Coronavirus Australia live updates: One in three households ‘worse off’
One in three households are worse off financially since the pandemic began, with one in ten working age Australians feeling depressed.
- Australians have earned an early mark: PM
- PM slaps down Twiggy
- NSW Premier slams aged care operator
- Turnbull backs Morrison on China inquiry
- NSW records nine new cases
- Victoria confirms three cases
- South Australia to ease restrictions
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. National Cabinet will meet next Friday to discuss easing social distancing restrictions — a week earlier than anticipated, the PM has announced. He also slapped down suggestions made by mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest implying coronavirus may not have originated in China. And NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian criticises the operators of the Newmarch House Aged Care Centre following the 13th death of a resident.
Agencies 9.00pm: One in three households worse off
One in three households are worse off financially since the coronavirus crisis began, with one in ten working age Australians reporting feelings of depression.
Four in 10 have also reported feeling nervous or restless - feelings associated with anxiety, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Nearly twice as many people feel nervous or restless compared with a national health survey in 2017-18.
Working-age people were more likely to have finances in worse shape than those aged over 65 years.
One in eight had lost hours or their job in the first half of April. However, leaders are offering Australians an “early mark” from the tough restrictions on businesses and gatherings after the virus spread slowed to a crawl.
The first of the business cashflow payments and $750 stimulus cheques for people on welfare have hit bank accounts over the past fortnight.
But the ABS says more than half of those who have received the $750 have banked it or not spent it yet.
Another one in six put it towards paying bills.
That’s not great news for retailers, who have put together a plan to get people back into their stores and protect everyone’s health.
Governments have also ordered food courts closed along with restaurants, cafes and bars, although they can provide takeaway.
READ MORE: Melbourne dining hot spot closes
Matthew Denholm 8.50pm: No new cases in Tasmania
Tasmania recorded no new cases of coronavirus on Friday, leaving its total number of cases at 221.
Anne Barrowclough 8.20pm: UN chief lashes ‘lack of leadership’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has criticised a “lack of leadership” among the international community’s response to the pandemic.
Mr Guterres spoke amid increasing criticism of China’s handling of the crisis, with Donald Trump claiming he had seen evidence the coronavirus emerged from a Wuhan laboratory.
After Mr Trump also claimed China would “do anything” to make him lose the November election, Chinese state media Global Times tweeted that Beijing had no interest in interfering with the US election, attributing the statement to the Foreign Ministry. The tweet tagged Mr Trump.
“It is obvious that there is a lack of leadership,” Mr Guterres said, according to CNN. “It is obvious the international community is divided in a moment where it would be more important than ever to be united.”
When asked about the need for cooperation between China and the US, Mr Guterres replied: “The contribution of China and the United States, both to fight Covid-19, but to all other aspects in the development of international relations is, in my opinion, absolutely essential, and I hope that it will become possible in the future.”
“Now is the time to be determined,” he added. “Determined to defeat Covid-19 and to emerge from this crisis by building a better world for all.”
READ MORE: Mutually profitable China ties
Paige Taylor 5.20pm: WA cases drop, just two new detections in a week
The number of people with coronavirus in Western Australia has fallen to 32.
WA recorded just two new cases of coronavirus over the past week.
Of the 551 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 in WA since the pandemic began, eight have died and 511 have recovered.
WA Premier Mark McGowan announced the latest figures as the state government began work with research institute Telethon Kids to test thousands of children who show know symptoms.
“We already know our schools are safe but what this does is help us understand and learn more about the virus and provide more confidence to the people of Western Australia,” Mr McGowan said.
“It also gives a bigger level of assurance to the school communities as well.”
READ MORE: ASX 5pc drop wipes $83bn off market
Rachel Baxendale 4.05pm: Victoria stands firm on May 11 restrictions review
Victoria’s Andrews government says it is sticking with May 11 as its day to review coronavirus physical distancing restrictions, despite national cabinet bringing discussion of the issue forward to next Friday May 8.
“The Prime Minister has confirmed National Cabinet will discuss easing restrictions next week,” an Andrews government spokeswoman said.
“All jurisdictions will make their own decisions about settings for their specific circumstances.
“This does not change our plan to review restrictions on May 11.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus escape: State breaks out
Brent Read 4pm: Warriors can’t fly in, but Qld clears border
Scott Morrison says the Warriors don’t have permission to fly into the country this weekend, but there has been one win for rugby league today: the Queensland government has cleared the way for their clubs to train and play at home.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and the respective chief executives of the Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys and Gold Coast Titans this afternoon that they could resume training in preparation for the season’s return on May 28.
“I said I was as keen as anyone else to see the NRL return and I meant it,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“The only condition was that it did not put our excellent work containing the spread of COVID-19 at risk and the Chief Health Officer advises that the NRL plan is workable.”
The premier demanded further assurances about the enforcement of home-quarantine measures for rugby league players. A statement from the premier’s office said the NRL and Queensland Health Officer would have further discussions on those measures.
Premier Palaszczuk said the decision gave clubs permission to travel across the Queensland border to play because they are working and they are in quarantine.
Importantly, it also allows Queensland players to remain with their families.
“First round games will be played in Queensland and of course I put in a bid for a local grand final and we all look forward to hosting the State of Origin,” she said.
READ MORE: PM denies Warriors cleared to fly in from NZ
Olivia Caisley 3.10pm: Want to go to the pub? Download the app: PM
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that the easing of social distancing restrictions and getting Australians “back in the pub” is contingent on more people downloading the government’s app.
The Prime Minister says if you want to go to the pub, you have to download the app.
“Now if that isn’t an incentive for Australians to download CovidSafe on a Friday, I don’t know what is,” he says. “That is a prerequisite to even getting to that conversation.”
“We haven’t been considering additional restrictions but the degree to which we can confidently reduce restrictions depends on how many people have downloaded the COVIDSafe app.”
Olivia Caisley 3.05pm: Answers on sport possible next week
Sport Minister Richard Colbeck says the plan to restart community sport and recreational activities are based heavily on one developed by the Australian Institute of Sport.
Senator Colbeck flags that the decision about when and in what way sport can resume will be made next week.
He says the return will be staged, with the next step involving outdoor, non-contact sports in groups of 10 or less.
The third stage would involve all sport restarting.
“If you want to go out to play, download the app today,” he says, spruiking the government’s COVIDSafe app again.
READ MORE: Losing Logies silver lining of pandemic
Olivia Caisley 2.55pm: Controversial tweet ‘a matter for van Diemen’
On Victoria’s deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy notes Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen is a “hardworking and talented” health professional that has been working “80 hour weeks” since the coronavirus hit.
Dr van Diemen sparked controversy when she posted a tweet comparing Captain Cook to coro
navirus on the 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing.
Dr van Diemen tweeted: “Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID-19 or Cook 1770?’’
Dr Murphy says that while he “doesn’t concur” with her views, they were made on her personal twitter account.
Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?
— Dr Annaliese van Diemen (@annaliesevd) April 29, 2020
Muslim activist and engineer Yassmin Abdel-Magied has weighed in to the debate over Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer’s tweet, likening the health bureaucrat’s position to her own.
READ the full story here.
