Coronavirus Australia live news: Labor senator Katy Gallagher in isolation as daughter tests positive; Nation hits vaccine milestone;
Labor Senator Katy Gallagher is in mandatory isolation after her daughter tested positive to Covid-19.
- New Zealand into snap lockdown
- More than 10 million people jabbed
- NSW records 452 new cases
- Vic records 24 new cases
- Curfew pointless, say police, experts
- NSW targets restrictions rulebreakers
Welcome to live updates on Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Zealand will go into a level four snap 3-day lockdown from midnight tonight after a 58-year old man from Auckland tested positive for Covid-19.
More than 10 million Australians have had at least one Covid jab, Health Minister Greg Hunt says, revealing a new daily record for vaccinations. NSW has recorded 452 new local cases, with at least 50 infectious in the community. Victoria has issued a warning over possible playground transmission after recording 24 new cases of coronavirus with 3 under investigation. The ACT has 17 new cases, while the NT reported zero cases on Tuesday. Five million Melburnians will be living under a 9pm-5am curfew for at least the next 16 days, despite scepticism from experts over the efficacy of the measure.
Jess Malcolm11.20pm: ACT schools on exposure list
ACT schools have become close-contact venues.
Harrison School (primary and secondary campuses) was exposed last Wednesday and Thursday — August 11 and 12 — from 8.30am to 3.30pm, potentially sending hundreds of children and staff into isolation.
St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Charnwood has also been listed as a close contact venue on Thursday from 8.30am to 4pm.
UCSSC Lake Ginninderra in the Gymnasium and Cafeteria/Canteen area in Belconnen was also exposed, on Monday, August 9, from 10am to 1.30pm.
A Lyneham chemist, Kaleen supermarket, Evatt IGA and Farrer flower shop were also listed.
All close and casual contacts are advised to get tested and follow the appropriate public health advice.
A full list of exposure locations can be found on the ACT government website.
âš ï¸ Close contact and casual contact exposure locations âš ï¸
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) August 17, 2021
We have listed new exposure locations linked to confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the ACT.
You can find the full list of exposure locations here: https://t.co/Rc5MotcEQipic.twitter.com/y9aKsR4n7q
Jess Malcolm11pm:Senator isolated after daughter infected
Labor Senator Katy Gallagher is in mandatory isolation after her daughter tested positive to Covid-19 on Tuesday morning.
In a statement posted to her Facebook page, Ms Gallagher said her daughter was feeling “pretty unwell”. The rest of her family have tested negative but will remain in strict isolation until advised otherwise.
“This morning we were advised that my gorgeous daughter Evie has tested positive for Covid-19,” she wrote.
“She is at home with us but is feeling pretty unwell and understandably worried about what this means for her and for the rest of her family. We are really grateful for the medical and personal support we are receiving.
“I am lucky as I am fully vaccinated. Unfortunately too many Australians have not had that opportunity.
“My focus right now is on my little girl and getting her through this — but these events bring a sharp personal focus to the consequences of our government’s failure to ensure a prompt, efficient national rollout of vaccines.
“Here I sit tonight, where after doing everything right for 18 months, like millions of other families right around Australia — I am left with my children completely vulnerable to Covid-19.”
It is unclear where her daughter contracted the virus, but it comes as the ACT recorded 17 new cases today.
This morning we were advised that my gorgeous daughter Evie has tested positive for COVID-19. One of Canberra’s 17 positive cases today.
— Katy Gallagher (@SenKatyG) August 17, 2021
My full statement is available on this link or on my Facebook page. https://t.co/uIbJlwmZIopic.twitter.com/2iFyecwgce
Rachel Baxendale10.45pm: ‘I don’t have to prove that curfews work’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he does not need to prove the efficacy of a curfew in bringing down coronavirus case numbers, despite having chosen to impose one on five million Melburnians.
Until at least September 2, Melburnians can be fined $1817 on the spot for leaving home between 9pm and 5am, unless they have an essential worker permit or require urgent medical care.
