Coronavirus Australia live news: End lockdown 'as soon as possible’: PM; Victoria records 11 new cases
Despite an alarming spike of 11 new cases and continuing fears of Delta variant, Scott Morrison urges lifting of restrictions in Victoria.
- PM urges lockdown end
- Victoria records 11 new cases
- Cases slow, but strict lockdown stays
- Regions locked out of holiday business
- PM resists Brisbane quarantine push
Welcome to live updates on Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scott Morrison has urged Victorian leaders to put an end to the state’s snap lockdown “as soon as possible”.
Victoria has recorded 11 new Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to Monday, two of which were reported on Sunday. All infections have been linked with existing outbreaks.
Stephen Lunn 11.30pm: Variant ‘of concern but not of doom or panic’
Epidemiologists are split of the infectiousness of Covid-19’s Delta strain, although even those less concerned say it is a variant “of concern”.
As Victorian authorities consider their pathway out of lockdown, infectious disease researchers have urged caution about equating the British and Indian experience with what could unfold in Australia.
Canberra Hospital infectious diseases physician Sanjaya Senanayake said it was not yet clear that the Delta variant was more infectious than other strains in the Australian context, and while it was “a variant of concern ... it is not a variant of doom or a variant of panic”.
AFP11.10pm:Moderna seeks approval of vaccine for teens
US biotech firm Moderna is seeking conditional approval for use of its Covid-19 vaccine on teens in the EU and Canada, in a boost for inoculation campaigns as the northern summer begins.
The firm said it also plans to file for emergency approval with the Food and Drug Administration in the US, where the Pfizer/BioNTech jab is already being administered to adolescents age 12 and up.
“We are pleased to announce that we have submitted for conditional marketing approval of our Covid-19 vaccine with the European Medicines Agency for use in adolescents in the European Union,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said on Monday night.
“We are encouraged that the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine was highly effective at preventing Covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection in adolescents.”
“We have filed for authorisation with Health Canada and we will file for an Emergency Use Authorization with the US FDA and regulatory agencies around the world for this important younger age population.”
Teens are much less susceptible to Covid-19 than older age groups, and the main reason to vaccinate them is to drive down transmission.
But extremely rare cases of severe Covid-19 can still occur, as can a post-viral complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
The two-shot Moderna regime is around 90 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19 and 95 per cent effective against severe disease.
The vaccine was “generally well tolerated” among adolescents, the company said, adding: “No significant safety concerns have been identified to date.”
Nicholas Jensen10.50pm:NSW to build a second mass vaccination hub
The NSW government is preparing to open its second mass vaccination centre in more than a month, after health officials enlisted an empty warehouse in the Hunter Region to help accelerate the state’s inoculation drive.
Late on Monday afternoon, the Berejiklian government finalised plans to transform a former Bunnings warehouse in Lake Macquarie into the state’s second mass vaccination site, adding to its Homebush location, which opened on May 10.
Speaking ahead of the announcement, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said in a statement that the centre would have the “capacity to administer up to 20,000 vaccines per week and is expected to open in mid-July”.
Charlie Peel10.05pm: Morrison challenged to be proactive on quarantine
Yvette D’Ath says Queensland needs a dedicated quarantine camp and has challenged Scott Morrison to be proactive and help identify a suitable site after the federal government’s newly released criteria seemingly ruled out a proposed Wellcamp facility.
The call from the Queensland Health Minister followed a similar call out from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who said the federal government should fund and establish quarantine facilities if it wanted to stipulate criteria.
Ms Palaszczuk’s pitch for a 1000-room camp to be built near the Wellcamp airport in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, was laid out in 95-page proposal given to the Prime Minister on Friday, the same day the concept was scuppered by the federal government’s new assessment criteria.
John Ferguson, Angelica Snowden 9.20pm: Plan to boost business for long weekend
A limited reopening of Melbourne is under consideration as the Victorian government looks to provide revenue to hard-hit retailers and the hospitality sector over the looming long weekend.
Despite 11 new cases of community transmission, senior government ministers and health officials are debating how to gradually reopen a state that makes up 25 per cent of the national economy.
While Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, has ruled out the complete relaxation of restrictions when the 14-day lockdown is due to end at 11.59pm on Thursday, there is a strong desire from the senior government figures for an end to many measures.
Restrictions on regional travel are likely to remain during the Queen’s Birthday long weekend because of the potential Covid-19 could spread into country areas.
Scott Morrison said he was hopeful restrictions would be lifted as soon as possible. “I would be urging that we move towards lifting those restrictions as soon as possible,” the Prime Minister said.
Angelica Snowden8.20pm:Envoys and families exempt from hotel quarantine
Victorian health authorities say 15 diplomats and their families were exempt from hotel quarantine and allowed to isolate at their home since April 1.
The total number included diplomats and their family members, a spokeswoman from the Department of Health said.
“Under federal law, diplomats are provided an exemption from hotel quarantine,” she said.
“They are, however, expected to isolate at home and comply with the testing schedule on day 3 and 13.
“They receive daily contact from the department to check-in and organise testing.”
Chief health officer Brett Sutton did not rule out a theory that the state’s Delta Covid-19 outbreak of concern was linked with returning diplomats on Monday.
Authorities are still yet to uncover how a West Melbourne family contracted the infectious variant.
“We simply don’t know. We haven’t ruled anything in and we haven’t ruled anything out,” Professor Sutton said.
“We are obviously checking against everyone who has been tested and diplomats should be tested as well… without a match, we can’t say.”