Olivia Caisley 2.45pm: PM slaps down NRL: Warriors not cleared to fly
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has hit back at the NRL, declaring “no amount of reporting” will change the fact New Zealand’s Warriors have not yet been given permission to travel to Tamworth to participate in the rugby league season, which was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“There will be no special treatment for the NRL or any other code,” he said as he took questions.
The Prime Minister says national cabinet did not decide that NRL will go ahead or that Kiwi football players will arrive this Sunday.
“That authority has not been provided... (the decision) will be made on the assessments of the ABF,” Mr Morrison said.
“In relation to the border issues with New Zealand, that authority has not been provided and no amount of reporting will change that decision,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“They (Border Force) are working through that application, they have received that application. I know everyone is looking forward to that (sport) coming back but it has to happen in accordance with the health rules.
“Those authorities have not been provided and the national cabinet has not provided that endorsement.
“The individual jurisdictions will ultimately provide any of the clearances that are necessary. Ultimately those decisions are made in those states.”
It was widely reported this morning that the Warriors had been granted permission to fly to Australia over the weekend in preparation for a return to training on May 4.
It is understood the NRL was convinced that it was only a matter of time before they were granted the green light.
READ the full story here.
Olivia Caisley 2.30pm: Australia perfoming better than predicted: Murphy
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has announced there are 6765 active cases of COVID-19 across the nation.
Dr Murphy said Australia was “still consistently getting less than 20 new cases per day over recent days”.
There have been 93 deaths and more than 570,000 tests.
“Pretty convincingly we have flattened the curve,” Dr Murphy said on Friday. “You can see that our numbers of cases, each day, continue to be pretty flat.”
He said Australia was performing better than predicted.
Dr Murphy said every state and territory had expanded its health services so well they were now able to stand down some of this expanded workforce.
He notes they will be on standby if needed again in the event of further outbreaks.
Dr Murphy called on more Australians to download the CovidSAFE app.
“We need the app uptake to be higher before we can say that the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle of contact tracing is there,” he said.
Dr Murphy has confirmed the government will carry out “cohort testing” to help identify asymptomatic people in the community and prevent future outbreaks.
These cohorts include aged care workers, healthcare workers and hospital patients.
Dr Murphy says Australia needs to test more people.
“We cannot afford to have an outbreak that takes off so that we get a second wave when we reduce restrictions such as a number of other countries have been,” Dr Murphy says. “So our testing has to be very good.”
He says case numbers in Australia are now so low “that we can examine each case, each cluster, and get really detailed epidemiological information on what’s happening”.
He again encourages anyone with symptoms to get tested.
“The most important thing in testing is for anyone who has respiratory symptoms, a cough or a cold or a sore throat to get tested. Get tested and don’t go to work.”
READ MORE: Ruby Princess ‘ground zero’ in Tas outbreak
Olivia Caisley 2.15pm: Another $205 million for aged care to fight virus
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced another $205 million will be provided to the aged care sector as it continues to deal with the threat of coronavirus
The Prime Minister said metro facilities will receive $900 per occupied residential bed and regional facilities will get $1350 per bed.
He said the funding injection would help offset the cost of COVID-19 testing and other associated costs.
READ MORE: Anger rises at death toll at aged care home
Olivia Caisley 2.15pm: Australians have earned an early mark: PM
Scott Morrison has announced Australians will be given an “early mark” and national cabinet will meet next Friday to discuss social easing distancing restrictions.
This is a week earlier than anticipated.
Speaking after a meeting of the National cabinet on Friday, the Prime Minister said that while there are about 1000 active coronavirus cases across the nation, the coronavirus is not the only curve that needs to be flattened.
“We need to restart our economy. We need to restart our society. We can’t keep Australia under the doona. We need to be able to move ahead,” Mr Morrison said.
He also called on Australians to download the government’s coronavirus tracing app, declaring the tool is crucial to reopening the economy.
The Prime Minister on Friday said Australia had met 11 of the 15 conditions set by the AHPPC for lifting restrictions and the National Cabinet will meet twice next week to work through the details of easing restrictions.
Mr Morrison said one of those conditions is downloading the CovidSAFE app and he called on more Australians to use the tool.
He said the threat of the virus has not passed and while there have been 3.5 million downloads of the government app “there needs to be millions more.”
“The coronavirus is still out there,” Mr Morrison said. “Our numbers may be low but it’s still out there.”
“We need that tool so we can open the economy,” Mr Morrison said. “So if you haven’t downloaded the app yet, download it.”
“It’s over to you Australia,” he said.
Mr Morrison said 1.5m Australians are now on JobSeeker and 900,000 claims have been processed in six weeks.
READ MORE: Four-day week a bad sign for housing
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.55pm: Scott Morrison due to speak following national cabinet meeting
Scott Morrison will address the nation on the latest decisions taken by the National Cabinet in response to the coronavirus pandemic at approximately 2pm AEST.
The Prime Minister is expected to announce decisions made in respect to the continuation of sport, the ability for Australians to visit loved ones in aged care homes, and the mental health sector.
The press conference can be viewed live on The Australian’s coronavirus blog.
READ MORE: Warriors cleared to fly in, NRL players get their cash
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.50pm: Annual CEO sleepout goes ‘virtual’ for virus
The annual CEO sleepout hosted by the St Vincent De Paul Society is set to go ahead virtually in June, with hundreds of Australia’s most powerful business identities to spend the night outside or in the car to raise money for homelessness relief.
This June, CEOs and business leaders will come together to raise critical funds for Vinnies services in an interactive online event. If your CEO has never participated before - why not nominate them? 👇
— CEOSleepout (@CEOSleepout) May 1, 2020
Nominate your CEO 📲 https://t.co/fOUUquZm2c#CEOSleepoutAU pic.twitter.com/oeMEtX7qXL
The event, which has run since 2006, typically sees hundreds of participants in cities around the country sleep in tents or under blankets in the great outdoors, with each individual participant paying or raising money to take part. Last year, the event raised $7.9 for homelessness relief efforts.
This year participants will nominate an alternative sleeping location - like a car, on the couch or in the backyard - and livestream their experience with other participants around the country on the night of June 18.
Vinnies said that these alternate sleeping arrangements represent the reality for many homeless people in Australia, not all of whom sleep on the street.
“Each of these represents common forms of homelessness and can connect you with some of the realities of the men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Australia every night,” they said in a statement, adding that they are encouraging spouses and children to participate too.
“This year, we also encourage you to make it a family event and involve your partner or children. Take this as an opportunity to let your family learn more about the issue. Wherever it is you choose to bunk down, your family can join you.”
READ MORE: US spies confirm Wuhan lab
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.20pm: Teens charged for spitting on, punching rail workers
NSW Police have charged two teenages for allegedly spitting at and punching rail employees at a station in western Sydney last week.
On Thursday April 23 a 17-year-old teenage girl entered Blacktown Railway Station while smoking when she was stopped by a Sydney Trains employee.
Police allege the girl yelled and spat at the employee, a 56-year-old-man, before a 16-year-old-boy, known to the girl, ran over and allegedly coughed and spat in the employee’s face.
Another Sydney Trains employee, a 53-year-old woman, intervened and was allegedly punched in the head before the youths fled the scene.