Asked to justify the curfew in light of comments from epidemiologists, including the Doherty Institute’s Jodie McVernon and ANU’s Peter Collignon, that they had not seen evidence proving such rules curbed the spread of coronavirus, Mr Andrews said: “It is not for me to prove the efficacy of any one measure.”
“No one has ever maintained that any one measure is the way out of this, so therefore it is not for me to provide hard data that establishes that,” he said on Tuesday. “I have never made that claim. We have never made that claim. If one thing alone was all we needed to do, then we would just do that one thing.
“We have a suite of measures and we have an experience — a tragic, terrible experience from last year where we went from more than 700 cases a day to zero.
“Each of those measures played a part in that, and that’s why the chief health officer has provided his advice to reinstitute the curfew.”
Mr Andrews was unable to say whether any of the 228 cases so far linked to the current outbreaks had been acquired outdoors after 9pm, but said the new rules were not related to cases already transmitted. “This is about stopping further cases. We can’t reverse those positives that are already there,” he said.
“But let me just be clear about, you know, the shocking impingement on people’s human rights. Like, it means you can’t go shopping in the middle of the night. It means you can’t go and do your exercise in the middle of the night – and for anyone inconvenienced by that, of course I apologise.”
Greg Bearup 10pm: ‘Brother, we’re ’roos in the spotlight’
“Battery low,” says the text message as we approach Dubbo. “Am at River. You can take me to get jab and record it if you like.”
Wiradjuri elder “Riverbank” Frank Doolan lives on the banks of the MacIntyre, not far out of town, in an old caravan without power. His directions are vague but a friend from town takes us to a gate on the stock route and says if we drive through, he’ll appear.
And he does.
Riverbank is an articulate, dignified man who has enormous respect from both the black and white communities in Dubbo.
He believes that, as an elder, it is his duty to lead the way and to encourage others to be vaccinated.
Ewin Hannan 9.15pm:Find your mojo on jabs, miners tell PM
Resource sector employers are urging the Morrison government to “stop the paralysis” and legislate to allow companies to mandate Covid vaccinations in the mining industry when vaccine supplies increase in coming months.
Ahead of a meeting between employers, unions and Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash on Wednesday, Australian Mines and Metals Association chief executive Steve Knott said new federal legislation was required to give certainty to those employers he predicted would seek to enforce compulsory vaccinations in their workplaces.
“As sure as night follows day, some employers will take the position that they want to move to compulsory vaccination for their employees for safety reasons.
“The last thing employers need is more uncertainty, to be caught up in Privacy Act, discrimination legislation, Fair Work Commission proceedings … this is an area where we think the federal government should step up to the plate.
Jess Malcolm 8.30pm: Dubbo newsagency on exposure list
A Dubbo newsagency has been declared an exposure site.
News at the Mall in Orana Mall, 56 Windsor Parade, Dubbo, was exposed on Wednesday, August 11, between 12.45 and 5.45pm.
Anyone who visited this venue is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there.
Health authorities have also added a number of casual contact venues in Dubbo, Broken Hill, Beresfield, Jewells, Mount Hutton and Guildford.
READ MORE:Cash for jabs ‘a risk’ for bosses
Natasha Robinson7.45pm:ICU bed shortage fears
Almost three-quarters of NSW’s available staffed intensive care beds are full, with Covid-19 patients making up 10 per cent of total ICU admissions.
Intensive care doctors are increasingly concerned at the pressure on the state hospital system as rising case numbers lead to a significant spike in hospitalisations. There are currently 69 patients in ICU in NSW with Covid-19, with 25 on ventilators.
The state has 844 staffed ICU beds available, and 608 of them were occupied on Monday.
President of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Anthony Holley said doctors and nurses were under significant pressure but the state’s hospitals were a long way from being overloaded.
“The intensive care fraternity is concerned,” Professor Holley said.
“The workload has definitely substantially increased but in terms of numbers of patients in intensive care, we’re still nowhere near overwhelmed and there remains capacity.”
