Coronavirus Australia live updates: Tasmanian outbreak forces major crackdown; Another Ruby Princess passenger dies
As WA looks to lift restrictions within weeks, a worsening outbreak in Tasmania will see many remaining businesses shut, two hospitals closed down.
- Man dies in Victorian hotel quarantine
- Another Ruby Princess cruise death
- US eclipses Italy with world’s highest death toll
- Unemployment figures reveal virus impact
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. The deaths of three more Australians overnight, including another Ruby Princess cruise passenger, has taken the national death toll to 59, while a worsening outbreak in Tasmania will see many remaining businesses shut, two hospitals closed down.
11.20pm: Johnson discharged from hospital
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is out of hospital after eight days.
Mr Johnson, who has been battling coronavirus for more than two weeks, first entered hospital last Sunday and was admitted to intensive care one day later. He spent three nights in the ICU, before being released back into the regular ward on Thursday.
Downing Street said that although Mr Johnson, 55, had been discharged, he would not immediately return to work.
READ MORE: Johnson released from hospital
11.00pm: Goodies star Brooke-Taylor dies
British comedian and actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died after contracting coronavirus. He was 79.
“It is with great sadness that we announce Tim’s death (on Sunday) from COVID-19,” his agent said in a statement.
It was as one of The Goodies, alongside Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, that he found international fame, earning household name status in Australia and New Zealand and attracting millions of viewers in its heyday.
READ MORE: Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor dies of coronavirus
8.50pm: Lab’s lead in marathon race for vaccine
Compared with the pharmaceutical giants that dominate global drug manufacture, the Oxford research laboratory named after the 18th-century Gloucestershire physician who created the world’s first vaccine appears a minnow.
Yet it was Oxford University’s world-renowned Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research that sounded the most optimistic note last week while mega-corporations such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer were warning of long and difficult development and testing processes ahead.
The Oxford team’s claim on Saturday that a vaccine might be ready by September raised eyebrows among many virologists and researchers wary of overpromising a reliable solution to the coronavirus crisis.
Some virologists are already wondering if a COVID-19 vaccine will prove as elusive and frustrating as the search for an HIV vaccine, which has been going on for more than 30 years. What is the reality of the current effort? Last week some of Europe’s leading experts on infectious disease talked of the challenges of guiding any new vaccine from laboratory promise to mass protection.
READ MORE: Lab claims early lead in race for vaccine
7.50pm: No new cases in SA, but airport concern
About 750 Qantas staff working at Adelaide Airport have been asked to self- quarantine for two weeks amid concerns over a cluster of coronavirus cases that has spread from baggage handlers to other airline staff.
The move comes as South Australia recorded no new virus cases on Sunday but also confirmed a fourth death from the disease.
The airline cluster stands at 34, including 18 baggage handlers, 13 of their close contacts and three other Qantas staff.
And while no new cases were added to that tally, SA’s Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said those recently included indicated a spread to other areas of the airline’s operations.
She said there were now concerns for people who worked as airport duty managers, pilot and cabin crew managers and for people who used an area where the airline’s engineers were located.
“For this reason, we’ll be requesting approximately 750 Qantas staff who have worked in those three areas since the 18th of March to self-isolate and be in quarantine immediately,” Prof Spurrier said.
Qantas has sent an email to all staff and SA Health is also accessing mobile phone numbers to contact each person.
The airline said it would comply with the self-isolation directive and would continue to work closely with SA Health to identify any employee who might have had contact with a colleague with the virus.
While the Australian Services Union said it would be watching carefully the payment and support arrangements put in place for the workers affected. “Qantas staff who have been exposed in the course of doing their job need to be paid in full for the work they could have reasonably expected to do,” the union’s SA secretary Abbie Spencer said.
The concern is specific to the Qantas operations and does not extend to public areas of the airport.
However, a general call remains in place for anyone who attended the airport in recent weeks and who develops respiratory systems to get tested. Sunday’s good news on infections was the first time SA had no new cases since March 10, leaving the state’s total at 429. Of those 14 remain in hospital with six in intensive care.
Prof Spurrier said 239 people had now recovered.
SA Health also confirmed the death of a 74-year-old man succumbed to the virus in the Royal Adelaide Hospital overnight.
He contracted COVID-19 as a passenger on the Ruby Princess cruise ship. Prof Spurrier said the lower number of new cases in SA in recent days was a good sign.
“I suspect that we are in this very, very fortunate position in South Australia....that we are really getting on top of this,” she said. “It’s important though to realise this is a new virus and we don’t know everything about this disease.” She said restrictions put in place to halt the spread of the virus should be maintained, something echoed by Premier Steven Marshall.
“We can’t take our foot off the brake. We need a lot more data before we can even talk about lifting any of the restrictions.”
AAP
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 4.50pm: Tasmanian hospital to close down over outbreak
Tasmanian Health Minister Sarah Courtney said patients at the North-West Regional and Private Hospitals will be moved elsewhere ahead of the facilities’ closure at 7am on Monday.
Most patients are expected to be moved to Mersey Community Hospital in Latrobe.
Existing patients will be transferred to the community hospital, patients will only be transferred out of the north-west region if there is a clinical requirement to do so,” Ms Courtney said.
“If that happens, we will ensure that they are fully protected to ensure that we have the utmost high infection control measures in place,” Ms Courtney said.
“Patients that will be transferred include those within the Spencer clinic, medical and surgical wards.”
Ms Courtney said patients receiving treatment for cancer, as well as antenatal and postnatal care, will be provided with a range of alternatives for care, including “telehealth and GP based services.”
“Maternity arrangements for women will be organised for each of these women on an individual basis, and we know that particularly for expectant mothers, they will have concern, and this is a high priority of the government.
The Tasmanian government will provide additional health safeguards at the Mersey Community Hospital to ensure the coronavirus is not unwittingly transferred alongside the North West patients.
“Additional protective personal equipment will be at the hospital and it will be provided and used to make sure we minimise any risk of infection transmission.
“Communal areas at the hospital such as lunchrooms, will be closed, and we are ensuring that we have infectious disease experts overseeing the protocols, and indeed the arrangement of patients across the entire site.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 4.40pm: Major crackdown forces Tassie businesses to shut
Sweeping restrictions across Tasmania’s north west will force many retail businesses in the region to close by midnight tonight, alongside the North-West Regional Hospital at the centre of an outbreak.
“From midnight tonight, additional restrictions will be implemented for a period of 14 days across these areas: Latrobe, Kentish, Devonport, the Central Coast, Burnie, Waratah, Circular Head and the West Coast,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Under these new restrictions, the following will apply. For individuals, the rules will not change.
“In terms of businesses, additional business restrictions affecting most of the remaining retailers will be implemented.
“These measures are aimed at reducing customer interaction when possible.