There were 11 new cases of locally acquired Covid-19 reported on Monday. Four of the latest infections are connected to the West Melbourne outbreak.
READ MORE:Andrews urged to open up
John Ferguson, Angelica Snowden7.55pm: Andrews urged to open up on injuries
An injured Dan Andrews is being urged by friends to publicly outline the progress of his recovery in the lead-up to his return to work by the end of this month.
The Victorian Premier’s long absence from work has sparked a series of false or unsubstantiated rumours about how his injuries happened. It is believed Mr Andrews is planning to address the community about his injuries but is unlikely to directly discuss Liberal Party attacks about where he was injured.
The rumours have escalated during the fourth lockdown, fuelled by the Liberal Party and disaffected business people.
Victoria’s state opposition on Monday ramped up their attacks against Mr Andrews, demanding more details about the circumstances which led him to take 91 days of sick leave, questioning how much he was being paid.
AFP7.15pm: Fiji’s daily case numbers hit record
Fiji has transformed its largest hospital into an emergency Covid-only facility, as the country reported a record number of new cases and a surge in the quick-spreading Delta variant, first identified in India.
The South Pacific island nation went a full year without recording any new community cases until April, when it was hit by a second wave of infections.
Since then, numbers have steadily increased, with 83 new cases announced late on Sunday, bringing the total to 489 active infections. The surge has posed a major challenge to Fiji’s under-developed healthcare system.
Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said 11 of the new cases were from unknown sources, raising the prospect of widespread community transmission in the nation of almost 930,000.
“We expect more days of high numbers of confirmed cases. We sadly expect more hospitalisations as more severe cases of the disease develop,” Mr Fong said.
According to Mr Fong, a major infection cluster was centred on Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital, so it was being cordoned off and will treat only Covid-19 patients.
He said a field hospital was being set up nearby for the non-coronavirus patients.
The second wave began on April 17 after two Fijian nationals returning from India via Singapore interacted with a soldier at a local quarantine facility, who then entered the local community.
The Fijian government has favoured ramping up vaccination efforts instead of imposing a nationwide lockdown.
The country had a pre-pandemic poverty rate of 30 pe rcent and that is believed to have risen sharply since borders closed and tourism halted.
Australia will provide one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Fiji, while New Zealand has pledged 500,000.
READ MORE:Mixing jabs may give greater immunity
Natasha Robinson 6.15pm:Double-strength Delta strain to dominate
The Delta strain of Covid-19 will almost certainly become the dominant strain of coronavirus in Australia if case numbers increase, following the variant’s dominance in the UK over the original Wuhan virus and the Alpha variant.
The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, is about 50 per cent more infectious than the Alpha strain that first emerged in Britain last year, according to the latest data from Public Health England. The Alpha strain was about 40 per cent more infectious than the original Wuhan strain, making the Delta strain almost twice as infectious as the original wild type of the virus.
The Delta variant emerged in India around October last year and has now spread to 100 countries. It has emerged as the dominant strain of the virus in the UK owing to its increased transmissibility, with 12,431 cases of the Delta variant detected in Britain since the strain first arrived from India in January. Delta variant case numbers rose by 5472 in the week up to June 3, much faster than any of the other variants of concern.
According to Public Health England, one person infected with the Delta strain is likely to pass the virus on to 12.4 per cent of their contacts. Somebody infected with the Alpha strain was likely to pass the virus on to 8.2 per cent of their close contacts.
Anton Nilsson 5.30pm:Five Sydney suburbs on virus alert after fragments found
A Sydney area that’s home to 8400 people has been put on alert after coronavirus fragments were found in sewage.
NSW Health said in a coronavirus update on Monday that fragments had been discovered in a wastewater network that covers the suburbs of Glenhaven, Dural, Kenthurst, Kellyville and Castle Hill.
The discovery was made on Sunday after the health department received results of an analysis of sewage from the Castle Hill Sewage Network in Sydney’s northwest.
“NSW Health is asking everyone in these areas to be especially vigilant in monitoring for symptoms, and if they appear get tested and isolate immediately until a negative result is received,” officials wrote in the update.
READ MORE:Spain opens borders to vaccinated travellers
Jack Paynter 5.20pm:All Northern Territory over-16s now eligible for vaccine
Anyone aged 16 and older in the Northern Territory will be eligible for the Covid-19 jab as the government expands its vaccination program.
From Tuesday, Territorians aged 16 and older living in Darwin, Palmerston and the rural area will be able to book to receive the coronavirus vaccine by booking online.
Previously, only those aged 16 and older living in regional and remote parts of the Northern Territory, including Alice Springs and Katherine, could get the jab.
It makes Darwin the nation’s first capital city where the Covid-19 vaccine is freely available to all people aged 16 and older.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said it meant the vaccine was now available to about 60,000 extra Territorians.
READ the full story here.
Nicholas Jensen4.30pm:TGA eases way for vaccine promotions, rewards for jabs
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has introduced a raft of new measures to improve the information and promotion of Covid-19 vaccines, allowing health professionals, businesses and media outlets to develop their own materials about available vaccines.
The new measures will also offer a host of “rewards to people who have been fully vaccinated” under the government’s vaccination program.
In a statement on Monday, the TGA said the new arrangements — to be in place until the end of 2022 — will give health professionals and businesses more flexibility to contribute to the national conversation about vaccines.
“Health professionals can enhance vaccine uptake by publicly supporting vaccination and countering misinformation. Logistical information about when and where to be vaccinated can continue to be communicated,” the TGA said.
“Businesses can supplement government public health campaigns through offers of practical support (including rewards) that encourage Australians to be vaccinated.