An investigation commenced and on Thursday officers arrested a 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy at a home in Pendle Hill in Sydney’s west.
The girl was charged with smoke in or on a public vehicle, and not complying with public health directions.
The boy was charged with two counts of common assault and not complying with public health directions.
They were both granted strict conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on Tuesday 14 July 2020.
READ MORE: Vile act ‘on way to COVID-19 test’
Angelica Snowden 1.11pm: Beauty salons open doors in NSW
Spas, nail salons, waxing and tanning salons can now “open their doors” in NSW, but only to sell products.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says while the businesses will not be permitted to resume tanning, waxing or manicures, he hoped bigger steps forward could be made in the future.
“We know this is a very small concession for these businesses but hopefully if COVID-19 cases remain low, further allowances can be made in the future,” Mr Hazzard said in a statement.
“This exemption signals a positive step NSW is taking towards relaxing restrictions under the public health orders but will still require observance of the four square metre rule,” he said.
The announcement comes after an easing of other social isolation restrictions that mean NSW residents can visit households in pairs.
READ MORE: Festival opens doors online
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.07pm: ACT virus-free for second day in a row
For the second day in a row the ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia to be coronavirus-free, recording no new cases since last Saturday and discharging the remaining coronavirus patients over the course of the week.
The territory’s coronavirus case count remains at 106, the second-lowest number of any mainland jurisdiction.
ACT #COVID19 update (1 May 2020) There have been no new cases in the ACT in the past 24 hours. The total is still 106. A total of 103 cases have recovered from COVID-19. There are no active cases in the ACT. The number of negative tests is now 8875 â„¹ï¸ https://t.co/YGW9pOHG3e pic.twitter.com/hgxx6WP0L2
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) May 1, 2020
The Northern Territory has the lowest count at 28 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with three cases still active.
Three people in the ACT have died of coronavirus, while the number of tests carried out in the territory is approaching 10,000.
ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman has thanked Canberrans for their efforts in tackling COVID-19 but warned that now is not the time to be complacent.
“We should be proud of what we have achieved through physical distancing and by making huge changes to our daily lives,” Dr Coleman said.
“However, it is important that we protect the good work we have done. Please continue to follow ACT Health directives and practise good hygiene as we continue to help fight this virus together.”
READ MORE: Doubts on processing Twiggy’s new kits
Angelica Snowden 12.58pm: Foreign students ‘left to fend for themselves’
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay says international students have been left to “fend for themselves” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Yep, the total absence of Berejiklian Government support for temporary visa workers and international students is just ridiculous. Join me at 11.30am for a special announcement on this issue with community members.
— Jodi McKay (@JodiMcKayMP) May 1, 2020
Watch live on Facebook: https://t.co/U6GusmaYtr pic.twitter.com/J1Sdd9mY2l
“Right now the world is watching how Sydney treats international students,” Ms McKay said.
“We want them here in the good times - we take their fees which in some cases are around $18,000 to $20,000 a semester…yet in the bad times we ask them to fend for themselves.”
Opposition Finance Minister Daniel Mookhey outlined the party’s demands and called on the NSW government to match Victoria’s one off $1100 payment to international students that are facing hardship.
Mr Mookhey said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian should use her seat in the National Cabinet to argue that international students be eligible for the JobKeeper support program.
In line with the Western Sydney University, he said all universities across NSW should offer a 10 per cent reduction in fees for international students
Ms McKay said NSW attracts 300,000 international students who inject $14 billion annually into the local economy.
READ MORE: ‘Critical that public servants aren’t activists’
Rachel Baxendale 12.48pm: Probe over health official’s Cook tweet
Victoria’s Public Sector Commission has confirmed it will investigate whether Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen contravened the Public Administration Act when she compared Captain Cook to coronavirus in a tweet.
Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?
— Dr Annaliese van Diemen (@annaliesevd) April 29, 2020
READ MORE: Calls for resignation over Cook hypocritical
Rebecca Urban 12.43pm: Private schools opt against $3.2bn funding offer
Many private schools are opting against applying for advances on up to $3.2 billion worth of Commonwealth funding, amid concerns that the timeframe and conditions are too rigid.
Schools have been mulling an offer from Education Minister Dan Tehan to bring bring forward 25 per cent of their federal payments if they return students to class by June 1.
The application deadline closes Friday.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic placing the sector under considerable financial stress, Independent Schools Queensland said the timeframe was an issue for many schools.
“ISQ understands that because of the short timeframe for schools to make a decision as to whether they would be able to comply with the conditions associated with bringing forward funding payments, along with the uncertainties around the return of students to school, very few independent schools will be able to take up the offer at this stage,” said ISQ executive director David Robertson.
Queensland, along with Victoria, have yet to commit to a timeframe for returning students to school. The current advice in Victoria is for students to continue learning from home for the remainder of term 2.
Mr Robertson wrote to more than 200 schools earlier in the week reminding them that they were “autonomous legal entities” and able to determine their own way of operating “subject to statute and common law”.
READ MORE: Gambling, streaming buck downward trend
Joe Kelly 12.34pm: What steps shops must take to reopen
The retail sector has proposed a ten point “protocol” to help business owners re-open while managing the health risks posed by the coronavirus as the national cabinet moves towards a steady easing of restrictions.
The protocol is backed by employer and employee groups including one of the nation’s most powerful unions, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, with national secretary Gerard Dwyer saying it was imperative for staff to have a “safe working environment.”
The ten-point protocol prioritises the availability of hand sanitizer within stores, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of objects like EFTPOS machines, handrails and benches and the maintenance of social distancing rules.
Shopping Centre Council chief executive Angus Nardi said it was important to “assure the community our industry is working hand-in-hand to ensure that strict public health guidelines are followed and that we provide a safe, healthy and secure environment”.
Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said that retailers were making an “enormous effort to protect staff and shoppers” while National Retail Association boss
READ MORE: Twiggy’s mutually profitable China ties
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.29pm: WHO ‘not invited to join China’s virus probe’
Mainland China has reported 12 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, up from four on Thursday, the country’s National Health Commission said.
Six of the new cases were imported, with the remaining occurring domestically - showing that China is yet to completely contain the virus despite just 5000 of their 83,956 confirmed cases still active.
The new cases identified were in the northeastern Heilongjiang province, as well as in the northern province of Inner Mongolia, showing how the spread of the virus has moved away from Hubei province, where it is said to have originated.
On Thursday China’s World Health Organisation representative Gauden Galea told Sky News UK that the WHO has not been invited to join official Chinese government investigations into the virus’s origin.
“We know that some national investigation is happening but at this stage we have not been invited to join,” Dr Galea said.
“WHO is making requests of the health commission and of the authorities.
“The origins of virus are very important, the animal-human interface is extremely important and needs to be studied.”
China reported no new coronavirus deaths on Thursday, with the toll remaining at 4633.
READ MORE: Bupa assistance to 22,000 during virus crisis
Rachel Baxendale 12.24pm: Victoria bolsters virus testing numbers
Victoria has picked up the pace with its push to conduct 100,000 COVID-19 tests in a fortnight, testing more than 8400 people on Thursday.