All retail businesses on the north-west coast will be required to close unless they offer online or home delivery services from midnight tonight.”
Mr Gutwein said exceptions included medical services or pharmacies, supermarkets, businesses providing food such as greengrocers, takeaway businesses, service and petrol stations, bakeries, laundromat and dry cleaners, newsagents, rural services general stores, bottle shops, IT repairs, car repairs, veterinary services, pet food supplies and banks.
“Everything else will close,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Obviously, those businesses that close, if they can provide online sales, and home delivery, that is for them to work their way through, but I want to be clear, Kmart, Harvey Norman, other big box retailers will close.
Trade supply businesses will be able to sell to trade customers.
Paige Taylor 4.30pm: WA Premier suggests restrictions may lift next month
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says residents of the state have done an incredible job of keeping coronavirus infections low and suggests some restrictions could be lifted next month.
However, Mr McGowan told reporters on Sunday the state’s borders would remain closed for a long time.
“The actions we have taken so far have been unprecedented, but necessary and sensible,” Mr McGowan said.
“The measures have meant we have relatively low numbers of new WA cases, which are overwhelmingly linked to either cruise ships, or overseas or interstate travel.
“Our tough border closure and our regional travel restrictions are in place to stop the importation of the virus.”
There were just three new cases of coronavirus in WA on Sunday, the lowest since the state’s testing regime began. Mr McGowan described this as unambiguously good news.
“If the medical advice says there can be some alleviation of restrictions and we have very low numbers of infections -and certainly infections of West Australians from contacts within the state, well that will guide any decisions,” he said.
“But I just make the point there is going to be restrictions in place at least for six months of one form or another and we are not going to loosen things that will make the situation worse.
“As I’ve said before I’d much rather put in strong borders than close down more businesses.”
The total number of people found to have coronavirus in WA is 517, including 68 European nationals from the Swiss-owned cruise ship Artania that docked south of Perth in March seeking help for ill passengers.
Asked if cafes and restaurants could reopen in Perth as early as next month, Mr McGowan said he wanted to be cautious because it was hard to “put a genie back in the bottle”.
“I know Tasmania has had some significant community spread in the past few days and we want to avoid that if we can,” he said.
“We will review on a monthly basis to see if there is anything we can do on health advice to improve the situation particularly for employment.”
Mr McGowan said WA’s recent low numbers had been very encouraging.
“They give us the best chance to minimise community spread of the virus, if everyone continues to act responsibly and follow the advice,” he said.
It was very important to remain vigilant and not become complacent, Mr McGowan said.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 4.15pm: Tasmanian cluster forces 1000 into isolation
The North-West Regional Hospital and North-West Private Hospital in Burnie, Tasmania, will temporarily close and all staff as well as their families will be required to enter quarantine, with Premier Peter Gutwein revealing that 49 of the state’s 133 cases are linked to the facility, 35 of which are healthcare workers employed there.
The measure means more than 1000 Tasmanians will isolate in their homes for 14 days.
“It’s important we take steps to get on top of this, to protect not only the people that
live on the north-west coast, their families, but we take the steps necessary to protect the rest of Tasmania as well,” Mr Gutwein told reporters on Sunday.
“what this plan will do, it begins with a closure, a temporary closure and indeed a deep clean of the North-West Regional Hospital and Private Hospital.
“As part of this plan all North-West Regional and North-West Private Hospital staff and their households will be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine isolation from the last day of work.
“We expect that there will be more than 1000 people that will need to be isolated, as well as their families, so a significant number of people in the north-west coast will be moving into quarantine and self isolation.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 4pm: Cruise ships to blame for new WA cases
WA has confirmed another three cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 517.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Premier Mark McGowan said two of the three new infections were contracted aboard cruise ships in Europe, while the third was unknown.
None of the new cases are connected to the Artania cruise ship, which is responsible for 68 cases in the state.
Mr McGowan said 449 of the state’s cases were WA residents, 278 people were still battling the virus, 39 of which are in hospital and about 13 were in ICU.
Mr McGowan said the government would legislate a code for commercial landlords this week, and would follow with laws for residential tenancies if they are finalised in time.
“If we have laws for residential tenancies, we’ll introduce them this week,” he said.
“We will have a bunch of laws in the parliament this week to help us deal with COVID-19.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 3.33pm: NZ’s aggressive approach is working
New Zealand’s aggressive bid to quash further growth in its number of coronavirus cases is showing results, with the country reporting just 18 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and no further deaths.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the total number of confirmed cases in the country was now 1,330, with five people in ICU, one of which is in a critical condition.
Despite the country recording just four deaths thus far, Dr Bloomfield said the country should prepare for more.
“We may well see further death
s over the coming days, I’ll just be honest with you about that,” he said.
471 people have recovered from the virus, including 49 in the last 24 hours.
The encouraging news comes as 13 New Zealanders who were aboard the infected Greg Mortimor cruise liner make their way home from Melbourne.
The returning New Zealanders will be quarantined in hotels.
Elias Visontay 3.25pm: Australia ‘in a position of strength’ in pandemic
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned it would be “very dangerous and unrealistic” to remove social distancing restrictions too soon.
Australia has put itself in a “position of strength” in the fight against the coronavirus but must keep up the pressure to beat the disease, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Sunday.
“There is no place in the world I would rather be than Australia at the moment,” he told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.
But he said Australians cannot become complacent, with people in the community still transmitting the virus.
“That is why we have to keep our pressure on and make sure that we don’t end up like countries in the world that you have all seen on the news.”
“We are in a good place ... but we have to maintain that good place”.
Mr Frydenberg said restrictions will stay in place “for as long as it takes”. “We have got to take the medical advice,” he told ABC television. “I think it is very dangerous and unrealistic to move ahead of medical advice that has served Australia well.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 3.10pm: World Bank forecasts Asian economic disaster
The World Bank has given a pessimistic reading of the Asian economy, on Sunday saying India and other South Asian countries are likely to record their worst economic performance in four decades due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In Its South Asia Economic Focus report, the World Bank said the region - comprising of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Maldives - will grow by 1.8 per cent to 2.8 per cent this year, a sharp decrease on the 6.3 per cent predicted six months ago.
India, the biggest economy in the region, will be the hardest hit, with their growth forecast for the financial year that began this month to grow by 1.5 to 2.8 per cent, compared to an estimated 5 per cent in the last financial year.
“The green shoots of a rebound that were observable at the end of 2019 have been overtaken by the negative impacts of the global crisis,” the World Bank report said.
Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives may fall into recession as the impacts of the coronavirus disrupt fragile supply chains in the region.
Although the region has recorded just more than 13,000 cases of COVID-19 to date, the actual number is expected to be much higher and concealed by anemic health systems across the eight nations.