“Organisations can also generate their own “informational materials to support Covid-19 vaccination, provided the content is consistent with Government messaging and does not contain:
- References to specific brands of vaccines, or compare different COVID-19 vaccines
- Statements that Covid-19 vaccines cannot cause harm or have no side effects
- Any statement that is false or misleading
- Promotion of any vaccine that has not been approved by the TGA
“Such rewards can be monetary or for example, include store vouchers, discounts or frequent flyer points, but cannot include alcohol, tobacco or medicines (other than listed medicines),” the statement read.
“It is up to the business or organisation providing the rewards to determine whether they are to be exclusively made available to their employees, or alternatively only members of a scheme (such as an automobile association or frequent flyer scheme) or to all Australians.”
However, the TGA has warned that any offer of a reward cannot be made exclusive to those who have a vaccination after the reward has been announced.
“Any rewards offered must be made available to those who have already commenced their vaccination schedule.”
The TGA said it will provide further guidance on the new arrangements - including examples of acceptable advertising and communications - later this week.
READ MORE:Palaszczuk, 51, receives Pfizer jab
Olivia Caisley4.20pm:‘Not fit for purpose’: audit exposes biosecurity system holes
The Department of Agriculture’s methods of preventing biosecurity risks from entering the nation is “largely inappropriate” and not fit-for-purpose, despite a spike in the number of instances of non-compliant material entering the country prior to Covid-19, a new report from the Australian National Audit Office says.
More than 38,200 travellers that arrived by plane in 2019-20 brought “undetected high risk biosecurity material” with them, the report says.
But “the department’s arrangements to respond to noncompliance with biosecurity requirements are largely inappropriate.”
The audit found there is no established framework for assessing and managing risk across the biosecurity system.
“In the absence of frameworks, plans or targets to determine the desired outcomes of its regulation, the department is unable to demonstrate that its response to noncompliance is effective at managing biosecurity risks,” it says.
“Some detection activities may have become more effectively targeted, but undetected noncompliance is increasing,” it said.
In 2020, the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis estimated that without any biosecurity intervention, newly introduced pests and diseases would cause $672 billion in damages to Australia over the next 50 years.
The ANAO made eight recommendations to help reduce the likelihood of pests and diseases entering Australia. The department has agreed to all, with a request to extend the time frame for implementation of two recommendations.
The audit office also found “intelligence is not gathered and managed effectively” and “there is no strategy or procedural guidance to support the gathering and management of intelligence.”
Head of Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture, Andrew Tongue, said the report identified “timely recommendations” to improve the department’s arrangements to respond to noncompliance with biosecurity.
“The department recognises that the system must continue to evolve to enable appropriate management of known and emerging threats both domestically and globally,” he said.
“The department had already commenced a body of work to enhance its compliance arrangements and regulatory practice.”
READ MORE:City’s huge step in vaccine rollout
Nicholas Jensen3.50pm:More than 5 million jabs now administered nationally
Commodore Eric Young said that more than 832,000 doses of vaccine were administered across Australia last week, taking the total number of jabs administered to more than 5 million.
Commodore Young said the milestone of 5 million jabs “provides us an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve come from, but also what we have left to do, and to also recognise and thank those across the supply chain who made the milestone possible”.
He said it took “47 days to get to our first one million doses of vaccine administered and just 9 days to get to our most recent million”.
“For our next million, despite having a national public holiday and additional weekends, we’ll be focused on continuing to do what we can to increase the speed of the rate of vaccination.”
In Victoria last week, 327,538 doses of vaccine were administered through a combination of state and commonwealth clinics, taking the total to 1,462,197 doses of vaccine administered.
Commodore Young said that included 59 per cent of those aged 70 and over “having now received at least one dose of vaccine and 43 per cent of those aged 50 or over having received at least one dose of vaccine”.
He also confirmed there are four aged care homes still to receive their first dose of vaccine. The remaining four are among the 2565 aged care facilities across Australia.
“2163 homes (84 per cent) have had a first and second dose visit.
“In Victoria, all of the 596 homes have had a first dose visit, while 457 have had their second dose visit also.”
READ MORE:Accountants banned over JobKeeper rorts
Angelica Snowden3.40pm:Opposition wants more detail about Andrews injury
Victoria’s state opposition have ramped up their attacks on premier Daniel Andrews, demanding more details about the circumstances around a serious injury which led him to take 91 days of sick leave.
Shadow treasurer Louise Staley said Mr Andrews owed Victorians answers to “simple questions” about his early March injury, when he suffered five broken ribs and a compression fracture on his T7 vertebra while with his family in the Mornington Peninsula.
“Victorians need honesty and transparency from Daniel Andrews about the circumstances of his injury. Everyone is entitled to privacy about their health, but these questions are not about the nature of his injuries, only how he got those injuries,” she said.
“If there is no cover up then there is no reason not to provide answers to these simple questions.”
Ms Staley said Mr Andrews should not continue to get paid for a “job he is not doing”, after she said he had pocketed $110,000 during his time off.
““Enough is enough, Daniel Andrews can’t continue to get paid for a job he’s not doing. He should only be getting the basic MP’s pay while he’s off work,” she said.
In the absence of any detail about the incident, rumours have fuelled conspiracy theories about what led to Mr Andrews’ injury and how it happened.
Ms Staley said the Premier’s office should reveal details including the time of the incident, who owned the property it occurred at, whether or not police were contacted and if they conducted an interview with Mr Andrews.
Mr Andrews’ office has been contacted for comment and will not be responding.
