.
Victoria Laurie 5.15pm: WA gun shops ordered closed
Gun shops have been ordered to shut up shop immediately across Western Australia, as part of emergency measures to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
The order was announced by Premier Mark McGowan almost simultaneously with the introduction of the midday ban on trade by all gun shops and firearm dealerships.
“There is no need for over-the-counter gun sales in this environment, full stop,” he told a media briefing.
He said the move was being taken to protect the community, and follows stage two restrictions to close down community sporting facilities and other venues such as shooting ranges and gun clubs.
“While it is recognised licensed firearm owners and dealers exercise high compliance, these preventative measures are being taken in the interests of community safety,” he said.
“Given the closure of firearm sporting clubs and shooting venues, and the need to comply with social distancing, there is effectively no need for over the counter sales at gun stores.
“Importantly we will ensure farmers and rural landholders continue to have access to ammunition for pest control and animal welfare reasons.
Rachel Baxendale 5.12pm: Melbourne victims were cancer patients
Two men in their 70s who died of Coronavirus in Victoria on Wednesday night were cancer patients Melbourne’s Alfred hospital.
The hospital confirmed on Friday the haematology and oncology war had been placed in lockdown after three staff and four inpatients, including the two who died, tested positive for COVID-19.
“A full investigation, including contact tracing, is being undertaken to identify the source of transmission, which is still unknown,” the hospital said in a statement.
“Those who had contact with the patients have been notified and have isolated in line with current health advice and guidelines.
“Two patients remain in hospital, and two have died.
“Three ward staff have since tested positive for COVID-19, with others in self-isolation.”
Alfred Health chief executive Prof Andrew Way said the situation was distressing for the staff, patients and families involved, and a full investigation was underway.
“It is important that we complete the contact tracing to truly understand what has happened, and I appreciate how upsetting this is for everyone involved,” Prof Way said.
“This situation highlights how devastating the virus can be for vulnerable patients.
“I urge the community to follow health advice and to self-isolate if they’re unwell. We need to act now to protect those at risk in our community.”
READ MORE: What stage three lockdowns look like
Amos Aikman 5.10pm: Two cases in remote NT community
A police officer and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus in a remote Northern Territory community.
The couple returned to Central Australia on a Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Yulara on Sunday, before driving to their home in Harts Range about 140km northeast of Alice Springs.
Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the pair had minimal contact with other people and followed all self-isolation protocols. He said they had self-administered a test left outside their house by a health worker after the pair reported feeling unwell. Contract-tracing was being done by health authorities to warn anyone who might be at risk.
Commissioner Chalker then launched into what appeared to be an extraordinary attack on media reporting the pandemic.
“Unfortunately, that (contact tracing) has been escalated today because of contact into the community that has seen the health staff being asked to leave and also the local council personnel leave,” he said.
“There is no need for that, with what is before us at the moment, and I would like to apologise to the residents of the community near the Harts Range Police Station, which is some two-and-a-half kilometres away, for the distress that has been caused to them by the actions of people external to that community making contact with them and creating a sense of fear and apprehension.
“I think you will all agree, it is despicable behaviour.”
Health Minister Natasha Fyles was pressed but declined repeatedly earlier on Friday to confirm whether or not the Central Australian couple, who her department said on Thursday had tested positive, had self-isolated in a remote community.
READ MORE: ‘Fit, healthy’ Ray dead in 48 hours
Stephen Lunn 4.50pm: Isolation, anxiety, jobs ‘cocktail for alcohol misuse’
The heightened stress of social isolation, anxiety about actual or potential job losses or business shutdowns and the overarching threat of living through a global pandemic is creating a cocktail of conditions ripe for alcohol misuse, experts have warned.
Particularly when staying at home means supply is as close by as the fridge or kitchen cupboard.
With pubs, clubs and restaurants closed, takeaway alcohol outlets are seeing queues for supplies ahead of the phase 3 restrictions set to be imposed by federal and state governments. Some states have already imposed purchase limits to restrict bulk buying.
“Australians do have a complex cultural relationship with alcohol that runs deep,” said Sam Biondi, Executive Officer of the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association.
“It is embedded in our celebrations, our commiserations, it’s part of social participation, we don’t like wowsers. Yet its misuse creates a range of harms.”
“Look at China in recent times. There has been a reported huge increase in domestic violence. As people spend more time in social isolation here, in close contact with alcohol, I suspect the story of its broader impact will be written in the months ahead,” Mr Biondi said.
He called on people to closely monitor their own and others mental health closely in the coming weeks and not to use alcohol to address what are understandable feelings of stress and anxiety.
“Exercise, garden, clean the house, maintain a normal routine and try to keep away from dark emotional places. And don’t use alcohol if you are there,” Mr Biondi said.
DrinkWise ambassador Andrew Rochford said the unexpected time at home created conditions conducive to alcohol misuse, and people should be mindful about how much they are consuming.
“This has been triggered by a world event that none of us saw coming,” Dr Rochford said. “There will be the primary effect of people falling ill to the virus, but there will also be the secondary effect of people being at home, bored, anxious and with time on their hands. That’s a dangerous mix.”
“It’s really important to also take care of your physical and mental health during this time of self-isolation by continuing to exercise, calling your family and friends to check-in and remaining as positive as you can for those isolating with you,” he said.
Another issue is how parents navigate their alcohol consumption given they are spending greater amounts of time in the house with their children during the current crisis.
“Kids are always watching and learning, so parents must display positive role modelling as it does influence children’s’ attitudes to alcohol when they grow up,” Dr Rochford said.
He said there had been significant gains made in drinking culture in Australia, and there had been a worldwide trend away from excessive alcohol consumption by young people.
“We don’t want to see this slip back as we look to adjust to the new normal,” he said.
READ MORE: Anxious callers swamp support services
Matthew Denholm 4.37pm: Backyard parties banned in Tassie
Tasmania has banned gatherings of more than 10 people and announced even further restrictions on arrivals that could force some people to self-isolate twice, for a combined 28 days.
Premier Peter Gutwein announced the further measures on Friday, saying from 6pm it would be illegal for more than 10 people to gather in public or at home.
“What I don’t want to see this weekend is groups of people congregating … we want to ensure that people do the right thing,” he said.
“We don’t want to see backyard parties. We don’t want to see parties in the parks. We don’t want to see parties at the beach. It will be an offence from 6pm.”
Those breaching this emergency order, which had no end date, could be fined $16,800.
Mr Gutwein said at least three state-run quarantine facilities would be set up in hotels across the state and arrivals who had come back from overseas by sea or air since March 14 would be sent to these hotels for 14 days isolation.
This would be in addition to any 14 days isolation undergone at their port of entry on the Australian mainland.
As well, Mr Gutwein said he was considering extending this requirement – to spend 14 days in a state-run quarantine hotel - to all arrivals in the state, including those who had not been overseas.
READ MORE: How to party while you’re in isolation
Paul Garvey 4.32pm: Virus victim ‘fit, healthy and active’
The family of the latest Western Australian to die from coronavirus say he was a “very fit, healthy and active man with no underlying health issues”.
73-year-old Ray Daniels passed away at the Joondalup Health Campus yesterday, making him the second Western Australian to die from the virus.
His family released a statement through Western Australian police on Friday, saying they were “completely devastated” by Mr Daniels’ sudden death.
“He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning. He died within 48 hours,” the family said.
“Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us. Everybody needs to take this virus seriously and follow the health advise that is being given.”
Mr Daniels’ son is a serving police officer.
Rachel Baxendale 4.26pm: Andrews welcomes hotel quarantines
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews welcomed the decision of national cabinet to quarantine returning travellers in hotels, saying the group of people was “one of the highest risk groups” for spreading coronavirus.
“It almost doesn’t matter what country they’re coming from, this is running so wildly rampant in a number of other countries that if you’ve been in international airports, if you’re coming back from anywhere really, you are an unacceptable risk if we just let you go about your business,” Mr Andrews said.
“You’ve got to quarantine, and we are now going to have a situation from midnight tomorrow night, that you won’t be quarantining at home on some honesty basis, you will be quarantined with appropriate support, at a hotel, whether it be here in the CBD, in the suburbs, or in regional areas, and we’ll try and make those arrangements as convenient as we can.”