“The priority for all South Asian governments is to contain the virus spread and protect their people, especially the poorest who face considerably worse health and economic outcomes,” said World Bank Vice President for the South Asia Region Hartwig Schafer
“The COVID-19 crisis is also an urgent call-to-action moment to pursue innovative policies and jumpstart South Asian economies once the crisis is over. Failure to do so can lead to long-term growth disruptions and reverse hard-won progress in reducing poverty.”
The World Bank recommends a number of short-term actions be taken, such as preparing healthcare systems for a greater number of coronavirus infections, as well as securing access to food and medical stocks for the poorest in the region and establishing temporary work programs.
READ MORE: COVID-19 vaccine requires radical approach
Lachlan Moffet Gray 2.52pm: China reports highest daily increase in weeks
Mainland China has reported 99 new cases of coronavirus, 97 of which originated from abroad — the highest daily increase in imported cases reported since March 25, where 67 cases were recorded.
That number prompted Beijing to ban all foreign arrivals into the country on March 28, with limited exemptions for diplomatic and essential travel.
The two domestically transmitted cases occurred in the far north-eastern province of Heilongjiang, China’s national health commission said, on the border with Russia, which today saw an explosion of 1,667 new cases.
The national health commission also said it was investigating a further 49 suspected imported cases.
There are 83,096 confirmed cases of coronavirus in China, 77,921 of which have recovered. There have been 3,339 deaths.
READ MORE: Cruise passengers to drive national infection spike
Lachlan Moffet Gray 2.20pm: Sanitiser poisoning prompts warnings
NSW Health is warning parents of the danger of alcohol-based hand sanitiser when ingested, following an increase in the number of emergency calls made after children and babies ingested it at home.
Senior Poisons Specialist from the NSW Poisons Information Centre Genevieve Adamo said even a small amount of alcohol-based hand sanitiser can be harmful for young children and babies.
“Hand sanitiser products should be stored safely and out of reach of children,” Ms Adamo said on Sunday.
“When they are used by young children it should be under the supervision of an adult.
“Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is also a safe and effective option to help combat COVID-19.”
NSW Health also said imported sanitiser products may not be clearly labelled and may contain more toxic alcohol components — like methanol — which enhances the risk of the product, and may come in packaging that is more easily opened by young people.
The department also said that there have been reports of bootleg homemade hand santiser, which may increase the risk of potential poisoning.
Ms Adamo said regardless of the quantity of hand sanitser ingested, a call should be made to the Poisons Information Centre.
“Regardless of the quantity, people should always call the Poisons Information Centre for first aid and monitoring advice and should ensure they have the container of the ingested product with them.”
“Calling the Poisons Information Centre first to see if you or your child needs to go to hospital may prevent unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department and will help to keep Emergency Departments free for emergencies.
“In the current climate, it also prevents people increasing their risk of exposure to COVID-19.”
The NSW Poisons Information Centre can be reached on 13 11 26.
Elias Vistontay 1.20pm: Fresh push to expand JobKeeper to casuals
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers is leading fresh calls for the government to expand the $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy to include more than a million casual and foreign workers currently ineligible for the scheme.
Mr Chalmers’ plea for Josh Frydenberg “to make a good policy much better” came after the Treasurer ruled out a further expansion of eligibility.
Mr Frydenberg on Sunday told ABC’s Insiders program the government had “no plans to change the rules”, and that a provision to allow the Australian Tax Office discretion when implementing the $1500-a-fortnight payment was “for unforeseen circumstances”.
At a press conference later on Sunday, Mr Chalmers said the JobKeeper package was good for Australia “but too many Australian workers have been left out or left behind”.
"Skilled foreign workers, for example, they have been crucial in supporting our economic growth for years in Australia what do they get right now?" @David_Speers asks @JoshFrydenberg. #Insiders #Cororonavirus #auspol pic.twitter.com/21o5PL0ByL
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) April 12, 2020
“We want to see more Australian workers maintain a connection with their employer. That’s what the whole policy is about and if that’s true for some workers it can be true for more workers as well.
“This weekend, Josh Frydenberg ... had the opportunity to do the right thing by more than a million Australian casuals and by temporary workers as well who can’t get home, and unfortunately, he didn’t grab that opportunity.
“He alone has the power now to decide who has access to the JobKeeper payment and who is excluded from it. The only thing standing in the way of a JobKeeper payment for more than a million workers is the Treasurer’s signature.
“These are not unforeseen circumstances. These workers are not being excluded by accident; these workers are being deliberately excluded from the JobKeeper payment...It’s not too late for him to change his mind and for the Government to change course,” Mr Chalmers said.
READ MORE: Treasurer draws line on JobKeeper
Elias Visontay 1.05pm: $101m to put health care workers on standby
The government will spend $101 million putting contingency health workers on standby around the country to help fill staff shortages in aged care homes struck with a “worst case scenario” COVID-19 outbreak.
In addition to emergency response teams on standby, the measures will engage remote locums to support aged care providers in remote Australia if they cannot source local staff, and access to a surge aged care workforce through an online industry recruiting platform if critical staff are forced into self-isolation.
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said “while it’s unlikely, we need to ensure we’re planning for parts of the workforce being unable to work”.
“It’s absolutely critical we continue to have a strong workforce so there are no gaps in care, particularly in regional and remote areas,” Senator Colbeck said.
“As unlikely as it might be, we have plans in place for worst case scenarios where an outbreak in aged care facilities mean local staff are unable to continue to provide care due to an infection in the service.”
“Nurse first responders are on standby in every state and territory in the event of an outbreak.
“I want to stress these are temporary contingency measures and providers must show they’ve exhausted usual recruitment channels.
“There’s every chance these extraordinary measures won’t be required in full – but it’s vital we are ready,” Senator Colbeck said.
Aspen Medical will deploy the emergency response teams to aged care facilities if required, and the surge workforce recruiting will be listed on the Mable workforce platform.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 1pm: Second consecutive day without a new corona case
The ACT has recorded it’s second consecutive day of no new coronavirus cases, with it’s total count on Sunday decreasing by one to 102 after a previously confirmed case was determined to have returned a false positive.
Of the 102 cases in the Territory, 67 have recovered. Three cases are in hospital and the remainder are isolating at home.
A further two cases are under investigation, and the death toll remains at just two.
Acting ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Vanessa Johnston thanked Canberrans for their efforts in helping flatten the curve but has reminded the community that a continuous effort has to be made.
“Our actions are creating a meaningful impact and Canberrans should be proud of their continued efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. We must stay on track and not fall in the trap of becoming complacent,” Dr Johnston said.
“Please remain vigilant and stay home for the remainder of this Easter long weekend. Do not travel to the coast or interstate or gather in large groups with family and friends.