The state had been falling behind at reaching its target, but the opening of ten mobile testing sites and Melbourne shopping centres - with two more set to open over the weekend - appears to be bolstering numbers.
More than 123,500 tests have been conducted in Victoria as of Friday, including 19,500 since the testing blitz began on Monday.
Authorities will need to test more than 8000 people a day between now and May 11 if the government is to reach its goal of 100,000 tests.
READ MORE: Crisis hits rental property market
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.19pm: Infected ADF personnel flown home from Middle East
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles has promised that four COVID-19 positive Australian Defence Force personnel who have been repatriated from the Middle East for treatment at the Royal Darwin Hospital will not mix with the public and cause a second outbreak of the virus.
The Northern Territory has confirmed 28 cases of coronavirus, with just three still active in the state.
Ms Fyles said that a number of additional personnel who flew in with the positive soldiers, who are currently asymptomatic, are in mandatory quarantine.
“All appropriate cautions have been in place and I want to assure people don’t mix with the public,” Ms Fyles told reporters on Friday.
“Also a number of personnel on that flight have disembarked and gone into that mandatory quarantine, and we hope that they do not come down with coronavirus - but we do wish them well and welcome them to the Top End.”
Ms Fyles said the four ADF personnel will contribute to the coronavirus tallys of their home states.
“What we saw those people repatriated from work and on the cruise ship, they were added to their home state’s jurisdiction,” she said.
“In the coming days, it will be determined where their home is, does Defence want to try and repatriate them, are they better off being here.
“Those issues will be worked through, but our priority is in caring for those individuals.”
A fifth ADF personnel who served in the Middle East also tested positive for COVID-19 but had already returned home to Brisbane, where they are currently self-isolating.
READ MORE: Child blood disorder linked to virus
Angelica Snowden 12.10pm: Bondi off hook as new hotspot emerges
Coronavirus hotspots in NSW have been plotted on a live map, designed to help the community identify outbreaks as isolation measures are slowly eased across the state.
The map, announced on Friday by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, lists key COVID-19 statistics for every postcode including the number of active cases and how many people have recovered in the area.
The 2026 postcode encapsulating North Bondi, Bondi Beach and Tamarama has the highest number of recorded - but not active - COVID-19 cases in NSW to April 29.
The map - that also allows users to view COVID cases across NSW by date - shows the 2026 postcode has consistently had the highest number of infections since March 29.
While Bondi was the location of the state’s biggest outbreak, a cluster of cases originating in the Newmarch House aged care facility in Sydney’s west has emerged as the newest hotspot.
The cluster prompted NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to urge people in the Penrith local government area to get tested for coronavirus if they are symptomatic due to a nasty strain of the virus.
At a press conference on Friday, Dr Chant confirmed that 37 residents at the facility now have COVID-19.
READ MORE: Ruby Princess ‘ground zero’ in Tas outbreak
Brent Read 12.05pm: Warriors get green light to fly into Australia
The Warriors have been given the green light to fly into Australia on Sunday and NRL players have agreed to return to training on Monday after ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys gave them assurances that they would receive 80 percent of their salaries this season.
It is understood the National Cabinet this morning confirmed that the Warriors would be allowed to fly directly into Tamworth this weekend, where they will spend two weeks in isolation in the lead-up to the resumption of the season on May 28.
Amid talk of a potential player revolt, it is understood V’landys eased the concerns of the playing group during a two hour phone hook-up this morning. The players have agreed to take part in biosecurity education at their respective clubs on Monday before reconsidering their position.
Some players want time to digest the protocols they will be forced to train and play under. However, V’landys said they were committed to taking part in a revived competition from May 28.
READ MORE: Where the markets have it wrong on COVID-19
Rachel Baxendale 11.59pm: Staff, residents test positive at Melbourne aged care facility
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed one staff member and four residents at the Hawthorn Grange aged care facility in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs have tested positive to COVID-19.
“All staff and residents have been tested for coronavirus and all contacts are being traced – with no further positive test results reported as of today,” the department said.
“We are working closely with the facility to ensure appropriate public health actions have been taken, including isolation, quarantine, cleaning and contact tracing.”
READ MORE: School funding offer ‘grossly unfair’
Courtney Walsh 11.35pm: AFL boss anxiously awaits National Cabinet decision
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is anxiously awaiting the outcome of a meeting of the National Cabinet later on Friday in the hope it will clear the path for the league to return.
The AFL has modelled dozens of scenarios for a resuming the season, with plans including the prospect of quarantining players in hubs or chartering flights, but much will depend on the easing of restrictions.
“We’ll know a lot more tonight,” McLachlan told 3AW.
“All I’d say is our responsibility is that clearly we are keen to get the game back, but the health and wellbeing of our stakeholders, all the players and everyone is primary. And the community and also leading the community.
“We’ll do what the government says … I’m optimistic that today there will be a path back for us. But what that looks like and when we can train and how that works, we’ll know today.”
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said that should the worst-case scenario be required, namely that players would be forced into hubs for up to 20 weeks, there would be no repercussions for footballers who denied their service.
Footballers with families have significant concerns with this prospect, which was outlined to them in a meeting with the AFL Players Association on Tuesday.
READ MORE: AFL’s preference is to burst the bubbles
Warren P. Strobel 11.28am: US intelligence agencies confirm virus lab probe
The US intelligence community publicly confirmed it is trying to determine whether the coronavirus may have escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic began.
In an unusual public statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, or ODNI, said that US intelligence agencies concur with a wide scientific consensus that “the Covid-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.” But ODNI, which coordinates the work of 17 US spy agencies, said US intelligence “will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”
US intelligence agencies rarely discuss their work or conclusions publicly, and the ODNI statement marked a break from that pattern.
It has been previously reported that American intelligence agencies are assessing whether the virus might have escaped from a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
China’s role in the spread of the virus has figured prominently into debates within the U.S., where more than one million have been infected with more than 61,000 killed. While experts in the U.S. and elsewhere have faulted China for not sharing information about the outbreak more quickly, President Trump and his allies have often attacked Beijing when questioned about the administration’s own coronavirus response.
Wall Street Journal
READ MORE: CSIRO armed us for infectious invader
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.20am: Oxford virus vaccine could be ready by end of year
A coronavirus vaccine trial being conducted at the University of Oxford will know if the vaccine is effective within six weeks, and could be widely available by the end of the year if results are successful.
Professor of Medicine at Oxford University Sir John Bell told BBC Radio Four that “several hundred” Britons have been given an injection since human trials of the vaccine solution started last week, with “some signal” of whether it works set to be available in June.
The University has partnered with global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to ensure there is the capacity to produce tens of millions of doses of the vaccines one it is approved by global regulators.
“Once we get an approval by the regulators, we don’t want to have to go back to the beginning and work out how we manufacture it at scale,” Sir John said.
“We also want to make sure that the rest of the world will be ready to make this vaccine at scale so that it gets to populations in developing countries, for example, where the need is very great.”
AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said the plan is to fast track regulatory approval of the vaccine in the third quarter of the year and have it ready for limited distribution by the end of 2020.