Mr Andrews said he would make further announcements about how the quarantining arrangements would work on Saturday.
He said the use of the hotels was not just a health response, but an economic one, in that it would give work to businesses and workers who had lost business and jobs the chance to earn money and help others.
“We’ve got 5000 rooms, basically on standby now. We will do the work to flex up, to step up to that challenge,” Mr Andrews said.
“We’ve got between 1300 and 2000 people arriving back in Melbourne each day.
“Those numbers perhaps will drop off in coming days, but we have sufficient capacity and we’ve done the work early, to be able to accommodate those people.”
Mr Andrews said those compulsorily quarantined would be housed, fed and transported at the state’s expense.
He said the Australian Defence Force would also work alongside Victoria Police to ensure compliance with quarantine requirements.
READ MORE: Business hibernation plan fails to fire up ASX
Rachel Baxendale 4.22pm: ‘Unlike any autumn weekened we’ve had’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has urged Victorians to stay home for a weekend “unlike any autumn weekend we’ve ever had before” to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
With sunny skies and mild weather, the first weekend of the school holidays would ordinarily be a time for families and friends to be out and about together.
But Mr Andrews said that if people could stay home, they must.
“You cannot be going out to the shopping centre unless you need to go shopping for the things you need when you need them,” he said.
“You cannot be down at the skate park. You cannot be at a beach.
“I really hope we don’t see again the sorts of scenes we saw in Bondi last weekend. That is simply putting lives at risk. People will die if Victorians act in that way.”
Adeshola Ore 4.19pm: Cancer screening postponed due to coronavirus
BreastScreen Australia has temporarily suspended its breast cancer screening services in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement, the organisation said it would postpone current bookings.
“This is to protect the immediate health and wellbeing of our clients, staff and the wider South Australian community,” the statement on its website read.
People awaiting results, will still receive them and be offered further testing if needed at an assessment centre.
Rachel Baxendale 4.13pm: Three Victorian patients now in intensive care
There are 22 Victorians currently in hospital with coronavirus, including three patients in intensive care, Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed on Friday afternoon, with the release of further details on the state’s 574 coronavirus cases.
There have been no new deaths since three men in their 70s were confirmed on Thursday to have died.
The total number of cases includes 332 men and 241 women, with people aged
from eight to 88.
There are 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Victoria that may have been
acquired through community transmission.
More than 27,800 Victorians have been tested, and 172 people have
recovered.
Of the total 574 cases, there have been 475 in metropolitan Melbourne and
85 in regional Victoria. A number of cases remain under investigation.
READ MORE: Virus warning: Westfield owner accused
Paige Taylor 4.05pm: Infected cruise passengers brought ashore
Nine passengers from the coronavirus-infected German cruise ship Artania — seven confirmed to have COVID-19 and two others suspected to have it — have been brought ashore at Fremantle south of Perth and taken to hospital.
West Australian premier Mark McGowan said the passengers were taken off the ship to be assessed in hospital and would then go to WA Police Academy accommodation at Joondalup for 14 days of quarantine.
The remaining passengers - around 800 people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland - will be flown home this weekend on three planes that will be sent to Perth by the German government.
No Australians are aboard the Artania.
READ MORE: Jack the Insider: Trousers optional amid cabin fever blues
Elias Visontay 3.58pm: States to bring in harsher lockdowns: PM
Scott Morrison has acknowledged certain states will introduce harsher lockdown measures ahead of others, as he vows to not be “cavalier” in his decisions to force more businesses to shut.
“Going forward, the states and territories are getting in different phases of where the virus is...you may see in the future, greater variation in how far restrictions go in some parts of the country versus others,” the Prime Minister said.
“I would encourage those where greater restrictions are not imposed, that is not in any way a suggestion that those jurisdictions are taking this any less seriously.”
Mr Morrison again warned that any restrictions implements would need to be in place for six months, and defended his approach as being representative of all state and territory leaders and chief health experts.
“I sometimes noted that those who often are pushing for greater restrictions, they will keep their job. I am not going to be so cavalier about it.
“I will make sure I fight for every job I can because I know that that job means something very important to that person, and the family. And I would not compromise that principle, save only that there would be a compelling health reason to do so.
“This weekend I hope you have a good one, it will be quite different to the ones you have had in the past,” Mr Morrison said.
READ MORE: Miners may pool resources to fight virus appeal
Sarah Elks 3.45pm: Queensland records 62 more cases
Queensland has recorded another 62 confirmed cases of coronavirus overnight, taking the state’s total to 555.
Health Minister Steven Miles said 80 per cent of all of Queensland’s cases were acquired overseas, with most of the rest from contact with confirmed cases.
More than 42,965 tests have been carried out.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said there was no local transmission in Queensland, but new quarantine measures announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison were essential to contain new cases from Queenslanders returning home from overseas.
“At the moment in Queensland we do not have community transmission, we have a small number of cases throughout the state...where we’re not sure where the person got the infection,” Dr Young said.
“But the numbers are tiny...we want to keep that for as long as possible.”
She said the situation was better in Queensland than it was in Sydney - where there was community transmission.
READ MORE: Low risk of further party cases
Rebecca Urban 3.33pm: Doors close on school before and after care
Operators of before and after-school care programs have begun closing services and laying off staff, as attendance rates fall around 98 per cent amid widespread school shutdowns.
A coalition of Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) providers has warned that the sector is facing an impending collapse, which would also threaten the capacity of Australia’s essential workforces who require care for children.
The coalition of five operators, including Junior Adventures Group, TeamKids, Camp Australia, TheirCare and the YMCA, have called for an urgent change to the Federal Government’s Child Care Subsidy, which primarily funds their operations.
“While many schools remain open, students are being urged by individual schools and/or government to stay home and attendances at OSHC .. have collapsed leaving our staff with no work to do,” said Sinead Ryan, a spokesperson for the providers.
“Our sector faces no choice but to commence the closure of services across the country, leaving large parts of our workforce without work.
“As the number and rate of stand-downs of childcare professionals increase it will become extremely difficult to recommence services once schools re-open.”
OSHC service providers are primarily funded via the Child Care Subsidy, a government payment that is calculated on the number of children attending the services.
With attendance in freefall, the funding mechanism meant most services were now incurring crippling losses, Ms Ryan said.
“In the last three weeks, attendances at the hundreds of schools around Australia where we provide our services have fallen by as much as 98 per cent, and in many cases this week we opened services to provide before and after school care and attendances were zero,” she said.
“The children in our care are at the forefront of everything we do. We are heartbroken for our childcare professionals, who provide a vital and valuable service, but without a change to the funding model we simply have no revenue coming in. We need a resolution from Government on assistance to the sector immediately.”
Commonwealth, state and territory ministers were expected to discuss the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the child care industry at Friday’s Education Council meeting.
Read more: What’s happening with your school
David Murray 3.20pm: 80 wedding guests exposed to virus risk
A group of 80 wedding guests and staff at a Sunshine Coast surf club have been exposed to a person who has since tested positive to the coronavirus.
Sunshine Beach Surf Club says it was contacted by Queensland Health on Wednesday, advising of a “low risk’’ to patrons who attended the club on March 14 and 15.
“On Saturday March 14 a visitor to the region attended a wedding reception in our function room,” a club statement reads.
“He/she also had lunch the next day on one of our decks between 12.30 and just before 2pm. Queensland Health has contacted all 80 of the wedding guests and none had reported illness.’’
Queensland Health had sought information from the club about the layout of the venue, walls, dividers and bathroom layouts, as well as the names and contacts of staff.
“QH had contacted all 80 of the wedding guests and none had reported illness. None of our staff have reported illness.’’
Wedding guests and staff should self-isolate until March 28, and monitor their health, Queensland Health advised.
The person who tested positive had left the area on the Sunday afternoon.
A Queensland Health alert on Thursday said the patron attended: Noosaville’s Land and Sea Brewery on Friday March 13 from 1-3pm; Sum Young Guys restaurant, Sunshine Beach, on Friday March 13 from 6.45pm-8.45pm; and the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club on Saturday March 14, from 3.45-11.30pm and Sunday March 15 from 12.30-2pm.