“If you do need to go out for essential reasons, then complying with the rules on physical distancing and practising good hand and respiratory hygiene are the most important tools in slowing the spread of COVID-19.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.48pm: Another NSW death pushes toll to 59
An 82-year-old NSW man has died of coronavirus in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital overnight.
The man was a known contact of a previously confirmed COVID-19 case within his family.
The death toll in NSW is now 24 and nationally it is 59.
NSW Health said on Sunday the 82-year-old lived in the same residence as another confirmed case and had pre-existing medical conditions.
The department also said two additional crew members aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which is responsible for around ten per cent of Australia’s coronavirus cases and 16 deaths, were diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total to 52.
Although the increase in the state’s case count of just seven was welcomed by the department, it said the number could be a result of lower than usual testing rates over the Easter long weekend.
“Whilst this appears promising news, it should be noted there was a decrease in testing on Easter Saturday with just 840 tests compared to 3,515 in the previous day,” NSW Health said on Sunday.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.23pm: NSW records lowest daily increase
NSW has confirmed just seven additional cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the lowest daily increase in cases in the state since March 11.
The state also revised it’s count of confirmed cases, shaving ten off of yesterday’s total of 2857, bringing the total to 2854 with the addition of the seven new cases.
NSW Health Acting Director Dr Christine Selvey said the revision of the case count was due to moving a number of inter-state residents who were tested in NSW back to their home states’ tally.
“So, we found that there had been eight people who live in Queensland and who are in Queensland and one person who lives in the ACT and is in the ACT whose swabs had been tested by a NSW laboratory,” she said.
“So those cases are being handed back to their relevant jurisdiction and no longer counted as NSW cases.
“There was an additional report where there had been a test first reported as positive, but subsequent showed that to be negative.
“So that makes a total of ten that had been previously reported in NSW as NSW cases that we have now taken off.”
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard urged people not to let the low increase in cases lull them into a false sense of security.
“(The number of those) tested right across NSW is 141,777,” he said.
“It is an extraordinary number of people who have been tested and NSW leads over other states and territories when it comes to the number of people tested.
“I want to remind young people particularly. It seems like older people have got the message and understand the danger to them. But younger people are still out and
about.
“You are as vulnerable as any part of the community in the sense of actually getting this virus. In fact, the people under 40 at the present time, there are, the total number of cases are 1206. So that represents 42% of all people. 42% of all people who have actually been infected with this disease in NSW are under the age of 40.
The NSW Government also announced that from April 17, GPs will be able to send prescriptions directly to pharmacies.
NSW Pharmacy Guild president David Heffernen said the new initiative will allow patients to have telephone consultations with their GPs, who could in turn email prescriptions straight to the patient’s pharmacy, enhancing the ability of doctors and their patients to maintain social distancing.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.30am: Tasmanian cluster claims another life
A Tasmanian woman has died of coronavirus in Tasmania, bringing the state’s toll to five and the national figure to 58.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the woman, aged in her 70s, died at the North-West Regional Hospital in Burnie, where a known cluster is linked to at least 23 coronavirus cases in the state.
“It is with sadness that I confirm a fifth Tasmanian has died from the coronavirus. That is five too many and unfortunately there will be more,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“The elderly woman in her 70s died at the North-West regional Hospital where she was being cared for.
“On behalf of the Tasmanian government I want to sincerely offer my condolences to family and friends and loved ones.”
Mr Gutwein also confirmed the diagnosis of 11 additional cases in Tasmania, bringing the total to 133.
Nine of the new cases were healthcare workers, two of which were close contacts of healthcare workers at the infected North-West Regional Hospital.
“These cases ranged from people in their 20s to people in their 60s,” he said.
“It brings our total of positive cases over the journey to 133 cases. Fifty-three have recovered, 75 are still active.”
The Premier provided an update on the efforts of Tasmanian police in enforcing social distancing measures, saying 23 people had been arrested, charged and bailed while 13 people had been issued with court summons.
“This is serious. Tasmanians need to understand that we need to follow the rules,” he said.
“Stay home and save lives. If you don’t need to go out for essential supplies or for medical services, or to go to work, or to exercise, stay at home.”
Elias Visontay 11.28am: Cruise passengers may drive infection spike
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy expects Australians returning to Melbourne on an evacuation flight from Uruguay on Sunday to be a driver for the national infection rate over the next week.
Professor Murphy said there were 6289 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 57 deaths. He thanked the estimated 7000 healthcare workers treating and testing coronavirus patients around Australia, which include 80 in intensive care, 36 of who are on ventilators.
“There is no place in the world I would rather be than Australia at the moment. Having said that … we cannot become complacent, we still have some community transmission,” Professor Murphy said on Sunday morning.
“We are in a good place, as I have said a few days ago, but we have to maintain that good place … we will start to see a whole different way we interact, even when this is over, in terms of hand hygiene and distancing.”
“The single biggest reason why we have not had a terrible outbreak of community transmission is that we in Australia have got on top of those cases, two-thirds of whom have still been our citizens returning back from overseas, and these public health workers, in each of the state and territory health departments, who have done that.”
On stranded cruise ship passengers returning to Melbourne from Uruguay on Sunday, Professor Murphy said: “It is likely the new cases we will see over the next week will be returned travellers. We have had a charter flight coming in this morning from a cruise ship with lots of positive people.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1 1.25am: Queensland’s funding boost for kindergartens
Queensland will inject an additional $17 million into funding to secure the financial health of 465 community kindergartens across the state, providing stability for the sector’s 22,000 enrolled students and nearly 3000 employees.
Education Minister Ignazia Graziella Grace said the move would particularly benefit regional communities and will allow 15 hours of week of care to be provided free of charge until June.
“465 centres will remain open throughout Queensland, with about 130 of those in regional and remote Queensland,” Ms Grace told reporters on Sunday.
“This is great news for the 22,000 children that attend community
kindergarten, and the nearly 3000 workers who are employed in community kindergarten centres, doing a wonderful job right throughout Queensland.
“What this announcement means is that parents can now maintain and continue their enrolment in community kindergarten, because it will be free for term two, and that is until the end of June.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also addressed the structure of term two for primary and secondary school students, saying a decision as to the extent distance learning will be encouraged will be announced on Tuesday.
“We had preliminary discussions about this at the national cabinet the other day, and Minister Grace and I said clearly we would be making an announcement by Tuesday,” she said.
“There will be ample time to let parents know right across Queensland about the situation for term two.”
The number of new coronavirus cases in Queensland increased overnight by 12, bringing the total to 983.
Remy Varga 11.17am: Premier backs hotel quarantine after man’s death
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he’s sought assurances on the arrangements in place for returning travellers forcibly quarantined in hotels after a man died.