Jess Malcolm7pm:Doses reach 15.6m
A total of 15,618,391 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered, with a record 279,465 in the past 24 hours.
One dose has now been given to 48.7 per cent of people over the age of 16, with 26.9 per cent fully vaccinated.
NSW has overtaken Victoria, with 5,276,446 vaccines given — 106,122 of those in the past 24 hours. Victoria has administered 4,061,751, followed by Queensland’s 2,876,133. Western Australia has reaced 1,419,617, with South Australia on 1,054,392, Tasmania on 383,701, the ACT at 366,464 and the Northern Territory on 179,887.
In the past 24 hours, state and territory clinics administered 52,755 vaccines and commonwealth clinics delivered 41,742 shots.
A total of 660,961 vaccines have now been administered in aged and disability facilities, with 2179 given in the past 24 hours.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said Tuesday’s figures showed a dramatic ramp up in its vaccination rollout, with more than 10 million Australians having had their first dose.
READ MORE:Bluesfest cancelled, new 2022 date revealed
Jess Malcolm6.28pm:Tasmania tightens border restrictions with NSW
Tasmania has further tightened its border restrictions with NSW, after more cases emerged in regional parts of the state.
Anyone travelling through NSW by road or rail, even if only stopping for fuel, will now be deemed as having spent time in a hisk risk area.
This means they will not be allowed into Tasmania except under exceptional circumstances.
Tasmania will also ease border restrictions with the remaining 13 Queensland local government areas at midnight tonight, allowing all travellers in quarantine-free.
Border restrictions with Victoria, the ACT and the Northern Territory remain in place.
Andrew McMillen5.57pm:Bluesfest cancelled, new 2022 date revealed
For the second time in five months, the organisers behind one of Australia’s major annual music festivals have been forced to once again do the Covid-19 shuffle, as the nation’s live entertainment sector continues to suffer.
Six weeks out from its planned start date of October 1, the organisers of Byron Bay Bluesfest announced on Tuesday that the event will not proceed given the rising Covid case numbers across NSW, which is currently in statewide lockdown.
Instead, Bluesfest will be restored to its usual spot on the calendar across the Easter long weekend. Headlined by Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly and Jimmy Barnes – as well as the new addition of New Zealand band Fat Freddy’s Drop – the 2022 event will be held from April 15 to April 18.
Jess Malcolm4.55pm:Dubbo, Mudgee on growing exposure list
Several regional venues have been added to NSW Health’s growing list of exposure sites as cases grew by 452 on Tuesday.
New close-contact venues in Dubbo include the Cross Coffee House, Milestone Hotel, Sid’s Bottle Shop and the Telstra Store.
Multiple sites in Mudgee have also been listed as close contact sites including the Club Mudgee RSL, Lawson Park Hotel, Smart Dollar and Smokemart & GiftBox.
Broken Hill’s Alfresco’s Cafe has also been exposed.
NSW Health has updated new casual-contact venues, and has urged all people to check the NSW government website regularly.
Western NSW local health district recorded 18 new cases on Tuesday, stoking fears the virus has spread further into the regions.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – NEW VENUES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 17, 2021
NSW Health has been notified of new venues of concern across NSW that are associated with confirmed cases of COVID 19. pic.twitter.com/LcW0Ue4D7C
Jess Malcolm4.35pm:New Zealand into snap lockdown after possible Delta case
New Zealand will go into a level four snap 3-day lockdown from midnight tonight after a 58-year old man from Auckland tested positive for Covid-19.
Auckland and the Coromandel will go into a longer seven day lockdown, after the new case spent five days in the community whilst infectious.
Urgent genomic sequencing is underway but officials are treating the new case as the highly infectious Delta variant.
There is no obvious link to the border at this stage.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said swift action was needed to control any spread within the community.
“We are one of the last countries in the world to have Delta variant in our community,” she told reporters.
“We are in a position to learn from the experience overseas, and what actions work and what actions don’t work. We have seen what happens elsewhere if we fail to get on top of it.”