Nicholas Jensen3.33pm:New cases total 16 overnight, five in hotel quarantine
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has provided an update on the commonwealth’s vaccine rollout, confirming that 16 new cases have been reported overnight, with five acquired overseas and 11 new cases from Victoria.
In Monday’s press conference, Professor Kelly said case numbers are higher than “what we’ve seen over the last few days”, but said we are beginning to see positive signs from Victoria.
“Of those 11 (cases), nine are already in quarantine, they’re known contacts of cases so they’ve already been isolating from the community. So that doesn’t lead to any further risk … That’s a good thing.”
The other two cases have been associated with an aged care facility in Maidstone.
For Victorians still in lockdown the commonwealth’s hot spot definition will remain in place this week.
3.03pm:Australia’s latest vaccination figures
Oliver Moody3.01pm:Mixing jabs may give greater immunity: study
Taking the AstraZeneca jab then Pfizer ten weeks later could give stronger immunity than sticking with the same vaccine for both doses, a German study suggests.
The experiment is one of the first to indicate that swapping vaccines may be not only safe and effective but even potentially beneficial. However, the research is still in its early days and much remains to be learnt about how various combinations work.
There has been much speculation that patients who receive two vaccines based on separate underlying technologies might acquire better protection against Covid-19.
Brianna Travers2.47pm:Olympic failure: Swimmers’ dreams shattered by Covid
The Olympic dreams of dozens of Victorian swimming hopefuls have been squashed as border closures will deny them the chance to attend a qualifying event next week.
While Swimming Australia’s funded athletes were flown to Queensland before Victoria’s fourth lockdown came into place, second tier swimmers were left behind and have found themselves locked out of upcoming Olympic trials in Adelaide.
News Corp Australia understands Swimming Australia fears the trials could become a superspreader event and potentially cripple the success of the team in Tokyo.
Jackson Car, 20, is among the 25 Victorian swimmers caught up in the devastating bungle.
“These kids are going to miss the opportunity to be in that arena, competing for their chance to qualify for the Olympics,” his father Tim Car said.
“My son has been in the pool training since he was a toddler, he has lived and dreamt the Olympics.
“It’s a terrible situation with the Olympic dreams of these high-performance athletes destroyed. These kids are absolutely gutted.”
Olympic champion Mack Horton made a mercy dash to Queensland on May 26 alongside other top tier Victorian swimmers including Matthew Temple, Bowen Gough and Brendon Smith.
Angelica Snowden 2.20pm:Case breakdown: Victoria’s four outbreaks not yet linked
Victorian authorities are still yet to pinpoint the link between the state’s four major outbreaks called the Whittlesea, aged care, Port Melbourne and West Melbourne clusters.
But in positive news, all 11 new cases reported on Monday were connected to the current outbreaks.
Of the new cases, three were connected to the Whittlesea cluster and are household contacts who were in isolation when they were infectious.
There were also three new cases linked with the Arcare aged care facility in Maidstone, in Melbourne’s northwest. They are one resident and two staff members.
Four cases are household contacts of infections reported as the West Melbourne outbreak, all of whom have contracted the more infectious Delta variant of Covid-19. They were three children and an adult.
The remaining one case was linked with the Port Melbourne outbreak and is a previously identified construction worker in the city.
Infections linked with each of the outbreaks:
- Whittlesea: 32
- Aged care: 9
- Port Melbourne: 31
- West Melbourne: 14
READ MORE: ‘Do it yourself’: Gladys’ jab at PM
Erin Lyons 2.10pm:‘Cautious approach’: second positive changes WA testing
West Australian authorities will now take a more “cautious approach” to previously-confirmed Covid-19 cases within the state after a maritime worker who had been in quarantine for 14 days and was vaccinated tested positive for the virus.
The man who travelled to Perth from Colombia via the US had tested positive for Covid-19 upon arriving in Australia and was put into hotel quarantine.
On his tenth day in quarantine he tested negative, proceeded to leave the hotel after 14 days and later tested “moderately positive” when he undertook a mandatory Covid-19 test by his employer.
WA Health on Monday confirmed the man has returned to hotel quarantine and authorities would begin contact training.
“The man spent only a short time in the community, visited only a few places and wore a mask. He has returned to hotel quarantine based on an abundance of caution. Contact tracing is underway, again as a precaution,” a statement from the department read.
“He does not have a variant of concern and was previously vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Previously all cases were cleared of their infection based on the national guidelines which does not always involve a test prior to completing their isolation. A pre-clearance test will now be performed on all cases.”
Media statement: COVID-19 update 7 June 2021 https://t.co/fkVo9Utiuv
— WA Health (@WAHealth) June 7, 2021
WA Health described the man “a non-infectious chronic shedder” but have taken a cautious approach listing the following sites as locations of concern:
-Optus store on Murray Street: Friday June 4 from 4.30pm to 5.15pm
-Chemist Discount Centre store at Wesley Quarter on William Street between: Friday June 4 from 5pm to 5.30pm
-Rubix Bar and Cafe at the Ibis Hotel on Murray Street: Friday June 4 from 6pm to 8pm.
READ MORE:Olympic failure: swimmers dreams shattered by Covid
Erin Lyons 2.10pm:Scott Morrison urges lockdown end ‘as soon as possible’
Scott Morrison has urged Victorian leaders to put an end to the state’s snap lockdown “as soon as possible”.
Victoria was plunged into a week-long shut down at the end of May, initially forecast to end on June 3, but extended for another week after the state continued to recorded local cases.
The lockdown is the state’s fourth since the beginning of the pandemic and has caused friction between the state government and struggling businesses.