READ MORE: Virus-free towns push back
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11am: NT residents told: be sensible over long weekend
Residents of the Northern Territory have been warned by the territory’s police boss that officers will be “wherever we can be” over their long weekend as restrictions on outdoor activities in the top end lift.
From midday on Friday Territorians will be able to go out in groups of more than 10 people to fish, camp, play on playgrounds and participate in non-contact sport.
But NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said residents still need to abide by some social distancing rules, and they will be checking.
“Respect 1.5 meters of physical distancing, good hand hygiene practices, sneezing or coughing in your elbow, making sure you don’t stay in contact with someone for 15 minutes or more unless they are within your family group,” Mr Chalker told reporters.
“It’s a great long weekend coming up, let’s take full advantage but let’s not be complacent.”
Mr Chalkner said police would be patrolling some of the Territory’s national parks that will reopen over the weekend and maintain bio security checkpoints to remote communities, imploring Territorians to space out their activities over the weekend.
“Some go out on Sunday, and some on Monday, some of those who have days off during the week get out and about, we can accommodate all,” he said. “I just ask for common sense.”
The Northern Territory is the mainland jurisdiction least-affected by coronavirus, having only confirmed 28 cases of the illness since March.
READ MORE: Andrews backs health officer after Cook tweet
David Rogers 10.40am: ASX in sharp sell off as global markets sink
The local shares sell-off has extended to as much as 3.3 per cent in early trading, as all sectors pull lower. Shares touched a low of 5338 and last traded down 3.2pc to 5346.3 — that’s as US futures extend losses to 1pc. Heavyweight BHP is down by 5.4pc while the major banks trade lower by between 3pc and 4.8pc.
Energy stocks are worst hit, down by 4.6pc even as WTI crude futures gain 7pc.
Meanwhile, the Aussie dollar is off by 0.54 per cent to US64.75c.
READ MORE: Follow the markets in our TradingDay live blog
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.15am: Victoria launches culture streaming service
Victoria will launch a free streaming service featuring comedy, music and other performances to maintain Melbourne’s reputation as “the live music capital of our nation” and entertain bored residents in lockdown.
Called Victoria Together, the online streaming website is due to launch on Friday, with Premier Daniel Andrews saying it will “provide people at home with access to something like a gig.”
To help keep Victorians connected we have launched Victoria Together, a new online portal showcasing the best our state has to offer from live music & comedy, to the amazing animals at Melb Zoo & so much more!
— Natalie Suleyman MP (@NatalieSuleyman) May 1, 2020
visit https://t.co/vYNLRl804B#victoriatogether #stalbans #StayHome pic.twitter.com/MYksI49WiL
“It makes sense to have in one place at a very high quality lots of different experiences, things that give a bit of a taste of what people would normally be doing in the cultural capital of our nation,” Mr Andrews told reporters. “To try to fill that gap that has been created because we have had no choice but to shut down those sorts of gatherings and those sorts of venues.”
A six-week live series called “State of Music” will also stream its first episode live on the platform on Sunday, featuring performances from Birds of Tokyo, Diesel, G flip and others.
“Hopefully out of that six week series we can see new artists emerge and see a new chapter so we can continue to be, as I said earlier on, the unrivalled live music capital of our nation,” Mr Andrews said.
As part of the initiative, the state government will hand out $2.35 million in grants to creators to digitise content for the platform.
READ MORE: Culture in the time of coronavirus
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10am: Stick to your day job: PM on Cook tweet
Scott Morrison says Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen should stick to her area of expertise after she compared Captain Cook to coronavirus in a tweet on the 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing.
Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?
— Dr Annaliese van Diemen (@annaliesevd) April 29, 2020
“I found those sorts of comments very disappointing. She certainly won’t get the job as chief historian,” Mr Morrison told Alan Jones on Sydney’s 2GB.
“Those sorts of comments do not inspire confidence and people should stick to their day jobs..I am going to listen to the experts in their field.”
Mr Morrison also reiterated that in regard to schools, the official medical advice was that it was safe for children to attend, but he accepted that different states and territories were taking different parts to restoring classes.
“All states and territories are going to move at different paces, and the national cabinet is going to meet again today, and we all respect each other,” he said.
READ MORE: ‘Woke’ leftie told to quit over Cook tweet
Matthew Denholm 9.45am: Northwest Tassie hard lockdown to be lifted
A hard lockdown on northwest Tasmania will be lifted from Monday, with Premier Peter Gutwein declaring the region’s outbreak is “largely under control”. However, Mr Gutwein on Friday warned statewide restrictions would still apply, including a limit of two on public gatherings, bar and restaurant closures, and a ban on all non-essential movements.
He also warned the extra restrictions applied to the northwest for the past three weeks could be reintroduced if numbers of COVD-19 cases surged again.
“If we were to see a spike in numbers again…we will once again reintroduce tighter restrictions,” he said.
The decision means that from Monday non-essential retail stores can reopen in the northwest and the region’s schools will reopen for children who cannot be educated at home.
Mr Gutwein said statewide restrictions would be eased in the weeks ahead, if and when backed by public health advice. “We are starting to get on top of this,” he said.
Tasmania on Thursday night reported two new cases of coronavirus in the same day it recorded two further deaths. The state has seen 221 cases and 13 deaths.
READ MORE: Ruby Princess ‘ground zero’ in Tas outbreak, says official probe
Craig Johnstone 9.30am: Qld records another day of zero cases
Queensland has recorded another day of zero new COVID-19 cases as it prepares to partially lift restrictions on travel and public gatherings this weekend.
“Queensland you are doing us all proud,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
However, she cautioned that people should not use the relaxation of restrictions to flout other rules to stop the spread of the virus.
From midnight on Friday, people will be permitted to travel within 50km of their home for activities such as picnics and bushwalks or shopping for non-essential items.
“I really hope that everyone acts responsibly and they enjoy the lifting of restrictions,” she said.
The Premier confirmed that the state had frozen recruitment in the public service to reduce pressure on the Queensland budget. “We have to make these tough decisions,” she said.
Health Minister Steven Miles said there has been only eight new cases in Queensland over the past week and just 80 active cases overall. “Let not mess it up, let’s keep it up. Let’s keep getting those zero results,” he said.
READ MORE: Prepare for drawn-out downturn
Angelica Snowden 9.20am: 1800 NSW businesses offer to retool
Over 1800 NSW businesses offered to retool to produce medical supplies to fight the spread of COVID-19. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she put out a “call to arms” about a month ago to all businesses asking for their help to produce the equipment.
“Many of the markets we relied on, many of the supply chains we’d relied on no longer exist because of the pandemic and we asked businesses to come forward who thought they might be able to assist NSW in getting medical splice or perhaps retooling or involved in local manufacturing.” she said. “I can assure the community that now we have the prospect of getting some vital medical supplies and also establishing vital supply chains that will exist beyond COVID.”
Jobs Minister Stuart Ayres said over 100 businesses have been recommended to Department of Health product teams to develop personal protective equipment. He said the NSW government has “good numbers” of PPE in the medium term, and by signing up an additional 450 businesses to retool and produce medical gear, the state was “shoring up our long term supply”.