The man was not vaccinated, but his wife was fully vaccinated.
The man reportedly travelled to the Coromandel, a popular holiday spot north of Auckland, last Friday and stayed for the weekend.
There are 23 new exposure sites, including 10 in Auckland and 13 in the Coromandel.
The snap lockdown has already triggered panic buying in supermarkets across Auckland, forcing an increased police presence to ensure people stay socially distanced and calm.
Jess Malcolm4.30pm:Do not attend: NSW police warn over lockdown protest
NSW Police say they are aware of an unauthorised anti-lockdown protest planned for this weekend, urging all people not to attend.
Anyone who may be planning to break stay-at-home orders to attend has been threatened by fines and harsh penalties.
The warnings come after a series of anti-lockdown protests across Australia last month which saw dozens of violent clashes with police and hundreds fined.
Police are aware of unauthorised protest activities planned for this weekend. Do NOT attend.
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) August 17, 2021
Public safety is our first priority and you will be fined or arrested if you turn up #StayAtHome
Max Maddison2.20pm:PM delivers assurance on Afghans in Australia
Scott Morrison says Afghans in the country on temporary visas will not return while there is such “terrible unrest”, continuing his government’s careful language around the future of Afghan immigrants.
In the face of calls to allow temporary visa holders to apply for permanent residency, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said no one would be asked to return at “this stage”, before a statement from Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said they could remain while the situation remained “so dire”.
Offered an opportunity to clarify the long-term status of these visa holders, the Prime Minister declined to offer a commitment ensuring Afghan immigrants would be offered a pathway to permanent residency.
“We have no plans to return people back to those places. Where there is such terrible unrest and they’ll be able to remain here under those circumstances under the visas they’re currently on,” Mr Morrison said.
Max Maddison2pm:Nation hits new vaccination milestone
Australia has hit a record number of jabs in a single day, says Health Minister Greg Hunt, as five Australian Defence Force vaccination teams are flown into Western NSW.
The figure of 279,465 on Monday - the highest number in Australia’s history of vaccinations - comes as the country’s vaccination rate ramps up, but with over half the country enduring extended lockdowns.
Mr Hunt says more than 10 million Australians have had their first jab.
One area of concern has been the proliferation of cases among vulnerable populations in Western NSW. A joint operation between the Commonwealth, NSW Health and Emergency Management Australia would see five ADF vaccination teams flown in to help protect communities.
“They’ll support vaccination but where swabbing or other activities are required they’re highly mobile, highly flexible and highly trained,” Mr Hunt told a press conference on Tuesday.
Max Maddison1.55pm:Morrison issues warning on Afghanistan evacuation
Scott Morrison has conceded his government won’t be able to evacuate all locally engaged staff who are currently trapped in Afghanistan, warning the unfolding chaos in Kabul means support “won’t reach all that it should”.
A day after the Afghanistan capital swiftly fell to the Taliban, the Prime Minister sought to reassure people that his government was doing their utmost to rescue Afghanis who had worked with the Australian Defence Force, amid criticism that evacuation efforts had waited too long.
“I want you to know that we will continue to do everything we can for those who have with us, as we have to this day,” Mr Morrison told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“But I want to talk openly to veterans that despite our best efforts, I know that support won’t reach all that it should. On the ground events have overtaken many efforts.”
Nicholas Jensen1.45pm:NT Covid situation ‘a waiting game’
Despite recording zero infections in its first day of lockdown, Northern Territory health officials are awaiting test results for 25 people who were on the same flight as the man who tested positive for the virus on Monday.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the man in his 30s was “more infectious” following his second Covid-19 test today, suggesting his case was “detected early”.
A taxi driver, who transferred the man from the airport, is currently in the Howard Springs quarantine facility, as well as an Uber driver who also drove the infected man. Both drivers have since returned negative test results.
Ten people who they drove after the positive case are being treated as close contacts.
Of the 32 people on the man’s flight, 25 are still being tested, with 99 people identified as close contacts across NT exposure sites. Hundreds of casual contacts have also been identified at a Woolworths supermarket in Katherine.