The Prime Minister on Monday told reporters he was “hopeful” restrictions would be lifted “as soon as possible”.
“I would be urging that we move toward lifting those restrictions as soon as possible,” he said while speaking from Sydney.
“Hopefully (we) see Victoria opened again soon. Particularly for those parents who are having to keep their kids at home away from school. Kids have lost enough time out of school, over the course of the last 18 months.”
Mr Morrison referenced the northern beaches outbreak in December last year, where restrictions were contained to a specific part of Sydney, before flagging cash relief for Victorians out of work.
A leading epidemiologist on Monday warned it was unlikely Melbourne’s two-week lockdown would be lifted before Friday, as the state continued to battle an aggressive and persistent outbreak.
Victorians were hit with a blow on Monday, with news the state recorded nine new coronavirus cases – the highest single-day increase since May 27. But all of those were linked.
READ the full story here.
Joseph Lam 1.40pm:Palaszczuk, 51, defends decision to get Pfizer jab
Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended the decision for her and Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to receive Pfizer Covid-19 vaccinations despite being over the age of 50.
The Queensland Premier at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Monday said she had no choice given a potential Tokyo Olympics attendance later in the year.
“I said two weeks ago that I may be required to travel to Tokyo with the Lord Mayor and maybe the Prime Minister,” she said.
“So myself and Stirling Hinchliffe, if I can’t attend, Stirling will be going, and two of our officials have also been vaccinated for that.
“There may be a requirement for the state to present to the whole Olympics Committee about the Olympics and I would have been unvaccinated, and that is why I have had the Pfizer.”
READ the full story here.
Joseph Lam1.15pm:Restrictions lift for NSW-Vic border residents
Stay-at-home requirements for NSW residents living along the Victorian border have ended after more than a week.
From lunchtime Monday New South Welshman living along the border will no longer be required to stay home provided they have not been to Victoria in the past 14 days and do not travel elsewhere in NSW.
The ban was lifted as the state had no locally-acquired cases but five overseas cases on Monday.
NSW Health authorities have raised the alarm overnight after viral fragments of the virus were found at a sewage catchment in north-west Sydney.
The Castle Hill sewage plant covers more than 8400 people.
Joseph Lam12.30pm:Three positive on penultimate quarantine day
Three Victorians have tested positive for Covid-19 on their 13th day in quarantine and will now be forced to isolate for a further 14 days.
Victorian Covid-19 Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar on Monday confirmed the positive tests and that they would need to continue isolating.
“Over 1000 people have been released from their quarantine obligations following a negative day 13 tests and further discussions with our public health team,” he said.
Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said authorities were not concerned on the positive day 13 tests.
“A number of those don’t have any symptoms picked up on the day 13 tests. They were picked up on day seven, they might have tested positive earlier but the fact that every single one of them needs to have a confirmed day 13 tests before they are released from quarantine is a standard precaution, to be absolutely sure, and there will be a number who only get picked up on that test,” he said
READ MORE:Mixing jabs may give greater immunity
Joseph Lam12.10pm:Victoria unveils $30m disaster pandemic package
Victoria has introduced a new $30m package which will see those struggling throughout the pandemic receive up to $800 is disaster payment.
Disability Minister Luke Donnellan said the new package was a way “to make sure no-one will be left behind”.
“This is about supporting those people who don’t have income at the moment, who are very much struggling,” he said.
The new package includes $4.5 million in emergency food relief, $12m for coal communities including $5m for food relief and $7m for communications.
Mr Donnellan added: “It’s very much about saying there is a whole lot of people whose voice is not particularly loud sometime but we need to ensure we are providing that
support and getting through to them, whether it be people who got, their jobs have been, they can’t get work at the moment.”
Anyone in need of urgent financial assistance due to the pandemic is encouraged to phone the Red Cross on 1800 855 240.
To anyone in hospo, the Arts or retail who are struggling, Foodbank Victoria are providing food relief in a contactless, drive through manner today. Head to 4/2 Somerville Rd, Yarraville. @LaTrioli we would love it if you could help us spread the word. We are open till 3pm.
— Foodbank Victoria (@FoodbankVic) June 6, 2021
Richard Ferguson11.50am:Morrison won’t attend Tokyo Olympics
Scott Morrison has ruled out going to the Tokyo Olympics as he prepares to meet world leaders at the G7 summit this week.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Monday she hopes to go to the Olympics after she received her first dose of Pfizer. Ms Palaszczuk is spearheading efforts to secure the 2032 Olympics for Queensland.
The Prime Minister on Monday said he would not go to the games, but praised Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s handling of the major sporting event in the midst of a pandemic.
“I have no plans to go to those Olympics. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the Japanese Prime Minister this weekend at the G7,” Mr Morrison said in Sydney.
“We wish them the best with the hosting of those Olympics. Can you imagine having gone through all those preparations, and then having the world struck by a pandemic. That I know was quite heartbreaking for the people of Japan and so we wish them all the best as they persevere and put these games on.”
Mr Morrison defended his G7 trip in the midst of the Melbourne lockdown, and said it was to pursue Australia’s national interest in a post-pandemic world.
“Australia is not a member of the G7. This is the third year in a row that I’ve been invited to participate alongside my global colleagues, to focus on the biggest challenges the world faces. Covid and the pandemic, the recession it’s caused, the challenges around climate change, all of this will be key factors in the discussions that we have.” he said.
“And, most importantly, global security and regional security here in the Indo Pacific. These are important responsibilities of the federal government.
“So I’m looking forward to the opportunity of discussing and progressing these important matters with our global colleagues over the next week.”