The news follows a separate, unrelated outbreak that started at a 50th birthday party at Noosa’s Sails restaurant on Saturday, March 14. That case has been linked back to a guest who had just returned from the US ski resort of Aspen. Up to 30 guests and staff who attended the birthday party have tested positive to the coronavirus since dispersing throughout the state.
READ MORE: Forced to think outside the pox
Elias Visontay 3pm: Travellers targeted by new shutdown measures
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has sought to assure the public that health authorities will “look after” returning Australians forced into government quarantine at hotels.
Professor Murphy also acknowledged community transmission was the “single most important concern for the health experts”.
He said there are just over 3000 confirmed cases in Australia.
“We are worried about the growth, but as the Prime Minister said we’re in an almost unique situation in this country in that even now a substantial part of the new cases are returned travellers.
“Our numbers have not been helped by a recent cruise ship, which has given lots of cases in Sydney. More than two-thirds (of Australian cases) are returned travellers, and a significant proportion of the other cases have been transmitted from returned travellers.
“The single most important thing we can do is completely stop the capacity for any returning traveller transmitting the virus. We would look after them when they get the virus, as some will do, as they continue to come home.
“We are also worried about community transmission. That is the single most important concern for the health experts. There is small amounts of community transmission in some pockets in Sydney, which is probably the most significant in the country, but tiny pockets in other states.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus pain must be shared around
Elias Visontay 2.50pm: Businesses put into ‘hibernation’ amid virus
Scott Morrison has announced a plan to “hibernate” Australian businesses to help those that are forced to shut due to COVID-19 to reopen after the pandemic.
The Prime Minister said the plan would be announced when the “third tranche” of economic support is unveiled, and will include assistance on rental payments, debt, and “other liabilities”.
“The idea is pretty simple,” Mr Morrison said. “There are businesses which will have to close their doors. They will have to keep them closed, either because we have made it necessary for them to do so or simply there is just not the business to keep their doors open.
“We want those businesses to start again ... we do not want over the course of the next six months or as long as it takes for those businesses to be so saddled by debt, so saddled by rental payments, so saddled by other liabilities that they will not be able to start again on the other side.
“We want these businesses to effectively go into a hibernation. Which means on the other side, the employees come back. the opportunities come back, the economy comes back. This will underpin our strategy, as we go to the third tranche (of economic support).
“There will be a burden for everyone to share, and that will include the business as well. There’ll be landlords who will suffer. There’ll be the banks.”
READ MORE: Is a takeover on the horizon for Virgin?
Elias Visontay 2.35pm: International arrivals face strict isolation
Everyone arriving at an Australian international airport will be forced to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks as the government responds to the large number of cases related to returning travellers.
Scott Morrison announced Australian Defence Force personnel would assist in the compliance of the measures, which are set to come into effect from midnight on Saturday.
“By no later than midnight tomorrow, that’s 11.59pm Saturday, states and territories will be quarantining all arrivals through airports in hotels and other accommodation facilities for the two weeks of their mandatory self isolation, before they are able to return to their home,” the Prime Minister said.
“If their home is in South Australia, or in Perth, or in Tasmania, and they have arrived in Melbourne. They will be quarantining in Melbourne. If it’s in Sydney, it will be in Sydney,” he said.
Mr Morrison said two thirds of confirmed cases in Australia are, or have been caused by, an Australian returning home. “Each state will be doing the heavy lifting themselves.
“This will be enforced by the state and territory governments. The Commonwealth will be supporting them with all manner of assistance, which will relate to the work done by the border force, logisticians and other supports that will be necessary.”
READ MORE: What’s happening with your school
Staff Reporters 2.10pm: Morrison to speak after National Cabinet
Scott Morrison will hold a media conference after a meeting with his national team lasting more than three hours. Stage three shutdowns were expected to be high on the agenda at the meeting.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 2.05pm: Trump: Republican convention still on
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will not cancel the Republican National Convention in August over coronavirus concerns.
In an interview with Fox News on Friday Trump said “we’re not going to cancel” in reference to the event that formally anoints the Republican candidate for President, asserting that America will have recovered from the pandemic by then.
“I think we’re going to be in great shape long before then,” he said.
Earlier on Friday the US supplanted China as the country with the most confirmed cases of COVID-19, recording 85,500 cases as of Friday to China’s 81,782.
Despite reaching this milestone, President Trump has continued to claim that Americans “want to get back to work” and is reportedly working on new guidelines to balance social distancing with everyday life.
The last Republican National Convention in 2016 was held in Cleveland, Ohio, in a venue that held more than 20,000 people.
Mr Trump did not say if the upcoming convention, slated to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a similarly sized venue, would restrict attendees to minimise coronavirus infection risks.
READ MORE: Trousers optional amid cabin-fever blues
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.50pm: New NT cases amid borders crackdown
The Northern Territory has confirmed five more coronavirus cases, health minister Natasha Fyles announced on Friday. It brings the total number of cases in the territory to 12, still the lowest of any state or mainland territory, excluding Jarvis Bay.
Ms Fyles said one of the cases was a Queensland resident and two were residents of Central Australia, but she was unable to confirm if they belonged to a remote Aboriginal community.
“We have a couple from Central Australia that landed at Yulara … they immediately isolated themselves following advice they had to follow as an international traveller,” Ms Fyles said.
“They are in Alice Springs Hospital right now … I have provided the information I know.”
Ms Myles said that all instances of coronavirus within the territory were linked to people who travelled overseas, announcing the expansion of testing to essential workers to ensure any community transmission is quickly detected.
READ MORE: Still mystery behind the numbers
Adeshola Ore 1.35pm: Paramedics warn over depletion of protective gear
The Australian Paramedics Association has warned a surge in non-emergency calls related to coronavirus is depleting ambulance’s supplies of protective gear.
The body is calling on the NSW government to enact a state of emergency to ramp up funding for protective gear for frontline health workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
APA NSW President Chris Kastelan said paramedics were responding to non-emergency calls about the virus.
“At this point in time some of the calls relate to fear about COVID-19,” he said.
“People will just be calling us up because they have normal hyper allergies taking place with a sniffling nose and thinking they’ve come into contact with COVID-19. But it’s normally apparent that they haven’t come into contact with it.”
“If it’s just information or just checking up on symptoms, then there are other avenues for the general community to seek information from without having to phone triple zero.”
Mr Kastelan said because of the risk of coronavirus, paramedics were required to use more personal protective equipment such as gowns and gloves.
“Subsequently this gear is running out at a much higher rate than what as considered. So the evidence we’re being told by our members is that there is insufficient levels of PPE in the state to manage the current workload.”
“NSW Ambulance has been trying to implement strategies to not use as much PPE, which we would say is ridiculous because if a paramedic believes it is deemed necessary, they are obliged to use that.”
Mr Kastelan said paramedics had experienced call workloads similar to peak times such as New Year’s Eve and Australia Day. The association said there were approximately 3700 calls in one 24-hour period from Friday evening to Saturday morning.
“The demand is enormous because there’s a lot of fear in the community. This kind of demand doesn’t happen on a day-to-day basis normally.”
READ MORE: Rent, tax relief from coronavirus
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.25pm: NSW surf lifesavers to abandon beaches
Surf lifesavers will no longer regularly patrol beaches in New South Wales, citing concerns over coronavirus and to support the government’s position in discouraging large gatherings of people at beaches.
On Friday Surf Life Saving New South Wales announced that all patrols by volunteer surf lifesavers on NSW beaches will be cancelled immediately for the remainder of the 2019-20 patrolling season, which ends April 25.
SLSNSW said they will attempt to maintain an adequate level of lifesaving capability by forming emergency club call out teams that can respond to emergencies, enhanced support operations – like surf life saving boats, and drone surveillance operations.
The state operations centre, known as SurfCom, will continue to operate in order to co-ordinate emergency response missions.
READ MORE: Next step would be brutal but effective
Geoff Chambers 1.10pm: ‘Protect business, households through hibernation’
The Australian Energy Regulator is putting pressure on the nation’s energy retailers and networks to protect households and small businesses through a “hibernation” period as they cope with the economic shock of COVID-19.
Josh Frydenberg and Angus Taylor said the government would closely monitor retailer and network compliance with the new AER measures.
Under the AER statement of expectations, the regulator has urged retailers to waive any disconnection, reconnection and contract break fees for small businesses who have “gone into hibernation”.