“We believe we’ve done everything we can to track the virus. But we need to wait and see what these tests come back as,” said Mr Gunner.
Health officials also said they remain particularly vigilant of the territory’s Indigenous population.
The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance said the current situation poses a “very serious” threat for the Indigenous population.
AMSANT said it remains deeply concerned about the potential spread of the virus, given the high rates of chronic illness and overcrowding in the region.
Adeshola Ore1.25pm:Domestic violence summit goes online
A national women’s summit to spearhead Australia’s next domestic violence plan will be held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The summit, which was due to be held at Parliament House, will be held online on September 6 and 7. The ACT on Monday extended it’s lockdown by two weeks. There are now 45 cases linked to the territory’s outbreak.
Women’s Minister Marise Payne said it was vital the event still went ahead amid lockdowns across large parts of Australia’s east coast.
“The event will now be held online to ensure that this important part of the consultation process for the next National Plan goes ahead,” she said.
The event will feature speakers including Scott Morrison, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, Australian of the Year Grace Tame, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar.
Discussions at the two-day forum will form consultation for the next national plan to end violence against women and their children. Australia’s 12-year framework to reduce domestic violence expires next year.
Staff Reporters1.10pm:Scott Morrison to face the media
The Prime Minister has called a press conference for 1.30pm but it’s not clear whether he’ll address the nation’s Covid-19 situation or the ongoing drama over in Afghanistan.
Paige Taylor12.50pm:Defence force boosts vaccination push
The Australian Defence Force will arrive in western NSW on Tuesday afternoon to help vaccinate people in remote communities.
There are now 116 known cases of Covid-19 in the western region, mostly in Dubbo and Walgett. About 60 per cent of all cases are Indigenous people and about 40 per cent of all those affected are aged 10 to 19 years old. So far, two people infected in the western NSW outbreak are in hospital in Dubbo. One of those is a man who tested positive in Bourke and was transferred to Dubbo hospital overnight.
There were 99 cases of Covid-19 in western NSW on Monday morning and health authorities were bracing for a significant increase in the number of Covid-19 cases on Tuesday. The confirmation of 17 new cases since Monday morning is not as dire as feared however western NSW local health chief Scott McLachlan warned residents to continue to stay at home.
“I wouldn’t take it that we are on top of this,” he said at a virtual press conference in Dubbo on Tuesday.
Western NSW local health district director of Aboriginal health and wellbeing Brendon Cutmore said the outbreak was very difficult for Indigenous communities whose instincts were to stick together in a crisis.
“We would normally gather together and share our resources and we would normally provide that kind of assistance face to face but right now it is incredibly important that we stay in our own homes,” he said.
“Your job is to stay in your place of residence and try to stay in touch with your family members in another way.”
Staff Reporters12.40pm:Good news from the NT, with zero cases
The Territory conducted 1846 cases on Monday on the first full day of lockdown in Darwin and Katherine.
Staff Reporters12.30pm:ACT records 17 new Covid cases
The ACT now has 45 active Covid-19 cases, but none has needed hospitalisation. Authorities conducted 7380 tests yesterday.
Remy Varga12.25pm:Victoria police hit streets to enforce lockdown
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said dozens of officers will flood public spaces on Tuesday to ensure compliance with the strengthened lockdown.
Mr Patton said protective service officers redeployed from the transit network will be issuing infringements for any breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s directions.
He said Monday night was “reasonably quiet” and officers had issued between 20-30 infringements.
Nicholas Jensen12.20pm:Fears over Sydney hospital cluster spread
NSW health officials remain concerned that a Covid-19 cluster in the oncology ward at St George Hospital could continue to spread, after a sixth case had now been linked to the cluster.
NSW Health has confirmed two staff and four patients have tested positive for the virus, with 21 patients in the ward considered close contacts and in isolation.