READ MORE: Peter Van Onselen — Calls for Annaliese van Diemen to resign over Captain Cook tweet hypocritical
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.10am: PM tells Forrest: ‘that’s obviously not true’
Scott Morrison has slapped down suggestions made by mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest implying coronavirus may not have originated in China, saying he only takes advice from “experts in their field.”
Mr Forrest has attracted controversy by allowing the Chinese consul-general to Victoria, Long Zhou, to mount a defence of China’s handling of coronavirus at a government press conference and for making comments in April implying the coronavirus could have come from outside of China.
“I’d be taking those positive steps before we say who’s at fault,” Mr Forrest told the West Australian’s podcast on April 2. “Because it just might be Australia, it just might be Britain, it just might be China.”
The Prime Minister said of the remarks on 2GB on Friday: “That’s obviously not true”.
“When it comes to the origin of this virus...I don’t think anybody is in any fantasyland about where it started, it started in China.
“When it comes to foreign affairs, I’ll take my advice from foreign affairs officials...I’ll talk to experts in their field.”
Mr Morrison refused to make any further criticism of Mr Forrest for his actions at the press conference with Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday, saying he has made a great contribution to the nation in securing 10 million testing kits from China for Australia’s health system.
“I appreciate what Andrew has done ... we’ve got access to testing kits which have all been tested in Australia to make sure they’re up to the mark, which they are.”
READ MORE: Editorial — Business must not dictate foreign policy
Rachel Baxendale 8.45am: Victoria confirms three cases in past 24 hours
Victoria has confirmed three more cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the state’s total to 1364. The state’s death toll remains 18, with no fatalities in the past 24 hours.
There are 16 Victorians in hospital with COVID-19, including seven in intensive care.
Premier Daniel Andrews said approximately 10 per cent of Victoria’s cases were considered community transmissions, with no identified link to overseas travellers.
READ MORE: Ergas — Cut spending, not the tax burden
Angelica Snowden 8.40am: NSW to release live heat maps by postcode
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that the state will release live heat maps that will share data on COVID-19 cases by postcode.
“This will provide important data on where the cases are, how many people have been tested in those areas but also give a good picture to people who might live in a hot spot to make sure they’re extra cautious and come forward and get tested,” she said. “These heat maps, as we call them, will be publicly available, they will define the number of cases by postcode so you will be able to see down at that granular level but also we appreciate they are an important tool and source of information for people as we go through this process and as we are easing restrictions.”
The Premier said the maps were an “Australian first” and will shortly be available for the public to view online.
READ MORE: Morrison smart to call Beijing’s bluff
Angelica Snowden 8.30am: Payne not aware of China official’s invite
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the government was not blindsided by China’s consul-general for Victoria, Long Zhou, appearing at a press conference hosted by Greg Hunt.
“The courteous thing to do was to accept the gentleman’s presence as a representative of the government by Mr Forrest,” she said on ABC radio.
Senator Payne said she was not aware of the appearance made by the Chinese diplomat, but that she wouldn’t have expected to be.
She also said timing of a review into the outbreak of coronavirus would be a challenge, but that it should not be organised around the US presidential election. “I don’t think the timing of elections around the world is particularly relevant to be frank,” she said.
“The World Health Organisation and the World Health Assembly is meeting on May 18.
“That assembly will have before them a resolution from the European Union which in parts refers to the need for an appropriate review.”
Senator Payne said her government rejected economic threats directed at Australia by China’s ambassador that Beijing could stop sending tourists and students to Australia.
“I said that we work closely in the diplomatic community in Australia but we do reject the approach that the ambassador took that may be construed as economic coercion.”
READ MORE: Gatecrashing consul a senior cyber spy
Angelica Snowden 8.15am: NSW records nine new cases as death toll rises to 13
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says more than 7000 people tested for coronavirus in the last 25 hours with nine new cases. Today marks the first day of an ease in restrictions in NSW.
“Of course from today, as we see restrictions ease, as we see people going or taking the opportunity to improve their isolation, improve their mental health and wellbeing by being able to visit loved one, we ask you to do that with caution,” she said. “Have those conversations and talk about how you will manage the social distancing, how you will manage keeping everybody safe.”
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said of the nine new coronavirus cases in NSW, three were linked with the Newmarch House outbreak in Caddens.
She also confirmed the death of a 74-year-old male resident bringing the death toll to 13 at the aged care facility.
There are now 59 cases of COVID-19 linked with the cluster, with a total of 37 residents and 22 staff that have contracted the virus.
Dr Chant said the other four cases identified in the state overnight were locally acquired, one is under investigation and another came from overseas.
READ MORE: Gottliebsen — Where the markets have it wrong on COVID-19
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8am: NSW Premier slams Newmarch operator
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has slammed the operators of the Newmarch House Aged Care Centre in western Sydney following the 13th death of a resident due to coronavirus, calling the situation “horrific”.
“We’ve called on the federal minister and also appreciate the Federal Government’s involved the aged care assurance advocacy association to deal with the matter, to intervene, and we’ve called for that,” she told ABC News on Friday.
“Because what’s happening there isn’t acceptable and unfortunately, you do notice a difference in the way people who run these aged care homes across the nation are dealing with the issue.
“Some are doing it better than others. And unfortunately this particular operator has been left wanting on a number of levels.”
Newmarch House is operated by Anglicare Sydney. An outbreak of coronavirus in the facility originated with an infected staff member, who was confirmed as COVID-19 positive on April 11. Since then 37 residents and 22 staff have tested positive for the virus and 13 residents have died.
Ms Berejiklian said that despite the outbreak in the facility, other aged care centres should develop plans to allow residents to receive visits from loved ones. “We’ve always supported what the national cabinet has determined and that is that relatives should not be prevented from visiting their loved ones,” she said.
“I support the Prime Minister in this, aged care operators need to better manage themselves so they provide access to loved ones, often cutting off that human contact, or that visit, can be detrimental to the health of the resident but also their family.”
Ms Berejikian also said despite the relaxation of coronavirus rules on Friday that allow people to receive two adult visitors in her home, she would not be taking advantage of the new situation herself.
“Only because I’m in contact with so many people, and I worry about potentially passing it onto others,” Ms Berejiklian said. “As painful as it is, I’ll be standing in the driveway and talking to my parents tomorrow. But at least I’ll be able to do that.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus escape: state breaks out
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.45am: Dutton calls for doctor to resign over Cook tweet
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has called for one of Victoria’s top health officials to step down after she compared Captain Cook’s arrival to coronavirus in a tweet.
On Wednesday, the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook’s arrival in Australia, Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen tweeted:
Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?
— Dr Annaliese van Diemen (@annaliesevd) April 29, 2020
“Sudden arrival of an invader from another land, decimating populations, creating terror. Forces the population to make enormous sacrifices & completely change how they live in order to survive. COVID19 or Cook 1770?”
“I think it’s pretty obvious that in the middle of a pandemic the second highest medical officer in the state of Victoria should be concentrating on the people of Victoria and the crisis associated with COVID-19,” Mr Dutton said.
“I think if you are in the middle of a pandemic as the health officer and you are tweeting about Captain Cook and writing disparaging woke sort of comments that might please your mates at the ABC or at the university campus where you hang out, fair enough, but I don’t think that’s acceptable.”