They’ve also called for a waiving of daily supply charges to retailers during any period of disconnection through to at least July 31.
The AER wants the major energy companies to offer “all households and small businesses who indicate they may be in financial stress a payment plan or hardship arrangement” and to not disconnect customers without their agreement over the next four months.
READ the full article here
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.55pm: NSW cases spread to central west
NSW Health has released more details of the additional 186 cases that were announced on Friday, revealing that the virus has spread as far as Bathurst, infecting a doctor from the central-west town, while two foreign navy personnel from a group of 100 currently in Sydney have tested positive.
Two of the new cases originated from a wedding in Bali on 21 March, NSW health said. Five other people present at the wedding have also tested positive but are residents of other states.
A doctor from the Base Hospital in Bathurst has also tested positive, with NSW health investigating how a doctor 200 km west of Sydney could have contracted the virus.
NSW Health also revealed that that a one-year-old child confirmed to have COVID-19 on Thursday attended a childcare centre while asymptomatic. The centre, which has not been named, will be closed while contact tracing is completed.
Two cases have also been identified in a group of 100 Chilean navy personnel who have been in NSW since March 1. NSW Health said the seamen were isolating in hotels in Sydney.
There are now 162 confirmed cases diagnosed in NSW who were on board the Ruby Princess and 41 confirmed cases from the Ovation of the Seas.
READ MORE: 75 questions about the virus answered
Cameron Stewart 12.50pm: Trump and the politics of a pandemic
As the spread of coronavirus escalated sharply across the United States two weeks ago, many Democrats believed the pandemic would all but kill Donald Trump’s chances of re-election.
The president had given his political opponents so much early fodder with his ill-considered and dismissive responses to the virus in the initial stages of its spread last month and early this month. Plus the economy was tanking.
Even now, as infection rates and the death toll starts to soar across the US, Trump’s performance is as uneven as the weather — strong on one day and all over the place the next day.
But as the coronavirus crisis worsens, Americans are not criticising Trump’s handling of it in the numbers that Democrats expected.
It is clear that there are more complex factors at work here, including the traditional rallying around a national leader in a time of crisis.
Read Cameron’s full commentary on the US epidemic here.
Sarah Elks 12.40pm: Queensland set to go to polls on Saturday
More than one million Queenslanders have already voted in tomorrow’s local government elections and two state by-elections, as the state prepares to go to the polls in the midst of a global pandemic.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has insisted it is safe for people to go and vote – “there is no risk going to vote on Saturday...I’m more concerns with people going to Dan Murphy’s, the scenes I’ve seen there are appalling” – as long as they follow social distancing rules.
More than 120,000 Queenslanders voted at pre-poll on Thursday, bringing the total to more than one million people lodging an early vote.
As well as that, 570,000 people will receive a postal vote.
“This means that nearly half of eligible voters have voted, or have made arrangements to vote, ahead of Saturday’s polling day,” the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s latest statement says.
As well as all of the state’s councils up for election, there are two by-elections after the retirement of two long-serving state MPs.
The LNP’s Jann Stuckey leaves a vacancy in the Gold Coast seat of Currumbin, while the resignation of Labor’s Jo-Ann Miller leaves her seat of Bundamba up for grabs.
READ MORE: Remote lockdown with virus ‘at door’
Adeshola Ore 12.30pm: ACT confirms nine new cases, total 62
ACT has confirmed nine new cases of coronavirus, bringing the territory’s total to 62.
The new cases are all from overseas travel, including cruise ships. Two of the cases are close contacts of previous cases.
ACT Health said the new cases include six males and three females, aged between 21 and 73.
Health authorities say there are no confirmed community transmission cases of the virus in ACT.
There have been 3,698 negative COVID-19 tests in the territory. Five patients are currently in the Canberra hospital.
READ MORE: Existing drugs may be key to vaccine
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.25pm: China reports new locally transmitted case
Mainland China has reported its first locally transmitted coronavirus case in three days.
On Friday, China’s National Health Commission said there were 55 new cases confirmed on Thursday, with all but one being “imported cases.”
The locally transmitted case was from Zhejiang province on China’s east coast, approximately 900 kilometres away from Hubei province, the epicentre of the crisis and origin of the COVID-19 strain.
The high proportion of imported cases in mainland China have prompted harsh travel restrictions for those coming into the country while lockdowns are gradually relaxed for residents who have been subject to harsh regulations for weeks.
On Wednesday, China announced it was lifting travel restrictions on Hubei province, except for the city of Wuhan, allowing people to flow in and out of the state.
The following day the government announced that most foreign nationals would be temporarily barred from entering the country from Saturday.
The total number of infections for mainland China is now 81,340, with the death toll rising by five to 3,292.
READ MORE: Maurice Newman writes: Let’s never have so many eggs in China basket
Adeshola Ore 12.15pm: Two NSW cops test positive after disembarking ships
Two NSW police officers have tested positive to coronavirus after disembarking separate cruise ships.
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the two men were currently on leave, but in “good spirits.” The two officers have not worked since contracting the virus.
“My understanding is one officer has returned home and is self isolating and the other officer is still undergoing testing at the moment,” he said.
“They both contracted the virus travelling overseas it would appear. They certainly didn’t contract it in the execution of their duty but we are monitoring their health progress very closely.”
The police officers are based in the South Sydney Police Area Command and Murrumbidgee Police District.
One officer had been in self-isolation after returning from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. He tested positive to COVID-19 yesterday.
The other disembarked the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship in Sydney on March 18. He tested positive to the virus on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Police called to keep ships at bay
Adeshola Ore 12.15pm: Cue, Veronia Maine close stores
ustralian women clothing brands Cue and Veronika Maine will temporarily close their stores from today in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In an Instagram post, the company announced it would close all its Australian stores, including those within Myers and David Jones, from Friday at the close of business.
“As a family owned and operated business, we have had to make the most difficult decision in our 51 years,” the post signed by the founder managing director Rod Levis read.
“Our team are looking forward to welcoming you back in-store.”
READ MORE: Herny Ergas writes: Dangerous to ignore the costs
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.10pm: 75 coronavirus questions answered
Life in the time of coronavirus can be confusing — mixed messages from state and federal leaders and new discoveries about the nature of the coronavirus being made every day have left Australians confused as to what they should do. We answer seventy five common questions.
READ MORE HERE:
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.05pm: What stage 3 lockdowns look like
Retail stores, parks, schools, hairdressers and takeaway cafes could be the next venues to be closed and Australians could be confined to their homes if the government decides to move to stage three lockdown in response to the escalating coronavirus pandemic which has now infected more than 3000 Australians.
Stage two controls, imposed on Thursday, forced the closure of pools, galleries, banned weddings with more than five people and funerals with more than 10, and banned people from leaving the country.
The National Cabinet, composed of state and federal leaders, is meeting on Friday to discuss moving to “stage three”. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews were expected to lead the charge for further restrictions.
READ MORE HERE.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.50am: Ruby Princess ‘reported health status’
The senior vice-president of the company that operates the Ruby Princess cruise ship has released a video statement saying that federal and state health authorities were informed that passengers on the ship were experiencing symptoms of coronavirus.
The ship, which docked in Sydney last Thursday, was permitted to let passengers disembark before the results of thirteen people on-board who were tested for coronavirus were delivered. Over 140 passengers have tested positive to COVID-19 since and one has died.
In the statement, Princess Cruises’s Stuart Allison said the ship complied with all obligations and was considered low risk.
“Ruby Princess fully reported it’s health status using the official federal and state maritime reporting systems,” Mr Allison said.
“Ruby Princess was considered low risk for COVID-19 when she returned to Sydney last week.”
Mr Allison said the crew took the additional precaution of requiring guests experiencing flu-like symptoms to self-isolate and provided swabs for testing by NSW authorities in line with their obligations.
“The medical team was asked to provide swabs for testing and they were provided when Ruby Princess arrived back in Sydney.
“As we now know, some of the swabs of Ruby Princess tested positive. This news was as disappointing as it was unexpected.”
Mr Allison said Princess Cruises would comply with new arrangements governing the arrival of ships in Sydney.
On Thursday it was announced that all new ships would not be allowed to disembark passengers without the approval of the NSW Police Commissioner.