READ MORE:World facing long-term aftermath of Covid
Richard Ferguson11.45am:Morrison urges lockdown to be lifted ‘as soon as possible’
Scott Morrison has called on the Victorian government to lift lockdown restrictions “as soon as possible” with Monday’s Covid-19 spike limited to close contacts and people in quarantine.
In Sydney on Monday, the Prime Minister said children in particular need to return to school as soon as possible to protect their education.
Mr Morrison also said that Covid disaster payments will be available from Tuesday and he is “urging” the state government to lift restrictions on Victorians soon.
“Kids have lost enough time out of school, over the course of the last 18 months, and it’s very important we get those kids back to school as soon as possible,” he said.
“I am hopeful these restrictions in Victoria will be lifted as soon as possible … I would be urging that we move to lift those restrictions as soon as possible.”
READ MORE: Mixing jabs may give greater immunity
Richard Ferguson11.36am:Victoria’s vaccine boost won’t hurt other states: PM
Scott Morrison has promised the 100,000 dose boost to Victoria’s Covid-19 vaccine stocks will not come at the expense of any other state.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday morning said NSW would expect its fair share of vaccines after the news of additional doses for Victoria, as it works to vaccinate as many people as possible during its Covid-19 lockdown.
The Prime Minister on Monday – standing next to Ms Berejiklian – said NSW would soon be getting more doses.
“None of the additional doses that are going to Victoria are coming at the expense of any other state. That’s the first point. NSW is receiving over 80,000 doses of Pfizer a week this month. That will go over 100,000 next month,” he said in Western Sydney.
“There’s an additional 50,000 doses that are going into the GP system and that’s as a result of discussions we had with the Health Minister here in NSW.
“And what is also very good news is that on the weekend we just went past the 5 million mark in terms of the number of people vaccinated and a first dose. That’s 1-in-5 Australians. “
READ MORE:Premier’s jab at PM
Joseph Lam11.24am:Palaszczuk receives Pfizer vaccine ‘for Olympics’
Annastacia Palaszczuk, who is 52 next month, received a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on Monday days after the state began a mass aged-care vaccine blitz.
The Queensland Premier on Twitter explained why she received the Pfizer jab despite the vaccine being reserved for those under the age of 50.
“Today I got the Pfizer vaccine in the event I need to travel to Tokyo for the Olympics,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Ms Palaszczuk and state chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young received heavy criticism from political counterparts for delaying their vaccinations.
Monday 7 June – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 6, 2021
• 0 new cases
• 11 active cases
• 1,632 total cases
• 2,654,146* total
Sadly, seven people with COVID-19 have died. 1,598 patients have recovered.#covid19pic.twitter.com/6NjEQ6hwuz
All aged-care workers in Queensland were offered the Covid-19 vaccine on Friday in a bid to protect elderly and vulnerable residents receiving care.
Today I got the Pfizer vaccine in the event I need to travel to Tokyo for the Olympics. Register to vaccinate here: https://t.co/4PFyE9EjOV
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 7, 2021
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Angelica Snowden11.08am:Victorian authorities to speak at 11.45am
Victoria’s health minister and chief health officer will hold their daily Covid-19 update at 11:45am.
They are expected to reveal more information about the state’s latest infections, all of which have been linked with existing outbreaks.
A total of 11 new cases were reported in the 24 hours to midnight on Sunday, but two had already been identified.
You can watch the press conference live in the video player at the top of this blog.
Angelica Snowden10.54am:All new cases linked to existing outbreaks
Victoria’s latest Covid-19 infections have all been linked with existing outbreaks.
All new locally acquired cases today are linked to existing outbreaks. Eight are existing primary close contacts who were quarantining during their infectious period. More details will be provided in today's press conference.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 7, 2021
A statement from the Department of Health said eight of the new cases are primary close contacts who were in quarantine during their infectious period.
More detail about the cases will be revealed in the state’s daily press conference, the time of which has not yet been confirmed.
READ MORE:The science suggests a Wuhan lab leak
Richard Ferguson10.24am:Turnbull warns of carbon tariffs from US, EU
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is warning the United States and European countries are poised to slap carbon tariffs on Australia, saying it marries both protectionism and climate action.
Scott Morrison is due to push back on carbon tariffs when he meets with US President Joe Biden and other leaders of the G7 this week in England.
Mr Turnbull told ABC radio on Thursday that the tariffs are an easy sell politically in Europe and America, and are almost inevitable.
“If you’re a politician, talking about protectionism is very popular domestically because you say I’m putting up a tariff – I’m going to protect local jobs, protect local businesses,” he said.
“People will obviously criticise it as being utterly selfish and self-interested … but at the same time, say you’re saving the planet? Well, they know that sounds much more appealing.”
Mr Turnbull said on Thursday that people he has been talking to within the Biden administration – along with European countries – are leaning towards a carbon tariff system.
“The momentum is in favour of it because they can say we have a commitment to reach net zero … why should someone who’s dragging their feet like Australia or whoever – pick another country – why should they be able to import goods into our country without paying a price?” he said.
“It’s so easy to sell domestically, you’d have to be pretty naive to not see it coming up the lift.”
Mr Turnbull also said he hoped international pressure will push Mr Morrison closer this week to officially adopt a net zero carbon emissions target for 2030.
READ MORE:Covid-19 puts lid on carbon emissions
Joseph Lam10.16am:Palaszczuk receives her first Covid vaccine
Annastacia Palaszczuk has received her first Covid-19 vaccination after enduring months of criticism for not having the jab earlier.