Mr Andrews said he remained confident in the level of care being provided.
“I am confident, and I have sought to confirm my confidence in the last 24-hours, with all the arrangements we have in place,” he said.
“I thank everyone who’s in hotel quarantine, you’re playing a big part in keeping us safe.”
The man died in non-suspicious circumstances in a coronavirus hotel quarantine on Saturday and the death has been referred to the state coroner for investigation.
Mr Andrews said staff administering the mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine period understood they were responsible for the wellbeing of returning travellers.
“I’m confident that all the staff who provide care and support who are responsible for the hotel quarantine system, know and understand that they’ve got to do everything they can to look after the people that are essentially in their care,” he said.
“This particular case, again we send our best wishes to the family involved, but it’s for the coroner to determine what’s gone on here but I’m confident with the arrangements in place.”
Mr Andrews thanked returning travellers for safeguarding the health of their fellow Victorians.
Elias Visontay 11am: Government to slash price of uni courses
The government will slash the price of shorter university courses and diplomas in an effort to retrain newly-unemployed Australians for work in high demand sectors when the country emerges from COVID-19.
Education Minister Dan Tehan said the government would also give universities their estimated income from the Commonwealth Grant Scheme despite a heavily disrupted year, putting a “ballast” in the higher education sector.
“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And what we want to do is provide an opportunity for all those people who have had their lives turned upside down by the coronavirus to re-skill or look at different career options,” Mr Tehan said.
Mr Tehan said the policy would enable unemployed Australians, “rather than bingeing on Netflix, to binge on studying”.
He said the government would encourage Australian universities to become “world leaders” in short courses, or micro-credentialing, in subjects including nursing, health, teaching and “areas where we need people, and we are going to need people as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic”.
“If our universities can seize this opportunity, we will be able to ensure that education remains one of the foundations which will build this nation into the future. W
“We are ensuring that when it comes to the Commonwealth Grant Scheme, what we estimated their income this year, that they would get from the CGS, they will get. So the estimates will now become the reality for the university sector, providing a ballast for them when it comes to fee help, the student loan contribution, they will also get a window to repay that.
“So they will not have to repay fee help if there is under enrolment of students next year, and then we will give them eight years to repay any under enrolments of the fee help calculation.
“When it comes to tertiary education, we also want to provide opportunities for Australians to be able to use this period, this next six months, to re-school, to re-skill, or to re-engage in other parts of the workforce.”
READ MORE: Bill Gates — In the rush for a vaccine, we need a guarantee
Remy Varga 10.45am: Uruguay arrivals no Ruby Princess: Premier
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has assured the public that Australians returning to the state after being stranded on a cruise ship in South America will not be a repeat of the Ruby Princess debacle.
It comes as a flight from Uruguay carrying 112 passengers from the Greg Mortimer cruise ship touched down at Melbourne’s Tullamarine just before 7am.
Mr Andrews said there was “no comparison” to NSW’s handling of the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which allowed infected passengers to disembark and spread the disease across Australia.
“None of them [arrivals] have been treated in a way that is in any way comparable to the way other cruise ships have been managed,” he said.
“And that’s very important because when you’ve got positive cases you need to make sure people are locked down, getting the care they need but having them away from overs.”
Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said about 70 per cent of the Australian travellers returning to Victoria on Sunday morning tested positive for the coronavirus.
But Dr van Diemen stressed the tests were undertaken around a week ago, with one only one traveller admitted to hospital and the rest lodged in hotel quarantine.
“So each passenger who hasn’t been to hospital has proceeded to one of our hotels,” she said.
“Our case in contact team will be phoning everyone of them in the coming days, noting there’s 112 of them and they’ve had a long ordeal.”
Remy Varga 10.25am Victoria announces $59m mental health boost
Victorian Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley has announced a $59 million funding boost for mental health services amid widespread anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Foley said one in four calls to support hotline Lifeline were related to COVID-19 while calls to Beyond Blue had increased by about 30 per cent.
He said the disease had caused the “world as we know it has turned upside down”.
Olivia Caisley 10.20am: Cook funding should go to arts: Greens senator
Sarah Hanson-Young has called for about half a billion dollars in funding for the redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial and commemorations of Captain Cook’s voyage to Australia to be redirected to help artists out of work due to COVID-19
The Greens Senator said governments needed to reassess their priorities in times of crisis and the War Memorial expansion and Captain Cook celebrations were “clearly not priorities at this time”.
She has suggested the funding could be given to the Australia Council to support small and medium arts organisations struggling to survive amid the pandemic.
“In times of crisis, governments need to reassess their priorities. The $500m expansion of the War Memorial and $50m to celebrate Captain Cook’s voyage, are clearly not priorities at this time and the money should be redirected to community arts and cultural projects that will employ artists, support communities and help the economy recover,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“Investing in the survival of our arts and cultural organisations is vital to ensure Australia’s recovery after Covid19. Our creative industry is a crucial part of the stimulus the economy will need once things start opening up again, this will only happen if enough funding is on the table to survive now and plan and prepare for the future.
“Shovel-ready projects that support local arts and cultural organisations will be much-needed lifelines in communities across the country, particularly in regional areas and smaller cities.”
Remy Varga 10.12am: State of emergency extended in Victoria
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has extended the State of Emergency by four weeks.
The order, which grants the Chief Health Officer power to cancel public gatherings and enforce quarantine, will now end at midnight May 11.
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus increased by three on Sunday.
Remy Varga 9.45am: Man dies in hotel quarantine
Victorian man died in quarantine accommodation on Saturday, the state health department has confirmed.
A DHHS spokesperson said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
“The coroner will be investigating the incident and as such we are unable to comment further,” the spokesperson said.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased at this time.”
Travellers returning to Victoria from overseas are required to spend two-weeks quarantined in hotels to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The man did not die of coronavirus but was in COVID-19 quarantine accommodation.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.30am: Boris Johnson: I owe them my life
Boris Johnson has just one message for the NHS workers that cared for him while he was in ICU with coronavirus: “I can’t thank them enough. I owe them my life.”
The 55-year-old Prime Minister of the UK, who was admitted to London’s St Thomas Hospital a week ago with coronavirus was moved to intensive care on Monday as his condition deteriorated.
But on Thursday he was transferred back to a normal hospital ward and is now able to take short walks, newsagency PA reports.
Despite Mr Johnson’s quick recovery, there will be no rush to get him back to Downing Street, said his Home Secretary.
“The message to the prime minister is, we want him to get better and he needs time and space to rest, recuperate and recover,” Home Secretary Priti Patel told a daily press briefing at Downing St on Saturday.
“It is vital that our prime minister gets well.”
Mr Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Synmonds has reportedly sent him letters and scans of their unborn child to improve his moods while he was in ICU.