READ MORE: Bank loan losses ‘may top GFC’
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.25am: NZ sees record number of new cases
New Zealand has seen a record number of new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, despite the country implementing some of the harshest lockdown measures in the southern hemisphere on Wednesday.
On Wednesday New Zealand moved to alert level four restrictions which have been designed to “eliminate” the virus. All non-essential shops and businesses have been closed and residents have been ordered to shelter indoors as much as possible, but on Friday morning the New Zealand Ministry of Health announced the confirmation of an additional 85 cases, bringing the national tally to 368. There have been no reported deaths but it was revealed that one patient is in intensive care.
Anticipating a surge in cases, the New Zealand government has recruited 2500 non-practising or retired healthcare workers to assist in the national response, the Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said on Friday.
READ MORE: Experts split over lockdowns
Robert Gottliebsen 11.10am: Business world’s forgotten people
Today I plead with the Scott Morrison, Josh Frydenberg, Michaelia Cash and Karen Andrews: We have two large groups of forgotten people, self-employed and research and development groups, and they need your help. Right now, a self-employed person gets no help for their business and must join the Centrelink queue for money.
It’s the law of the jungle out there and small businesses, including the self-employed are refusing to pay each other while many large enterprises keep “losing invoices”. Right now, it is cash before delivery and for those who can’t pay, underworld-style threats and actions will soon break out.
In research and development, there is as incredible mess and unless industry minister Karen Andrews personally intervenes we will come out of the virus crisis with a destroyed R & D sector.
Read Robert’s full commentary here.
Paige Taylor 11.00am: Stranded Europeans flown home from Perth
More than 800 Europeans stranded on German cruise ship MS Artania off Perth will be flown to Frankfurt on special charter flights, according to a media statement from the company that owns the vessel.
The crisis over the ship escalated overnight as two people had to be taken off the ship to hospital in Perth, one with renal failure and the other after a heart attack. There are seven passengers on-board who have COVID-19.
In a media statement from Phoenix Reisen translated from German, the company writes: “We are currently in the organisational phase in order to be able to fly all guests out of Australia with specially chartered aircraft, probably on March 28th, 2020”.
West Australian premier Mark McGowan was adamant on Thursday the ship’s passengers would not be allowed to land except in the case of a life-threatening emergency.
He said it was possible the passengers could be flown home on mercy flights if the German government sent planes and if the operation was conducted under “strictest quarantine”.
WA used state of emergency powers to block the Artania from docking.
READ MORE: Spanish flu repeat ‘unlikely’
Adeshola Ore 10.45am: Stranded Aussie passengers leave Falklands
Passengers from a Norwegian cruise ship with more than 100 Australians on-board, include a group of medical professionals have boarded a chartered flight from the Falkland Islands.
In a statement, cruise operator Hurtigruten said 378 passengers from the MS Roald Amundsen began their journey home on Thursday, ten days after the original disembarkation date.
The Antarctica cruise was forced to redirected its route to a port in the Falkland Islands rather than the planned exit point of Punta Arenas, Chile due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said the company had negotiated with several embassies to secure the chartered flight home for its passengers.
‘”This has been a truly global co-operation. There were guests of more than 20 nationalities on board MS Roald Amundsen alone,” he said.
A Hurtigruten spokeswoman said there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the cruise ship.
READ MORE: Police called to keep cruise ships at bay
Matthew Denholm 10.25am: Tassie parents told: keep kids off school
Tasmanian parents have been advised to keep their children away from state schools from Monday, unless they are essential workers or unable to supervise their kids at home.
Premier Peter Gutwein said while the health advice had not changed in relation to schools, which are switching predominantly to online learning post-Easter, he acknowledged a degree of parental concern and teacher “anxiety”.
“As of Monday, the advice is: parents who can keep their children home and supervise them should (so do),” he said.
Mr Gutwein sought to allay fears of mainlander caravan and campervan visitors still streaming across the border, via the Bass Strait ferries.
“I have been informed that the only caravans and campervans that have been carried on the last two sailings of the Spirits (ferries) this week have been … owned by Tasmanians,” he said.
“Many Tasmanians have been travelling on the mainland or in many cases house their vans on the mainland, in Victoria … They are bringing them home.”
Mr Gutwein noted fine weather forecast for the weekend and urged Tasmanians – renowned for enthusiastic reactions to increases in temperature – not to forget social distancing and self-isolation requirements.
“Don’t have BBQs with your mates or booze ups in the park,” he said. “It’s not on.”
About 5,000 people in the state are meant to be in mandated self-isolation and Mr Gutwein said spot checks were being conducted by police and biosecurity officials.
The state has 47 coronavirus cases, including two children, but no evidence of community transition, with all cases linked directly or indirectly to cruise ship or overseas travel.
READ MORE: Remote lockdown with virus at the door
Adeshola Ore 10.20am: Brits come out to applaud health workers
Across the UK, thousands of people have applauded the country’s public health workers from their windows and balconies.
In videos posted across social media sites, neighbours are seen cheering and clapping together as a tribute to the country’s NHS employees.
Only cool thing I have seen in a while...My whole apartment block cheering for the NHS workers and everybody doing there bit #clapforourcarers pic.twitter.com/mVbx6Mhrjc
— Karl Dowling (@Karldowling89) March 26, 2020
Others brought pots and pans to amplify their message.
As we're right by Royal Free, a number of ambulances drove past - paramedics waving - as people were banging pots & pans, and cheering for the NHS.
— Elisabeth Mahase (@emahase_) March 26, 2020
A genuinely nice moment in all of this. #clapforourcarers pic.twitter.com/Mi3JTzT8pt
In Scotland, some people expressed their gratitude with bagpipes.
Scotland you are braw.
— Graeme Walker (@GromGrom2011) March 26, 2020
Thank you NHS.
We see you and we thank you ðŸ™ðŸ» ðŸ‘🻠pic.twitter.com/1a8ifm1345
On Twitter, Prime Minister Boris Johnson posted a video of himself and Finance Minister Rishi Sunak applauding from Downing Street.
“On behalf of the whole country, I want to thank all the incredible nurses, doctors, NHS support staff and carers who are working flat out to fight coronavirus,” he wrote.
On behalf of the whole country, I want to thank all the incredible nurses, doctors, NHS support staff & carers who are working flat out to fight coronavirus 👠#ClapForOurCarers #ClapForNHS
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 26, 2020
To help them, and protect the NHS, we need everyone to stay at home #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/kpdQ5KHQiy
Prince William and his wife Kate posted a video on Instagram of their three children George, Charlotte and Louis joining in the national applause.
Celebrities also joined in on the campaign. James Bond star, Daniel Craig posted a video of him and his partner clapping for the health workforce, alongside other film stars
Thank you to everyone, everywhere, who is working to keep us safe. #ClapForOurCarers #ClapForCarers #ClapForNHS pic.twitter.com/muULcU2vvy
— James Bond (@007) March 26, 2020
NHS staff have posted their messages of thanks online.
From a front liner, thank you ðŸ™ðŸ» I am still not over the response of people’s kind words and cheers â¤ï¸ #NHS pic.twitter.com/67okm5Mmei
— sophia stewart🌸🦋🦄 (@sophiastewart_) March 26, 2020
On Saturday, Boris Johnson issued a stay-at-home lockdown to fight the pandemic. He ordered the public to only leave their home to go grocery shopping, one daily form of exercise, medical services or going to work if it is essential.
READ MORE: AirBnB to offer free accommodation to relief workers
Rachel Baxendale 10.00am: Victoria cases rise to 574
Victoria’s number of Coronavirus cases has risen to 574, after another
54 people were confirmed as having the illness overnight.
The median age of cases is 47, ranging from eight to 88.
Three people have died in Victoria, 171 have recovered, and almost
28,000 have been tested.
READ MORE: The most infectious suburbs
John Ferguson 9.55am: Australia cases break 3,000 barrier
Australia’s confirmed coronavirus cases have broken the 3000 barrier after an extra 54 Victorians recorded positive.
Victorian government figures show there are now 574 confirmed cases.
The number of national confirmed cases will continue to climb today, although the rise in Victoria is not dramatic.
Four new cases have been reported in the Stonnington and Mornington Peninsula areas, which have dominated the numbers in Victoria.