The Queensland Premier on Monday was administered the dose alongside Deputy Premier Steven Miles and state Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.
Last month Defence Minister Peter Dutton criticised the Queensland government, saying that he “really didn’t understand” the Premier’s position in delaying her vaccination.
First COVID jab done 👠#covid19pic.twitter.com/Mcz8iLtVvq
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 6, 2021
“I think in a position of leadership it is important, particularly now, to demonstrate that leadership … to make sure you lead by example,” he told Nine’s Today Show.
Ms Palaszczuk received her vaccine after the state undertook a mass vaccine blitz in order to get all aged-care workers vaccinated.
Over the weekend more than 3000 vaccines were thrown away in Queensland due to spoiling during transit.
“I don’t know if they’ve all been that big but we’ve certainly had stock lost before in transit – lost as in it hasn’t been viable when it’s been provided to us,” Health Minister Yvette D’Ath told The Sunday Mail.
“It’s either been delivered at the wrong address, or delivered out of the hours that it was supposed to and left so it wasn’t refrigerated straight away.
“They’ll say they’re delivering it this day and then turn up the night before when it’s not able to be put away straight away.”
READ MORE:Premier finally has Covid vaccine
Joseph Lam10am:No new cases in Queensland
Queensland has recorded no new cases of Covid-19 as the authorities prepare to host the State of Origin for the first time in the state’s northeast.
The games arrives just days after Townsville opened a $1.6m paediatric emergency department.
🥠TOWNSVILLE HOSPITAL ðŸ¥
— Yvette D'Ath MP (@YvetteDAth) June 2, 2021
$1.6 million new paediatric emergency department officially opened in #Townsville ✅ pic.twitter.com/GhLFf4KG2o
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John Ferguson9.39am:Focus on links, where Melbourne’s cases are
Monday’s figures show a net increase in active local cases of nine.
The number is likely to spook the government’s chief health advisers, principally chief health officer Brett Sutton.
The government said on Sunday it expected to ease restrictions this week but it did not articulate whether that would involve a total end to the lockdown or not.
Melburnians will not be able to travel into the regions for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend to prevent the virus spreading into country areas.
There has only been one major outbreak in country Victoria, in the western Victorian town of Colac, which was in 2020.
The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Delta virus, which has wreaked havoc in India.
The virus is part of the so-called West Melbourne cluster, which is linked to a primary school.
Health officials will be examining where the cases have been recorded, whether they are part of known clusters and whether they are mystery cases.
They will also want to know whether those positives were already in isolation or not.
READ MORE: Strict lockdown to stay despite pleas to ease
Angelica Snowden9.11am:Victoria records 11 new cases
Victorian authorities have reported 11 new cases of Covid-19 overnight.
The figure includes two cases linked with an aged care facility which were reported on Sunday.
Reported yesterday: 11 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 6, 2021
- 17,719 vaccine doses were administered
- 24,265 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco
#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/d874u4rAvu
There were 24,265 tests conducted in the 24 hours to midnight with 17,719 vaccine doses administered.
The highest daily total connected with the latest outbreak in Victoria was on May 26, when 12 infections were reported.
It is unclear which active clusters the latest cases can be traced to. Outbreak totals are as follows:
Whittlesea cluster: 29 cases
Port Melbourne cluster: 30 cases
Aged care: 8
West Melbourne cluster (Delta variant): 10
A time for the state’s daily press conference has not yet been confirmed.
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Joseph Lam8.28am:Minister slams Queensland’s ‘half-baked’ quarantine plan
David Littleproud says Queensland needs “to go back to the drawing board” with its “half-baked” purpose-built quarantine facility plans.
The Agricultural Minister on Monday told Sky News Victoria had brought a “very professional” quarantine facility plan to the federal government which other states had failed to match.
“I think we’ve got to appreciate that Victoria put forward a very professional proposal that met the requirements, that looked at those parameters that we’re going to keep Australians safe from people coming to Australia that may have been exposed to a different variant,” he said.
“We’ve seen a proposal from Queensland that was half-baked in Queensland out in Toowoomba.
“There needs to be proximity to tertiary facilities, hospital, not just to transfer a problem from metropolitan Australia to regional Australia and say, ‘good, we’ve done our bit, good luck regional Australia’.”
READ MORE: Adelaide quarantine guests move after risky test time
Joseph Lam8.16am:‘Can’t be bothered’: NSW QR check-ins down
Victor Dominello says New South Welshman are still complacent when it comes to checking in at venues and the contact tracers could benefit from simply asking patrons to flash their phone.
Appearing on Sky News on Monday the NSW Customer Service Minister said check-in rates were still down about 25 per cent.
Asked why less people were checking in to venues, Mr Dominello said: “It’s more they can’t be bothered.”
“When things are good people become complacent. Where there is an outbreak they lift their game up.”
Asked if NSW should build a quarantine facility, Mr Dominello said it was an obvious choice.
While deciding where a facility would go in NSW “was a matter for experts” people need to remember “Sydney is the gateway into Australia,” he said.
“Given we’ve already taken the lion’s share of the load I would have thought here in NSW is the place it would be.”
READ MORE:Arrival of potent Delta mutation raises stakes
Joseph Lam8.08am:Back to work the only way to help: Industry chief
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra says the only way to really help struggling businesses is to let them get back to work.
Mr Guerra on Monday told Sunrise that some businesses had fallen between the gaps of the federal and state government subsidies.
“It’s the same as the situation that occurred in February, where if you are eligible for GST and had earnings over $70,000, you qualify,” he said.