READ MORE: ‘Woke leftie’ told to quit over Cook jibe
Angelica Snowden 7.40am: NSW Premier to give coronavirus update at 8am
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will provide an update on coronavirus in her state at 8am AEST.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro is expected to join the press conference and is likely to discuss his intention to contest the Eden-Monaro seat.
Watch the conference live in the video at the top of this article.
READ MORE: Graham Richardson — Manufacturing a way forward
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.30am: Turnbull backs Morrison’s push for coronavirus inquiry
Malcolm Turnbull has backed Scott Morrison’s push for an independent global inquiry into the origin of coronavirus in China, slamming Australian businesses for siding with Chinese interests over those of Australia.
The former Prime Minister told Sunrise on Friday “of course” there needed to be an investigation and that “I support it”.
“The point I made in my book, which is that at the moment, about our dealings with China ... I said that if there is ever a dispute between Australia and the Chinese government, you can never expect any support and solidarity from the Australian business community,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Invariably, they are totally invested in the economic aspect of the relationship and if there is any conflict between Australia and China, they will generally side with China.
“I’m sure Scott Morrison is feeling the same way I did a few years ago.”
Mr Turnbull said the push for an inquiry into the virus’s origin could avoid conspiracy theories and not be “a blame game” and said that if businesses could not publicly support the government’s position, they should pass on their advice and support to the government in private.
It takes a special kind of arrogance for a party lackey like ambassador Cheng Jingye to threaten reprisals over a pandemic sourced to China’s backyard, writes @Oz_Mocker https://t.co/W7oCVH4Q2u
— Australian Opinion (@AusOpinion) April 30, 2020
“If you are just simply an echo chamber, a sycophant, that will be taken for granted and win you no respect.
“Australia has to stand up for its interest and Australians should support their government.”
READ MORE: Gatecrashing Chinese consul a former senior cyber spy
Angelica Snowden 7.10am: Russian PM self-isolates after testing positive
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says has tested positive for coronavirus and has told President Vladimir Putin he will self isolate.
First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will temporarily perform Mr Mishustin’s duties.
Mr Mishustin, 54, was named prime minister in January.
Moscow’s Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said the Russian capital was unlikely to overcome coronavirus any time soon.
“We’re not even at the midpoint, in my opinion; at best we have passed a quarter of this way,” Mr Sobyanin said.
The capital recorded nearly 3,100 new cases on Thursday and accounts for half of Russia’s reported 106,000 cases.
Moscow quickly built one hospital to handle coronavirus cases and Mr Sobyanin said the need for more could be filled by building treatment facilities at shopping malls, sports venues or the sprawling Stalin-era VDNKh exhibition complex.
FRANCE
French health authorities have released a map showing the country’s areas that are the most affected by the coronavirus.
It will help identify which areas of the country should be targeted when restrictions are reviewed after May 11.
The map defines “red zones” and “green zones” based on how the virus is estimated to spread and the burden on intensive care units in local hospitals.
Red or green: France reveals first version of map showing coronavirus situation by département https://t.co/kSviTV9l3l
— The Local France (@TheLocalFrance) April 30, 2020
The northeastern part of France, including the whole Paris region, has been placed in the “red zone”. The government said “green zones” will be able to lift some restrictions more rapidly.
Health minister Olivier Veran said final decisions will be made based on the evolution of the map next week.
National health agency director Jerome Salomon said the spreading of the virus continues to slow down in the country with the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care decreasing for the third straight week.
France, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, has reported 24,376 deaths from the disease at hospitals and in nursing homes.
SPAIN
Spain will further ease strict COVID-19 social isolation measures from next Saturday.
Spanish health minister Salvador Illa said people would be able to practice sports or go for walks with one other person from their home between 6am and 10am and between 8pm and 11pm.
Team sports are not allowed, and people cannot go further than 1km from their home.
People over 70 years old and people who need someone’s assistance to walk have a separate time period for going out. Children under 14 years old can leave the house for an hour between midday and 7pm
ITALY
Scientists are defending a controversial report warning of a new wave of critical coronavirus cases that prompted the Italian government to keep schools closed until September and take a gradual approach to reopening.
The statistical models in the report estimate that Italy could see as many as 151,000 people in intensive care by June 8 if everything reopened, given the large number of possible contacts in which infections could spread.
Industrial groups have assailed the report’s methodology, but its authors appeared at the Superior Institute of Health on Thursday to defend the findings.
At the height of Italy’s outbreak, the deadliest in Europe, there were a fraction of people in ICUs, slightly more than 4,000 for four days running March 31-April 3. Even that number, however, overwhelmed the health system in hardest-hit Lombardy.
READ MORE: Britain’s Captain Tom promoted to Colonel
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7am: Defence personnel test positive for coronavirus
Five Australian Defence Force personnel stationed somewhere in the Middle East have tested positive for coronavirus, the Department of Defence said on Friday.
Four of the personnel were returned to Australia on Friday morning on “a routine Defence sustainment flight” and were taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital for assessment.
The remaining COVID-19 positive personnel returned to Australia had previously returned to Brisbane after completing their deployment and is currently in mandatory quarantine.
WATCH | 🔊| Private Frederick Charles Devery Holten is currently deployed on Operation Accordion in the Middle East Region. Watch his story here. 👇 #GoodSoldiering pic.twitter.com/g8kJX7WOOJ
— Australian Army (@AustralianArmy) April 26, 2020
“The safety and health of all ADF personnel deployed to the Middle East Region remains our top priority,” the ADF said in a statement on Friday.
“Defence will take all necessary measures in consultation with our Coalition partners, relevant Host Nations and Australian Federal, State and Territory Governments to ensure ADF personnel receive the treatment and care required.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.50am: ‘Call the police’: MP slammed over school comment
Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace has called for federal Coalition MP Andrew Laming to be removed as chair of a federal education committee for comments that encouraged Queensland parents to call the police on schools that wouldn’t let their children attend.
Queensland schools are encouraging distance learning until week 5 of term 2, but are open for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.
But amid claims some principals were encouraging even those children to stay at home, Mr Laming told Channel 9’s Today that parents should “call the police.”
“We’ve got special school kids turned away. Autism spectrum disorder children turned away. Teachers becoming invisible because they don’t want to help a child that’s in a classroom,” Mr Laming told Today on Friday morning, alongside Ms Grace.
“This is a complete charade, this two levels of school. It is driving teachers nuts.”
A federal MP has told essential workers to call the police if their child is turned away from school. What do you make of this? #9Today pic.twitter.com/wLZwzVpJhk
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) April 30, 2020
Ms Grace labelled Mr Laming’s comments “outrageous”.
“The rules are very clear here. We are following the AHPPC guidelines. They changed last week. We’re working through those this week. I’ve met with the premier. I’ve met with the chief health officer. We are doing the best we can in a world health pandemic.
“So these outrageous claims, calling unnecessary anxiety and causing stress amongst our principals and teachers, are simply ridiculous. He should stop.”
Ms Grace said the comments showed Mr Laming was unfit to chair the standing committee of employment, education and training.
READ MORE: Coronavirus crisis hits rental property market
Angelica Snowden 6.30am: Leaked audio reveals Qld Premier’s school fears
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she can’t “turn the switch back on” and allow schools to start up full-time because she could be blamed for children who fall sick with coronavirus.