These are two of the richest local government areas in the country, embracing Toorak, South Yarra and Portsea.
There are 58 confirmed cases in Stonnington and 39 in the Mornington Peninsula.
READ MORE: US leads world as cases rocket
Elias Visontay 9.50am: Greens call for NZ style shutdown
Greens leader Adam Bandt has called for a comprehensive nationwide lockdown of Australia, throwing the party’s support behind more stringent public health advice than what has been provided to the National Cabinet.
Mr Bandt has asked Scott Morrison for “a full New Zealand-style mandatory stay at home lockdown”, which would require “everyone, except those providing essential services, to stay home, and only make physical contact with those they live with”.
“The government’s number one job is to save lives,” Mr Bandt said.
“This crisis is growing daily and the current social distancing measures are confusing and inconsistent. The Prime Minister needs to follow Jacinda Ardern’s lead and adopt a full lockdown.
“I am worried that the Prime Minister’s desire to keep business as usual going will place more lives at risk. While there may be a higher short term economic impact, taking strong measures earlier may limit the economic impact in the longer term,” he said.
Mr Bandt’s comments come after Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly acknowledged the emergence of “two schools of thought” on the COVID-19 response – a scalable approach that he and the National Cabinet supports, and a “go hard and go fast” approach supported by other professionals including the Victorian Chief Health Officer.
READ MORE: Socialites at war as rich cop virus hit
John Ferguson 9.40am: Young women most likely to catch virus
As Australia climbs towards 3000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, young women are emerging as the most likely to catch the virus.
Latest federal health department figures confirm that NSW is the dominant state, recording close to three times the number of cases in Victoria.
There are 1404 confirmed cases in NSW, 520 in Victoria, 493 in Queensland, 235 in SA, 231 in Western Australia, 53 in the ACT, 40 in Tasmania and 8 in the Northern Territory.
There were 186 new cases reported since 3pm yesterday.
These numbers will rise today as state health departments get access to newest figures.
They show that 20 to 29-year-old women are the dominant age group for contracting the virus, with well over 250 cases.
The next most vulnerable age group is 60 to 69-year-old men with nearly 250 confirmed cases.
Most people have acquired the virus from overseas, typically Europe or the Americas.
This is followed by New Zealand and South-East Asia.
A relatively small number have contracted the virus from China.
READ MORE: US leads world in cases, overtaking China, Italy
Adeshola Ore 9.30am: Seagrass closes restaurants in Oz, UK
The Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group has closed its Australian and international restaurants in response to government restrictions on dining venues amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Australian and UK-based dining group is behind The Meat & Wine Co venues across Australia and The Butcher and Farmer in London.
In a media release, the company said the UK and Australian government restrictions on social gatherings made “ongoing trading unworkable.”
The UK and Australian governments have restricted all food venues to takeaway services.
The founder and CEO, Bradley Michael said the company had taken steps to protect the health of its employees and the general public.
“I’m deeply saddened by the impact on all employees many of who have been part of the Seagrass family for many years and have supported me personally as we’ve grown the business.”
The company said it plans to reopen its restaurants in the future.
READ MORE: Landlords hit back in retail showdown
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.20am: Coles tells customers: pack your own bags
Coles will ask customers at their checkout lines to pack their own bags and can the slicing of bread on demand in an effort to reduce any potential transmission of COVID-19 in any of their supermarkets.
On Friday Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said in a statement the supermarket giant was working closely with the Department of Health to ensure the safety of their customers.
The biggest change is the requirement for shoppers – who just over a year ago could have free bags packed by staff – to pack their own bags from home or purchased in-store.
“We’ll also ask you to pack your own bags to minimise both handling and close contact time,” Mr Cain said, adding that card payments will be encouraged.
“When paying, we recommend card payments instead of cash, and we encourage you to use tap and go to make checking out as easy as possible.”
Signs will also be placed at checkouts to enforce adequate distances between shoppers are enforced and changed to the bakery will be made to enforce stricter hygiene measures.
“In-store baked bread will be individually pre-wrapped, and for bread loaves, we’ll be stopping slicing on-demand to ensure better availability of pre-sliced options,” Mr Cain said.
Mr Cain also said customers will be asked to sanitise their hands when entering stores and implored anyone feeling ill not to shop until they feel better.
READ MORE: Henry Ergas writes: It will be unhealthy to ignore the cost
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.05am: US leads world in virus cases
US President Donald Trump has addressed the nation on the eve of the potential passing of a US $2 trillion stimulus package which contains several unprecedented measures to tackle a growing crisis, with the number of confirmed cases in the country surpassing those in China.
LIVE: Press Briefing with Coronavirus Task Force https://t.co/Z8tK225cN6
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 26, 2020
According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States had confirmed 82,404 cases on Friday, with over 1000 deaths, compared to China’s 81,782 cases and 3169 deaths.
President Trump said the increasing number of cases was “a testament to our testing” and implied the Chinese government was not being forthcoming with their data, telling a reporter “You don’t know what the numbers are in China.”
Signifying the rapidly deteriorating situation in New York City, which has experienced over a quarter of the total deaths in the country, President Trump said the USNS Comfort Navy hospital ship will be dispatched this Saturday, weeks ahead of the original date.
President Trump said he might go to Virginia to see the ship leave and “kiss it goodbye.”
President Trump said “we will vanquish this virus” and encouraged Americans to maintain social distancing while simultaneously claiming Americans “want to go back to work.”
“We have to go back. This is the United States of America. They don’t want to sit around and wait … they’re going to practice as much as they can social distancing and washing hands and not shaking hands, but we have to go back to work, our country is based on that,” he said.
Of the recorded number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits, President Trump said: “Well it’s nobody’s fault, certainly not in this country.”
READ MORE: Record 3.3 million US jobless claims
Elias Visontay 9.00am: Keneally: chaos at seaports, airports a tipping point
Opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally has blasted the federal government over its “core responsibilities” to secure Australia’s borders, expressing concern over images of clusters of travellers queuing at Sydney Airport defying social distancing laws.
In addition to the reports from Sydney Airport on Thursday morning, Senator Keneally also criticised the decision to allow the Ruby Princess ship to dock in Sydney last week – which has contributed to hundreds of cases in NSW and two deaths – despite forcing passengers from a Japanese cruise ship and an evacuation flight from Wuhan to quarantine for two weeks.
“The federal government has core responsibilities and one of the most significant of those responsibilities is securing our borders,” Senator Keneally told ABC Radio National on Friday morning.
“That’s not just an immigration function. It is also a function of keeping Australians safe and that includes from biosecurity and the threat of a pandemic.
“Now what we have seen at our seaports and our airports is quite concerning and when we look back on this coronavirus crisis we may well see that what has happened at our seaports and airports is a tipping point.
“And it’s also the point at which quite regrettably, it seems some of the co-operation we’ve seen thus far between the state and the Commonwealth Government started to break down.
“Australian Border Force frontline officers had been raising concerns all along with the Federal Department of Agriculture, which has responsibility for biosecurity, about what was taking place in our international airport terminals. Had those frontline Australian Border Force staff been listened to, it’s possible some of those problems that we saw yesterday would have been sensibly avoided”.
On cruise ships, Senator Keneally said: “We’ve known now for several weeks that cruise ships present a particularly significant set of circumstances and a significant risk when it comes to Coronavirus.”
“Ultimately border security sits with the Commonwealth Government, a premier of New South Wales cannot direct the Australian border force on what they should and shouldn’t do. And the biosecurity laws do sit with the Commonwealth Government,” she said.
READ MORE: Police to keep ships at bay
Elias Visontay 8.45am: 1.5m new test kits arrive
Australia’s coronavirus testing rate is set to “rapidly ramp up” when 1.5 million on the spot testing kits arrive and are distributed around the country.
However Michael Kidd, an adviser to the Chief Medical Officer, said the tests will have to be carried out by a doctor or nurse, and can only diagnose someone who has been infected for a few days and has begun to show symptoms.
“These are what we call a point of care test,” Professor Kidd told ABC TV on Friday morning.
“You will have a finger prick, drop of blood on to the test kit. We will get a result back very quickly while you’re there with your doctor or with your nurse, and then be able to provide you with advice.”
“Australia has one of the highest testing rates per head of population in countries right around the world. So even though like many countries around the world we had a limitation on the number of tests which have been able to be carried out up until now … that is about to rapidly ramp up.