A Downing Street source also told PA that Mr Johnson was passing the time by watching movies, including classic Withnail & I and Love Actually – which he had never seen before, despite parodying the movie in an election video last year.
While Mr Johnson recuperates, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is acting as PM.
READ MORE: Oxford team aims for vaccine by September
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.15am: ‘Appalled’: $19,000 over burnout gathering
NSW Police have slammed 19 adults gathering for an illegal drag race near Newcastle, fining each one of them $1000 for violating public health officers.
On Saturday, Police approached a gathering of 40 vehicles in the Stockrington Conservation Area west of Newcastle, prompting most of the vehicles to flee into the surrounding bushland, although 19 were stopped.
Police allege the group had gathered for the purpose of street racing and burnouts, with two vehicles brought to the site on trailers; police allege these had been specifically modified to conduct burnouts.
These 19 people will now be issued with PINs for breaching the Public Health Order, with 13 of those also being fined for being in the Conservation Area unlawfully.
Three children on the scene with accompanying adults — one aged nine and two aged 18 months — leading NSW Police to make notifications to Family and Community Services.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command’s Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said it was exactly the kind of incident his officers had been working to prevent.
“Gatherings of virtually any kind are breaching the current Public Health Order but gathering to conduct street racing and burnouts in a park is illegal, irresponsible and beyond my understanding,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
“I am appalled at the fact that up to 40 drivers were willing to put themselves and others at risk on so many levels.
“And I am even more appalled by the fact three children — who have no choice in the matter — were also exposed to risk; my officers will be alerting the relevant authorities to the actions of their parents and caregivers.
“We have identified 19 people who will be getting Infringement Notices (PINs), and we will be working to identify the other drivers who fled.
“Anyone with information about this incident, or any other illegal gatherings such as this, is urged to alert police.
“My officers will continue to monitor the situation and, if breaches are found, they will take action,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
READ MORE: Italy grapples with virus easing
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9am: Corona restrictions may be in place for 12 months
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has said the state may take a “zig and zag” approach to easing coronavirus restrictions, where certain rules may be lifted, only to be reapplied if there is a corresponding spike in cases.
She also expressed sympathy for business owners struggling under the weight of social distancing restrictions, and said there may be ways to re-open some parts of the economy while enforcing sensible measures – depending on how cases progress over the next few weeks.
“Clearly the next two weeks are going to be pivotal for me getting the data,” Dr Chant told the Sun-Herald.
“If I can get high rates of testing … then I’m in the best position to inform the government about what the true situation is in relation to local transmission.”
“It’s a fact-finding period; it’s a reflective period. We’re engaging with the modellers, we’re looking at what we can do and then we’re going to have to chart a course. That course is not going to be a straight-line course.
“At every point in time, our decisions may zig and zag. But that’s not because we’re not being thoughtful or we’re confused. It’s because we’re having to incorporate new learnings or new information in our response all the time.”
However, Dr Chant said that a “baseline” level of restrictions such as the 1.5 metre social distancing rules will remain in place for at least 12 months, or at least until a vaccine is available.
“The best advice available to me is that a vaccine will not be available [for] 12 months,” she said.
“Our response would be different if I knew that we were going to have a vaccine in six months.
Christine Kellett 8.45am: Adelaide man’s death pushes death toll to 57
The death of a man from coronavirus in Adelaide has pushed the national toll to 57.
South Australian health authorities have confirmed a 74-year-old man from metropolitan Adelaide died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital overnight, the fourth person to die from COVID-19 in the state. He was a passenger aboard the now-notorious Ruby Princess cruise ship — the single biggest source of infection in the country. Sixteen passengers from the ship have now died, and a criminal investigation is underway into how the virus spread from the ship across the country.
COVID-19 UPDATE 12 April 2020: Sadly, a 74-year-old man from metropolitan Adelaide passed away last night from COVID-19 in the RAH. The man acquired COVID-19 from the Ruby Princess.His passing is the fourth death in SA from COVID-19. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/d0dEEgyb72
— SA Health (@SAHealth) April 11, 2020
Christine Kellett 8.30am: NSW Premier warns ‘worst is yet to come’
Amid positive signs that Australia’s social distancing measures are flattening the infection curve, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned the worst may yet be to come in this pandemic.
Ms Berejiklian said evidence from other countries showed COVID-19 hit hardest in the winter months and she did not want people to “relax, thinking we can do what we like now.”
“A lot is being said about the curve, but we are still at the beginning,” Ms Berejiklian told Weekend Sunrise on Sunday.
“The virus has hit worse in the winter months in other countries. Winter hasn’t happened yet here. We are concerned with community transmission. There is no doubt we’ve had success in reducing the number of people getting the disease on a daily basis and that has been really positive.
“Thousands of people are dying every day around the world.
“This disease is incredibly dangerous, for certain people it can be extremely lethal and it very easily gets out of control. We have to stay vigilant. We’re doing incredibly well but we can’t pretend it’s over. It won’t be over until there is a vaccine.”
The Premier said she hoped the government would not have to tighten restrictions, but would not rule it out.
“We’re hoping in New South Wales we won’t have to go tougher,” she said.
“What you need to consider is how long can the community stay in this way. If there is a sudden explosion of cases then of course you would have to go harder.
“For some families and individuals it is really tough. Some families are finding innovative ways to do things. That’s OK for week 2 or 3, but what does it feel like after a couple of months? We have to think of mental health issues.
“I’m a very optimistic person but I like to speak the truth and give people direct advice
because we are all in this together, we all need up-to-date information, and I can’t pretend that this will be over soon. We can take heart in is that NSW and Australia are doing very well compared to other parts of the world. Some of the things we can do here, even though it’s tough, is a bit more relaxed than other parts of the world where people can’t even leave their front door.”
Agencies 8.10am: Assange girlfriend’s plea as prisoner dies amid outbreak
The partner of Julian Assange, who gave birth to his two children while he was living inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London, has issued a plea for him to be released from prison, where coronavirus is spreading.
Stella Moris-Smith Robertson said there were now genuine fears for the health of the WikiLeaks founder. Assange has been held in Belmarsh prison in London since he was dragged out of the embassy a year ago, and is awaiting an extradition hearing on behalf of the United States. He has been in poor health for months, but his friends say coronavirus is now spreading through Belmarsh.
One prisoner has died, and a number of prison officers are off sick, suspected of having the virus, say his friends.
In a statement to the courts supporting an application for bail, Moris-Smith Robertson reveals that she met Assange in 2011 when she was a legal researcher.
“Over time Julian and I developed a strong intellectual and emotional bond. He became my best friend and I become his,” she wrote.
The friendship developed, and despite the “extraordinary circumstances”, a close relationship began in 2015, she said. The couple have two young children aged three and one.