In a leaked recording revealed today by The Courier-Mail, Ms Palaszczuk said she was “very passionate” about not rushing a return back to school despite Scott Morrison’s urgings.
“I just have to stress to everyone, we cannot rush this, we have to take our time because if there is a breakout in a school, I’ll tell you one thing, they’re not going to be blaming Scott Morrison,” she said.
In Friday's #CourierMail leaked audio reveals why Premier @AnnastaciaMP won't reopen Queensland schools yet PLUS essential pandemic advice for businesses in this month's #QBM magazine #coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/qipb2ytGwd
— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) April 30, 2020
“They’ll be blaming the State Government, they’ll be blaming myself and (education) Minister Grace Grace.”
Ms Palaszczuk made the comments in a town hall-style telephone meeting with Labor branch members. She said she was also concerned about how schools would manage social distancing during drop-off and pick-up times.
Queensland schools will continue to teach students via remote learning until week five of term two. Ms Palaszczuk said her government would consider changes after May 15.
READ MORE: Private schools funding ‘grossly unfair’, minister says
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.20am: ‘COVID-19 not man-made’, US intelligence says
The US’s top intelligence agency has said that it does not believe that COVID-19 was man-made or genetically modified, contradicting earlier reports that suggest the virus could have been created in a biological weapons facility.
“The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man-made or genetically modified,” the Office of Director of National Intelligence said in a statement on Friday (AEST).
“The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”
Calls for examination of the origin of the virus have grown as it sweeps across the world, so far infecting 3,255,454 and killing at least 231,415.
In the United States, more than one million have been infected and at least 62,000 have died.
Politicians and military officials have refused to rule out the virus originating in a lab, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday saying that China should open its virology labs in Wuhan to scrutiny, where it is known coronaviruses in bats were studied.
“There are multiple labs that are continuing to conduct work, we think, on contagious pathogens inside of China today and we don’t know if they are operating at a level of security to prevent this from happening again,” Mr Pompeo said.
Earlier this month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff US Army General Mark Milley said intelligence agencies were having a “hard look” at whether the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan virology lab.
READ MORE: It’s only Trump haters who take him literally
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6am: Coronavirus claims another life at Newmarch House
Another resident of the ill-fated Anglicare Newmarch House Aged Care Facility in western Sydney has passed away, bringing the facility’s total toll to 13.
The resident, whose age and gender have not been given, passed away on Thursday afternoon, Anglicare Sydney said in a statement.
“This is a time of great grief for the family and we want to extend our deepest sympathies,” the organisation said in a statement.
“The coronavirus has had a devastating impact on all our residents and families as well as our staff over the last three weeks.”
Coronavirus entered the facility on April 11 through an employee, infecting 37 residents, 22 staff members, and killing 13.
READ MORE: Fears over new cluster at Melbourne nursing home
Jacquelin Magnay 5.15am: Boris Johnson delays call on easing of restrictions
Boris Johnson has suggested Britons may have to wear face coverings on public transport and in offices when the coronavirus lockdown is eased, but delayed setting out a schedule for when that may happen.
The British prime minister, in his first press conference in a month, said the country had passed the peak of the virus and promised to set out a comprehensive plan next week to emerge from the restrictive lockdowns. He vowed to “calibrate our measures, to make sure we not only unlock the economy, but find ways of continuing to suppress the disease”.
THREAD 1/3 #Coronavirus press conference slides (30 April 2020)
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 30, 2020
🔵 Five tests for adjusting the lockdown
🔵 New cases (UK)
🔵 Estimate of COVID-19 hospital admissions (England)https://t.co/U1gCHNPbVc pic.twitter.com/NxT3toMxdf
Mr Johnson encouraged continued adherence to the lockdown, asking people to be patient. There were another 674 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total in hospitals and care homes to 26,771.
Mr Johnson and his chief advisers say the numbers of deaths, hospital patients and infections in the UK have all declined, and that the reproduction value is well below 1, allowing the NHS to cope with new infections — satisfying the government’s criteria to begin to unlock the economy.
Hospitals will reopen to treat emergency cases like cancer patients, he said.
But the failure of the government to present a clear exit plan continues to rankle with businesses as the economy barely ticks over. British Airlines has signalled plans to lay off 12,000 people.
Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told the government that one-third of retailers had shut down, while another third were struggling.
Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, told the same government committee that 20 per cent of all retailers would not open after the lockdown is eased. Those that will open have indicated they will not provide a full service, and may reconsider if it’s worth it with the lower footfall of pedestrian traffic because of social distancing requirements.
But Mr Johnson said he would continue to abide by the scientific advice.
“We have come under what could have been a vast peak, like a huge alpine tunnel and now see the sunlight and the pasture ahead of us; it is vital we do not lose control and run slap into a second and bigger mountain,” he said.
To that end he said the country must avoid a disaster and ensure the reproduction rate of the disease — currently around 0.7 across the country — doesn’t rise above 1.
One of the measures being considered is the use of face masks or coverings on public transport, which is usually standing room only at peak hour.
Mr Johnson said such coverings would provide some epidemiological effect, but also provide comfort for the public.
“I think face coverings will be useful for epidemiological reasons and also giving people confidence they can go back to work,” Mr Johnson said.
He also said the deleterious health impacts on people being locked down was a factor being considered, saying people who were suicidal or in domestic abuse situations should seek help.
2/3: So let me say directly also to British business, to the shopkeepers, to the entrepreneurs, to the hospitality sector, to everyone on whom our economy depends: I understand your impatience, I share your anxiety.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 30, 2020
READ MORE: Paternity suits as Boris goes back to work
Geoff Chambers 5am: Australian businesses in lending lifeline surge
Cashflow payments worth more than $6 billion have been provided to hundreds of thousands of distressed small and medium sized businesses under the Morrison government’s COVID-19 stimulus package.
Since Scott Morrison announced the Cashflow Assistance measures last month, payments have been delivered to 343,211 businesses, constituting one-fifth of the estimated $31.9bn cost over four years.
Under the business support program, the government is providing tax-free cash flow boosts of between $20,000 and $100,000 to eligible SMEs and not-for-profits, delivered through credits in the activity statement system.
The Prime Minister said the payments, providing cash flow to help keep businesses operating, pay their rent and retain staff, had helped employers stay afloat during the COVID-19 economic shock.
Read the full story here.
David Penberthy 4.45am: South Australia frees itself from virus restrictions
South Australia will be the first state to unshackle itself from onerous coronavirus restrictions, committing to a significant loosening of the lockdown within three weeks, well ahead of the more populous eastern states, which remain beset by division over the reopening of schools, restaurants, and pubs, and when to allow amateur sport to resume.
On Thursday, South Australia notched its eighth straight day without any new cases of COVID-19, giving Premier Steven Marshall and his police and medical chiefs further impetus to push ahead with their aim of returning life to normal by May 21.
Restrictions on the use of playgrounds, school attendance and amateur sport, as well as rules surrounding outdoor dining and beer gardens, are among the next clamps being considered for removal in South Australia, as the state readies itself to emerge from lockdown.
Read the full story here.
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