“If you fell below that you don’t qualify. The pain that some of those traders that are falling below that are saying is real.”
Mr Guerra said while there was a lot of commentary, Victorians were fortunately in a better position than this time last week.
“The good news is at least there is something. When we spoke last week, there was nothing in there for workers that were impacted through this through no fault of their own,” he said.
“At least the $500 will go towards putting food on the table but let’s get serious, the only way to give proper support to businesses across the board … is to let people go back to work.”
READ MORE:Regions locked out on long weekend
Joseph Lam7.10am:‘When Melbourne locks down, so does tourism’
Victoria Tourism Council chief executive Felicia Mariani says it’s important for the government to understand that when Melbourne locks down, so does regional tourism.
“From a tourism point of view when you shut down greater Melbourne you actually shut down the visitor economy in the whole of the state,” Ms Mariani told Sky News this morning.
“People living in the greater Melbourne area are the bulk of travel in regional Victoria.”
Ms Mariana said while industry welcomed the $32m tourism package announced Sunday which will see Victorians receive 80,000 $200 vouchers to travel regionally, the state required a road map to reopening.
“What was really great is that they basically did a top up in the business cost assistance program too,” she said.
“It was a big boost because operators are on their knees here in Victoria.”
“At the end of the day what we want is to open.”
READ MORE:Regions locked out on long weekend
Joseph Lam6.45am:Metro Train journeys added to exposure sites list
Victoria added six public transport journeys to its list of exposure sites overnight as the state entered its 11th day in lockdown.
The six journeys – all of which departed or arrived at Merlynston Station in the city’s north – have been named as Tier 2 exposure sites.
There are a total of 354 exposure sites listed on the Victorian Health website, a number that has fluctuated closer to 400 but has since dropped as contact tracers ruled out previously added sites.
NEW TIER 2 EXPOSURE SITES
■ Metro Train Merlynston Station to Flinders Street Station: June 2 from 6.03am to 6.34am;
■ Metro Train Central Station to Merlynston Station: June 2 from 3.55pm to 4.19pm;
■ Metro Train Merlynston Station to Flinders Street Station: June 3 from 6.03am to 6.34am;
■ Metro Train Central Station to Merlynston Station: June 3 from 3.55pm to 4.19pm;
■ Metro Train Merlynston Station to Flinders Street Station: June 4 from 6.03am to 6.34am; and
■ Metro Train Central Station to Merlynston Station: June 4 from 3.55pm to 4.19pm.
Fragments of COVID-19 have been detected in wastewater samples taken recently from the sewer catchment serving several inner west and north suburbs in Melbourne. [1/5] pic.twitter.com/B7W4Jceovj
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 6, 2021
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John Ferguson5.20am:Cases slow to trickle but strict lockdown remains
Victorian officials say they are reluctant to lift strict Covid-19 restrictions across Melbourne and parts of the state despite just four new cases recorded on Sunday.
Two of those — officially included in Monday’s numbers — are in the Arcare aged-care centre in Maidstone, where the first nursing home cases were recorded in the current Victorian outbreak.
With the streets of Melbourne largely deserted on Sunday — except for long lines outside some coffee shops — business groups said the government should relax restrictions in the city to the less onerous rules in place across regional Victoria, citing the low infection numbers.
But the state’s regions are also feeling the economic impact, with popular weekend tourism destinations empty and events axed.
Bendigo’s annual Heathcote on Show event was cancelled at the weekend, and mayor Jennifer Alden said lockdowns were “very frustrating and disappointing” for the organisers.
Acting Premier James Merlino — announcing another economic recovery package on Sunday — said the presence of the Delta strain in Victoria and other uncertainties about the transmission of the virus meant the state needed to remain cautious.
Read the full story here.
Angelica Snowden5am:Regions locked out of business on long weekend
Regional Victorians have attacked the state’s fourth lockdown, which will ban Melburnians from travelling on the long weekend, forcing the cancellation of many crucial events.
But in a bid to boost economic recovery in the regions, the state government announced a $32 million package to introduce an extra 10,000 $200 travel vouchers and grants for attraction providers and alpine businesses after Lockdown 4.0.
This came after Acting Premier James Merlino refused to bow to pressure on Sunday to wind back Covid-19 restrictions, which will stop anyone leaving metropolitan Melbourne on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Heathcote on Show is a popular annual wine festival held in central Victoria and its chief organiser Peter Maine said six months worth of planning was thrown away last Thursday when the event was cancelled.
“If Melbourne is closed, Heathcote is closed. Or close to it,” Mr Maine, 68, said.
Read the full story here.
Olivia Caisley4.45am:PM resists pressure for Brisbane quarantine facility
Health Minister Greg Hunt says NSW is not seeking to build a dedicated Covid-19 quarantine facility as the commonwealth comes under mounting pressure to move away from hotels and expand the number of purpose-built centres to house international arrivals.
Mr Hunt on Sunday praised NSW for doing the “heavy lifting” on quarantine, but rejected media reports that the state was looking to move away from using the hotel quarantine system.
“The PM has confirmed with the Premier that at this point they’re not seeking any additional quarantine facility in New South Wales,” he said.
Last week, Scott Morrison confirmed a new 500-bed quarantine facility would be constructed in Victoria – either in Avalon, near Geelong, or Mickleham to Melbourne’s north – and pledged $200m towards its construction. It is expected to be completed by next January.
The Morrison government had released strict criteria for funding quarantine facilities that include being close to an international airport, within an hour’s drive of a specialist hospital and being complementary to hotel quarantine. Those that receive funding will also be government owned.
Read the full story here.
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