Professor Kidd said another 2.4 million protective masks had arrived in Australia over the last 36 hours, with “many million” due to arrive over the coming days.
He also acknowledged competing medical advice on the speed and severity that lockdowns should be implemented had caused confusion among the public, and acknowledged a 30 minute limit on hairdresser sessions that was overturned was based on “very rapid feedback from across the community” about what measures are practical.
READ MORE: The most infectious suburbs
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.20am: Crime rate drops in NSW, police say
Residents of NSW are largely obeying government advice to stay indoors, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed school attendance rates had plunged to just 10 per cent and Police Commissioner Mick Fuller saying crime has dived as people stay off the streets.
It comes as NSW confirmed an additional 186 cases of coronavirus and revealed a further three cases are in intensive care.
The total confirmed number cases in the state is now 1405, with 19 cases in intensive care. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said 877 of the states cases, 278 are locally acquired from a known cluster and 145 are of unknown origins.
“That is the group that most concerns us because it represents community transmission without an unknown source,” Dr Chant said.
#BREAKING: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says no-one should leave their homes this weekend unless they absolutely have to, and that the eldery shouldn't go out for any reason. #9News pic.twitter.com/SrNfO6WJCD
— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) March 26, 2020
Ms Berejiklian thanked the people of the state for following official government advice, saying “we’ve seen far more limited activity everywhere.”
“We’ve seen a reduction in people moving around the community. Attendance at schools is 10 per cent or less, and I suspect that number will continue to go down.
Ms Berejiklian also hinted that she would make the case for tougher lockdown measures at the National Cabinet Morning between the state and federal governments on Friday morning.
“NSW and Victoria in particular, we’ve always been very forward-leading when it comes to making sure we’re keeping the community safe.
“We’ve always been very forward-leaning in what we think should happen and that continues. You understand, we’re the two largest states.
“I will continue to put a strong case for NSW as I do at every meeting.”
READ MORE: ‘It would be unhealthy to ignore the cost’
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.10am: NSW coronavirus cases reach 1405
The state’s Chief Medical Office, Dr Kerry Chant, has revealed NSW now has 1405 cases, a rise of 186 from yesterday.
Of those, 877 were overseas-acquired, while 278 were locally acquired. She said 134 were receiving care — 62 “hospital in home” and 19 in intensive care, 53 were in a hospital ward. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the most concerning figure was the 145 infected with contact not identified.
READ MORE: UK warned of six-month lockdown
Cameron Stewart 7.55am: US battles record jobless rate, deaths spike
Almost 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, five times the national record, as deaths rocketed. Full story here
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.45am: Marles lashes ‘step by step’ management
Labor deputy leader Richard Marles has hit out the government’s management of the coronavirus crisis, saying they are taking a “step by step approach” that “is a recipe for being behind the game.”
“There is this approach from the Government which seems to be a proportionate
response to the increased spread of the disease, which is almost a recipe to make sure that you are following the spread of the disease, which occurs at an exponential rate,” Mr Marles told Today on Friday.
“That is a recipe for being behind the game. What we have seen is this step by step approach.”
Minister for trade, investment and tourism Simon Birmingham, appearing on the same panel, defended the government’s approach, saying “we don’t want to rush to tighter measures.”
“Appreciate, it’s only a few days since we shut down hotels, clubs, pubs, gyms and enforced a range of other measures to stop people from gathering together.
“Different situations across different states and territories. But indeed, our testing regime is better than South Korea’s, better than most other countries, that’s one of the key things that is helping to keep us track cases, keep us safe and make sure that we can continue to slow that spread.”
READ MORE: Premiers push to lock up suburbs
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.40am: Berejiklian promises no repeat of cruise ship fiasco
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has made an impassioned plea for residents of the state to maintain social distancing regulations while assuring a repeat of the Ruby Princess incident – where infected cruise passengers were allowed to disembark before their test results were returned – won’t happen again. Berejiklian
Refusing to name what department was explicitly at fault for the oversight, Ms Berejiklian on Friday said: “There have been a number of parties that should have provided better information to each other.”
“I am as angry and as upset as everybody about this,” she told 2GB. All parties have increased the stringency of what’s involved. There isn’t a single passenger allowed to come off any ship unless the police commissioner says it’s OK.
“Now, the system is foolproof. I assure you that.”
The Premier said the state’s focus would be compliance.
Ms Berejiklian said that Service NSW was hiring an additional 1000 employees to help police ensure those ordered to self-isolate stayed indoors, and to reach out to elderly and isolated residents by conducting regular phone checks.
Setting an example for the public to follow, Ms Berejiklian said she is not allowing her elderly parents to leave their home without her permission.
READ MORE: Police called to keep cruise ships at bay
Agencies 7.25am: NSW to unveil second stimulus, worth $750m
The NSW government is about to announce a second round of economic stimulus measures to help businesses as the number of coronavirus cases in the state tops 1000, AAP reports.
The new package is worth about $750 million comes on top of the $2.3 billion announced last week and will include tax relief for pubs, clubs and hotels and some rental relief for small businesses working out of government-owned buildings, the ABC reported on Friday.
NSW now has 1219 confirmed cases of coronavirus and seven people have died, adding to the national death toll of 13.
Some 16 patients are in intensive care, with 10 requiring ventilators. Two more children in NSW on Thursday – girls aged one and two – were confirmed to have COVID-19, taking the number of child cases to four.
— AAP
READ MORE: Assist the Third World, Morrison implores
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.05am: G20 pledges trillions in economic relief
Australia and other members of the G20 group of nations have collectively pledged A$7.5 trillion to help the global economy rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
Scott Morrison, Donald Trump and other G20 leaders met via video conference on Thursday night Australian time, after a conference was called by forum chair Saudi Arabia.
In a joint note, the group described the pandemic as “a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities”.
“This virus respects no borders,” they said.“ Combating this pandemic calls for a transparent, robust, co-ordinated, large-scale and science-based global response in a spirit of solidarity.”
In his contribution to the meeting, Mr Morrison is understood to have called for greater assurances that medical supplies and medicines will freely flow to those who need them.
China agreed to increase its supply of pharmaceutical ingredients and other supplies to the international market, in a move that will ease shortages in many countries.
The Prime Minister urged support for developing and vulnerable nations such as Pacific island countries, which had less capacity to deal with any outbreaks. And any trade restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic should be temporary and targeted, he argued.
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested setting up a special fund under the IMF that would offer interest-free loans, and he emphasised the need to create “green corridors” for free movement of supplies and technologies intended to deal with the epidemic.
He also proposed a moratorium on sanctions with regard to essential goods.
International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva asked G20 leaders for their backing to double the fund’s $US50 billion ($84bn) emergency financing capacity.
She said vulnerable households and businesses need targeted financial support to stay afloat and get back to work quickly.
The final statement pledged “bold and large-scale fiscal support”. “We commit to do whatever it takes and to use all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social damage from the pandemic, restore global growth, maintain market stability and strengthen resilience.”
G20 finance, health and trade ministers are set to meet in coming weeks to develop specific action plans to deal with the economic and health impacts.
— With AAP.
READ MORE: Spain’s death toll passes China
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.45am: Another first ahead of $US2 trillion stimulus bill
A vote on a historic $US2 trillion stimulus bill in the United States will be accompanied by an equally historic measure — remote addresses from politicians.
On Twitter, government event television channel C-SPAN announced for the first time in its 41-year history members of the American House of Representatives prevented from attending Congress due to the coronavirus history will be able to speak on measures from home.
The move, spearheaded by House Majority Leader Steny Hoywer, will allow politicians to explain to the public aspects of the convoluted bill which has been unable to attract bipartisan support.
Statement from C-SPAN pic.twitter.com/QsvmsJ69LC
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 26, 2020
READ MORE: Adam Creighton — Spanish flu calamity repeat ‘unlikely’
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.30am: Global coronavirus cases surpass 500,000
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the world has surpassed 500,000, with 23,077 deaths attributable to the disease. Of the 511,603 confirmed cases, 120,996 cases have recovered, according to John Hopkins University — with half of these being in China.