She said she has gone to great lengths to shield the children from the climate that surrounds Assange.
“My close relationship with Julian has been the opposite of how he is viewed – of reserve, respect for each other and attempts to shield each other from some of the nightmares that have surrounded our lives together.” She said she was making the statement now because their lives were “on the brink” and she feared Assange could die.
He is in isolation for 23 hours a day and all visits have stopped, she added. The extradition hearing is fixed for May 18.
READ MORE: COVID-19 the great reckoning
Agencies 8am: First group of quarantined travellers released in Melbourne
While Victorians remain housebound under COVID-19 restrictions, the first group of quarantined travellers from two weeks ago will be let out on Easter Sunday. At the same time, more than 1200 Australians trickling into Tullamarine airport this weekend from Peru, India and Uruguay will be shuttled off to hotels to start quarantine.
Victoria’s total recorded COVID-19 cases stands at 1265, with 14 deaths. The number of new cases on Saturday had risen by 24, compared to a rise of 13 the day before.
Of those infected authorities say 118 may have been cases of community transmission.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton has called on people not to look for loopholes in physical distancing laws and not leave the house unless for an essential outing.
While most people have heeded Dr Sutton’s advice to have a quiet Easter, multiple people have been fined over gatherings at their homes.
READ MORE: Janet Albrechtsen — Charting a way out of this new Pollyanna world
Agencies 7.45am: Easter isn’t cancelled, says Queen in landmark address
The Queen has stressed the importance of maintaining the coronavirus lockdown during the Easter holiday weekend, saying “by keeping apart we keep others safe”.
With the COVID-19 outbreak making church services impossible, the Queen has delivered what is believed to be her first Easter address.
“This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe,” the Queen said in the speech, recorded at Windsor Castle on Good Friday and posted to social media on Sunday.
“But Easter isn’t cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever.” The monarch said just as the discovery of the risen Christ gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose, all can take heart from this message. “We know that coronavirus will not overcome us,” the Queen said. “As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering with grief — light and life are greater.
“May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future.” The message was written by the Queen, who has a strong religious faith, and was accompanied by footage of a candle lighting an altar.
The Queen speaks of light overcoming darkness, and the hope that Easter symbolises, in a special message recorded to mark the Easter weekend. pic.twitter.com/fTFCOSVBtT
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 11, 2020
Social distancing was observed during the recording of the message, with the Queen delivering the address alone into a microphone in Windsor Castle’s White Drawing room while the sound engineer was in a nearby room.
The message was broadcast on the royal family’s digital and social media accounts.
The speech came after the Queen’s televised address to Britons last Sunday when she said the country would overcome the virus by remaining united. The latest figures from the UK’s Department of Health reveal a total of 9875 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus on Friday, up by 917 on the day before.
READ MORE: Greg Sheridan — Easter offers solace for us all
Agencies 7.30am: Pope’s Easter message of hope in darkest hour
Easter offers a message of hope in our darkest hour, Pope Francis has said as he celebrated a late-night vigil mass in a nearly empty St Peter’s Basilica. The pontiff likened the fears of current times to those experienced by Jesus’s followers the day after his crucifixion.
“They, like us, had before their eyes the drama of suffering, of an unexpected tragedy that happened all too suddenly,” Francis said during Saturday’s mass. “They had seen death and it weighed on their hearts. Pain was mixed with fear. Then, too, there was fear about the future and all that would need to be rebuilt.
“For them, as for us, it was the darkest hour.” Easter vigil Mass in the basilica is among the Vatican’s more evocative ceremonies. Celebrants enter in darkness, except for candlelight. The pontiff holds a tall Easter candle, which is lit for him, then the basilica’s lights are turned on, in a sign of joy.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 7.15am: COVID-19 cases continue to fall in Queensland
More than a third of Queenslanders who tested positive to COVID-19 have recovered and the rate of infection is dropping, with Health Minister Steven Miles raising hopes that restrictions to stymie the spread of the virus could end.
As of Saturday, there had been 974 positive tests for COVID-19 while 368 sufferers had recovered.
Mr Miles says the recovery rate may be even higher as there was a lag in collecting data for those who had tested positive and were isolating at home. With only nine new cases announced on Saturday, the total for the past week is just 77.
There are still 28 patients in hospital, including 12 in intensive care, “When I spoke to you last Saturday, it was 274 (for the week), the Saturday before that it had peaked at 380,” Mr Miles said.
“We have seen, in just two weeks, a very dramatic decline in the weekly average.” Mr Miles said social distancing and non-essential travel restrictions had saved lives, heavily reduced the number of new infections and reduced the pressure on hospitals.
The Queensland government is likely to review the measures by the end of the month, including those relating to non-attendance at schools, he said. “We did 2149 tests overnight, considering that number of positive is just nine, that is a positive testing rate of just 0.42 over the last 24 hours, incredibly low by global standards,” he said.
“That is because of our social distancing efforts, they are working. We need to keep them up.
“We said we would review the restrictions on leaving one’s home after a month and they will probably be the first to be considered as well as the restrictions on schools which, the intention is as I understand, is to make an announcement later this week,” he said.
Despite restrictions on non-essential travel, police have issued 462 fines (of $1334 each) that have raised $616,308 in revenue for the state government.
READ MORE: Virus clues to mystery of life
Agencies 6.30am: Stranded Australians to arrive home
More than a thousand Australians will land on home soil after weeks stranded abroad as millions break with lifelong Easter traditions.
Long-stuck travellers flown from Peru, Uruguay, India and Nepal will trickle through Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday before being shuttled to hotels for two weeks of quarantine.
Nearly 100 of them spent weeks stranded on an Antarctic cruise ship off the coast of Uruguay while another 63 left Kathmandu on a Canadian government-backed flight.
Seventy per cent of passengers on board the cruise ship MV Greg Mortimer have been infected with COVID-19.
“Thanks also to (the) Canadian High Commission in New Delhi and Canadian Govt. To do what you did remotely … hats off,” Australian Ambassador to Nepal Peter Budd tweeted on Saturday night.
Thousands of recently returned travellers will be released on Sunday from the guarded quarantine they’ve spent the past fortnight in.
Australia’s daily infection rate was increasing at least 15 per cent every day when they entered but it’s now dropped to less than two per cent. Australia’s total cases sits at 6302 cases, with 56 people having died from the virus.
The source of nearly half those cases, NSW, on Saturday recorded its fifth day with fewer than 50 new infections.
Some 240 people are in hospital nationwide, with 80 of those in intensive care units.