The World Health Organisation has continued to implore world leaders to maintain harsh shutdown measures with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warning G20 leaders that “millions could die” if the outbreak is not contained and that “only time will tell” what the full economic, political and social costs will be.
To stay safe during #COVID19 outbreak, here are tips for people affected by NCDs:
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 26, 2020
✔ï¸Take your medicine & follow medical advice
✔ï¸Secure 1 month+ supply of medication
✔ï¸Keep distance from sick people
✔ï¸Wash 👠often
✔ï¸ðŸš or quit drinking ðŸ¾
✔ï¸Protect mental health#coronavirus
“But we know that the price we end up paying depends on the choices we make now,” he said.
“This is a global crisis that demands a global response.”
He noted “sacrifices” made by some countries including “drastic social and economic restrictions” like shutting schools and businesses and urging people to stay home.
“These measures will take some of the heat out of the epidemic, but they will not extinguish it,” he said. “We must do more.”
One country preparing to shut down to combat the virus is South Africa, which is already suffering from economic recession and an unemployment rate of 29 per cent.
On Friday the country enters a three-week shutdown, with the possibility it may be expanded. The African continent, previously less affected than the coronavirus, now has more than 2500 confirmed cases. The economic downturn caused by the virus is expected to reduce GDP growth of Africa’s three largest economies — Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt — from an expected 3.8% to 2.8%, according to NKC African Economics. Doctors in Zimbabwe went on strike overnight (AEDT) over a lack of personal protective equipment in the hospital system.
Italy is still the epicentre of the current crisis, recording 6153 new infections yesterday, pushing the country’s total cases to 80,539 — just 1000 below China. The country’s Civil Protection Agency recorded 662 deaths on Thursday, pushing the country’s toll to 8165 people.
The Russian military has deployed personnel to Bergamo in northern Italy to help clinics treat coronavirus patients At Italian authorities’ request, they will be sent to sanatoriums for the elderly patients in Bergamo to assist the local medical staff. Almost 30 Italian doctors have died of coronavirus.
Also assisting Italy is the German state of Hesse, which says it is taking 14 critically ill patients from Italy and France. Five other of Germany’s 16 states have made similar offers — Germany’s foreign ministry tweeted that the country has so far offered to take in 47 patients from Italy. Germany has confirmed more than 43,000 cases of COVID-19 but so far just 239 deaths, a far lower rate than most European countries.
France experienced a one day death increase of 365, bringing their total to 1696, with just under 30,000 confirmed cases in the country. On Friday, the French Health Service announced that a 16-year-old-patient was among the dead.
Coinciding with the announcement of new support measures in the UK, The Times reported that UK police were now using checkpoints and drones to fine people breaking lockdown. On the spot fines of £60 are applicable — with the amount to be halved if paid within two weeks. However, the amount doubles to £120 for a second offence, with parents responsible for their children.
READ MORE: UK warned of six months of lockdown
Staff writers 6.20am: Woolworths set to employ 20,000 new staff
Woolworths says it will hire up to 20,000 new roles across its supermarkets, e-commerce, supply chain and drinks businesses over the next month.
It comes as supermarkets struggle to cope with demand for food as coronavirus restrictions shut down many other shops, restaurants and cafes. The supermarket giant is also trying to step up home deliveries.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said: “These are uncertain times for many industries and we have an important role to play keeping Australians employed through this crisis.
“Our top priority as we continue delivering an essential service to the community is upholding customer and team safety through clear social distancing rules and elevated hygiene standards.
“As we do this, we will have more hours for existing team members and additional roles to fill as we focus on meeting the needs of our customers and communities.
“These new roles will not only help us better serve the increase in demand we’re seeing in stores right now, but also allow us to scale up home delivery operations in the months ahead.”
Woolworths says it’s preparing to offer up to 5000 short-term roles to Qantas employees taking leave without pay, and is planning similar streamlined application processes for a number of other companies which have laid off staff.
READ MORE: Trading Day — ASX to open higher as world markets extend virus fightback
Peter Mitchell 5.15am: Time running out for Aussies to flee US
Australians have been warned that time and flight options are running out if they want to flee the US as the coronavirus spreads across the globe.
Chelsey Martin, Australia’s consulate-general in Los Angeles, issued a stark message to the “tens of thousands” of Australians who live within her jurisdiction in America’s southwest states.
🇦🇺🇺🇸 A video message from me to all Australians 🇦🇺’s in the South-West US in relation to COVID-19. @dfat @Smartraveller @AusintheUS @healthgovau pic.twitter.com/uVrckOA9qC
— Chelsey Martin (@AusConsulateLA) March 25, 2020
Qantas and Virgin Australia are about to cut flights from the US to Australia while United Airlines will have a limited schedule.
“Whatever your circumstances, given the escalating COVID-19 crisis I wanted to reach out and encourage any Australians wishing to go home to do so as soon as possible,” Ms Martin said in a video message posted on the LA consulate’s Twitter page.
“After the end of this week, commercial flight options will be incredibly limited.
“Qantas’ final scheduled flight is out of LAX (Los Angeles) on Friday, the 27th of March.
“Virgin’s final scheduled flight out of LAX is on Sunday the 29th of March.
“United Airlines has advised us that they will continue with a limited flight schedule from San Francisco to Sydney in the weeks ahead, but the situation is changing rapidly and I would encourage anyone who is still deciding whether or not they would like to return to Australia, not to delay taking that decision. These are unprecedented and anxious times for many.”
Ms Martin said the LA consulate would remain open “around the clock” to provide consular assistance.
Australians were also being urged to follow the consulate on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for information updates. — AAP
READ MORE: Socialites at war as rich cop virus hit
Agencies 5am: Coronavirus deaths again spike in New York
Coronavirus deaths and hospitalisations in New York again spiked alarmingly overnight, a stark sign of the outbreak’s quickly increasing reach.
New York State’s death toll from the coronavirus jumped by 100 in one day, pushing the number to 385, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.
He added that experts expect the number to increase as critically ill patients who have been on ventilators for several days succumb to the virus.
“That is a situation where people just deteriorate over time,” Cuomo said. “And that is what we’re seeing.”
More than 5,300 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised statewide, a 40% increase from the day before. Nearly 1,300 patients were in intensive care, a 45% increase.
Hospitals in hard-hit New York City are trying to deal with the growing crush of patients and the need for medical equipment like face masks and ventilators.
The recent death toll includes a health care worker at one of the New York City hospitals under siege by the coronavirus has died, according to co-workers and his sister. Kious Kelly, an assistant nurse manager at the Mount Sinai West hospital in Manhattan, died Tuesday from the virus after he got sick two weeks ago, multiple friends said in social media posts.
The best way to thank our nurses and health care workers is to listen to them.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 26, 2020
Here’s one ICU nurse‘s plea to her fellow New Yorkers.#NewYorkTough pic.twitter.com/e8nHYGIvQQ
Kelly’s sister, Marya Sherron, told the New York Post that her brother had informed her of his illness about 10 days earlier.
“He told me he had the coronavirus,” she said. “He was in ICU but he thought he was OK. He didn’t think it was serious as it was.” Sherron said Kelly had severe asthma but was otherwise healthy.
READ MORE: Rex to co-ordinate flights with rivals Qantas, Virgin
Staff Writers 4.45am: Do you live in a coronavirus infection hot spot?
Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which attracted the ire of authorities when crowds flocked to Bondi Beach and failed to practice social distancing, is emerging as a COVID-19 infection hotspot.
Figures released by the NSW Department of Health on Thursday showed Waverley, the eastern suburbs locality which takes in Bondi Beach, had the highest infection rate in NSW with 105 cases.
In Victoria, coronavirus victims can be traced virtually along socio-economic lines, Department of Health and Humans Services figures show.
The highest number of victims is in the local government area of Stonnington, which is one of the richest in the country. With 57 confirmed cases, it includes suburbs like Toorak and South Yarra.
Read the full story here.
ALP ‘up to decade late’ on renewables target: Triguboff
Billionaire real estate developer Harry Triguboff has forecast that Labor will be five to 10 years late in hitting its 82 per cent renewables target.
New video: Kerr admits she was hostile over officer’s ‘whiteness’ but says it wasn’t an insult
The Matildas captain has admitted in court to being hostile to a British policeman, but says it was because he was abusing his power and privilege | WATCH