One-third of cases have been locally acquired.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth has conceded the restrictions have made it difficult for Australians wanting to celebrate Easter or Passover. “We’re very happy with what we’re seeing Australians do around Easter,” he said. “We have got to remember that this is a holiday time, we’ve asked Australians to break a lifelong habit with this weekend.” He didn’t think isolated cases of poor behaviour was cause for a widespread concern, but wouldn’t speculate if an potential spike in cases down the track could be attributed to Easter.
READ MORE: Academics spreading virus conspiracies
Dow Jones 6am: US deaths eclipse Italy’s, now worst in world
The US surpassed Italy as the country with the most deaths from the coronavirus on Saturday as authorities worldwide implored citizens to main lockdowns despite the Easter holiday weekend.
Reported US cases reached 501,701, with 18,860 total deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. In Italy, where the number of confirmed new cases has trended down for many days, the death toll stood at 18,849.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that another 783 deaths occurred in New York in the last 24 hours, bringing the total in the state to more than 8,000 deaths. “These are just incredible numbers, depicting incredible loss and pain,” he said.
Mr. Cuomo said he believes the state has hit its “apex,” with the “curve of the increase continuing to flatten.” He said deaths in New York are stabilising, but “stabilising at a horrific rate.” The 783 deaths that occurred over the last 24 hours followed 777 deaths over the previous 24 hours and 799 in the prior 24 hours.
Mr. Cuomo said social distancing is working in the state and he did not say when things might reopen. He said he knows the top question on everyone’s mind is, “When does this nightmare end?”
“Reopening is both a public health question and an economic question, and I’m not willing to divorce the two,” he said. He added that, “we don’t know if there’s going to be a second wave or not.”
Meanwhile, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday that the city’s public school system, the nation’s largest, will remain closed for the rest of the school year. The system serves 1.1 million students.
READ MORE: ‘We twiddled our thumbs while the virus waltzed in’
Agencies 5.30am: Unemployment figures to reveal coronavirus impact
The unemployment rate could rise to its highest level in four years when labour force figures are released this week, marking the initial impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy.
Financial market economists forecasts centre on an unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent when the March jobs data is released on Thursday, compared with 5.1 per cent in February.
Predictions range as high as 5.9 per cent, a level not seen since early 2016. However, they expect the rate could almost double towards 10 per cent by the middle of year as the economy sinks into a deep recession, the first in nearly 30 years.
While the government has put back the timing of the May budget until October, saying it is impossible to put forward a revised set of economic forecasts at this stage, that hasn’t stopped predictions from economists. For example, Westpac economists are predicting three consecutive negative quarters of economic activity — 0.7 per cent in the March quarter, a massive 8.5 per cent in the June quarter and 0.6 per cent in the September quarter.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will be grilled on the economic outlook when he is interviewed on ABC’s Insiders program.
Mr Frydenberg successfully steered the government $130 billion JobKeeper package through a special one-day sitting of parliament last week. — AAP
With around 6 million Australians expected to receive $1,500 a fortnight, the #JobKeeper payment is an economic lifeline for workers, businesses & livelihoods.
— Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) April 9, 2020
We’re absolutely focused on ensuring Australia is in the best possible position to bounce back stronger than ever. pic.twitter.com/livQ8iSrBH
READ MORE: Chris Kenny — Australia in grip of a diabolical dilemma
Luke Costin 5.15am: Australian update — coronavirus by the numbers
LATEST STATISTICS
* Confirmed cases in Australia: 6302 (+150 in 24 hours)
* Australian deaths: 56 (23 in NSW, 14 in Vic, four in Qld, six in WA, four in Tas, two in ACT, three in SA). 15 were passengers on the Ruby Princess.
* More than 280,000 Australians have returned home in recent weeks, 6200 off 45 cruise ships.
* Virus rate of infection has dropped to less than two — meaning the average sick person is infecting between one and two others.
* More than $1 million in on-the-spot fines have been handed out with Queensland issuing 460 at $1334 a pop, NSW ticketing 295 at $1000 each and Victoria hitting more than 100 with $1652 fines. — AAP
READ MORE: University confident of September delivery for vaccine
Jacquelin Magnay 5am: Rich listers stopped in tracks at French border
Money can buy most things, except freedom to enter France during the coronavirus lockdown for an optimistic group of seven middle aged businessmen and three women in their 20s who planned to wait out isolation at a $100m luxury Côte-d’Azur mansion.
The group of travellers, headed by an unnamed Croatian real estate and finance mogul based in Britain, with associates from Germany, France, Romania and Ukraine, chartered a private jet from London to Marsaille, from which they were to transfer to three helicopters for the short hop to the French Riveria and the eight bedroom uber-luxury pad called Alang Alang, which hugs the cliffs above Cannes.
Such is the opulence of Villa Alang Alang, it boasts an indoor and outdoor pool and the music star Sting even performed there for a private post Cannes film festival wrap party.
But the gendarmerie stopped the transfer on the tarmac during a three hour standoff in which the businessmen “tried to play their relationships, they made a few calls …”, a source told French station BFMTV.
The police suspected the group of men, aged in their 40s and 50s, and the women, aged between 24 and 27, arrived in France planning to wait out the isolation measures while partying in opulence.
However it was also claimed that the party comprised three billionaires seeking to close a multi-billion dollar business deal along with bodyguards, a secretary and translators.
The group was dismayed to discover that the French authorities wouldn’t allow them to board their helicopters to the booked retreat and nine of them returned to the UK, while the tenth chartered another plane and decamped to Germany.
French police said that crossing borders at the moment requires “a legitimate or compelling reason”.
On Saturday, 635 people died of coronavirus in France taking the death toll in that country to 13,832.
READ MORE: Peter van Onselen — ‘Ideological constraints’ are out the window
Ethan James 4.45am: Tasmania faces struggle to contain hospitals outbreak
Eleven new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in northwest Tasmania, where health authorities are working to contain an outbreak of the virus.
Thirty-eight cases have been linked to the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital in Burnie, with 26 staff among them. Households of quarantined hospital staff and recently discharged patients were on Saturday told to self-isolate for two weeks by the state government. About 130 staff from the hospitals have been stood down and placed in quarantine to mitigate the outbreak.
Labor says Burnie COVID-19 outbreak 'one of the country's largest' https://t.co/tfB8R6BWwN
— The Advocate (@theadvocatetas) April 11, 2020
The state recorded 11 extra cases on Saturday, all in the northwest, although no links to the hospitals have been confirmed.
Three of the cases are in their 20s, five are in their 30s, one is in their 40s and two are in their 60s.
Premier Peter Gutwein hasn’t ruled out tougher measures to limit the spread of the virus in the northwest, including a lockdown of the region. Tasmania has 133 confirmed cases in total, although more than 50 of those people have recovered.
Four elderly people have died from the virus in the state, three at the North West Regional Hospital. — AAP
READ MORE: Academics join in spreading coronavirus conspiracy theories
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