The two staff were fully vaccinated while three of the patients had received one dose of vaccine and the fourth was unvaccinated.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McAlnuty said there were now four inpatients and two staff members identified as testing positive, with the ward subject to extensive infection control procedures.
St George Hospital is located in Kogarah, in the Georges River LGA, which has recently seen a spike in cases and has been subject to greater restrictions.
A statement from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said the district’s Public Health Unit was working with St George Hospital in Kogarah following notifications that three patients and two staff members had tested positive for Covid on August 13 and 14.
Meanwhile, six people have also been infected in the Canterbury Hospital cluster.
Dr McAlnuty confirmed a ward has been closed in “light of transmission”.
“I can’t comment on staffing at those facilities but throughout NSW Health we’ve got good processes for assessing which staff are at risk and how Health Districts can work together as a network,” he said.
Remy Varga12.10pm:50 Victorian cases in children under 10
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 50 of the state’s active cases are children under the age of 10 and health authorities were investigating possible transmission in a playground.
There are currently 227 active cases in Victoria, meaning children under 10 make up around one in five Covid-19 cases in the state.
“We’ve also seen transmission between students who were not in classes together who did not have any other face to face interaction other than sharing a walk home,” he said.
“[They] didn’t play together. Don’t live together. Didn’t have classes together, shared an outdoor walk home.”
His comments come as Melburnians woke to closed playgrounds as a suite of new public health rules came into effect as part of a strengthened lockdown.
Remy Varga12.05pm:Party linked to new Victoria cases
Of Victoria’s 24 cases reported on Tuesday, four have been linked to the St Kilda East community outbreak, including three that attended a party.
Deputy secretary Kate Matson said her understanding was the transmission occurred at the illegal engagement party, bringing the total linked to the illegal event to six.
Nine cases have been linked to Glenroy West Primary School and three have been linked to Al-Taqwa College in Truganina.
Two cases are linked to the Lygon public housing tower and three cases have been linked to the Newport community outbreak.
There are three cases that are unlinked, including two St Kilda residents and a Melbourne resident.
Remy Varga11.50am:Andrews blasts hospital staffer over ‘evil’ remarks
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has blasted anti-semitic commentary as “evil” and “unacceptable” after a St Kilda East engagement party triggered a fierce backlash, some of which was racist.
It comes after reports a Royal Melbourne Hospital staffer was stood down after making anti-semitic comments online.
The staff member is no longer an employee of the hospital and we apologise for the hurt and anger this has caused.
— The Royal Melbourne Hospital (@TheRMH) August 17, 2021
We stand with and support our Jewish staff members, patients and community. [2/2]
Mr Andrews said the St Kilda East engagement party was not a function of being Jewish, with most of the community abiding by lockdown and prominent Jewish leaders condemning the function.
“Anti-semitism is unacceptable and evil and we have a zero tolerance approach to that in our state,” he said.
“The event we spoke of yesterday was not a function of being Jewish.
“It was a stupid function. It was an illegal function. It was not an act of faith or culture.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he was “horrified” to see anti-semitic behaviour overnight and said it undermined the health effort.
READ MORE:Hospital staffer stood down over anti-Semitic remarks
Nicholas Jensen11.40am:Grave concerns over indigenous communities
Jeremy McAnulty has said there remain grave concerns for indigenous people in the state’s west, with fears the virus could be circulating amongst Aboriginal communities in Dubbo and Walgett.
“In western NSW we had 116 cases. The majority of those have been in people who are Aboriginal,” he said.
“We’re working closely with the Aboriginal community to keep them safe, to make sure that people are getting tested and making sure that people who have been in contact with other cases are aware that they need to isolate,” he said.
NSW Health said it was establishing a Special Health Accommodation for cases in the affected communities.
Outside of Greater Sydney, five cases were recorded in Maitland, three cases in Lake Macquarie and two cases in Newcastle.
There are currently ten cases in the Hunter New England, with six cases infectious in the community.
Nicholas Jensen 11.26am:NSW hits 5.2 million virus jabs
Deputy Health Officer Jeremy McAnulty said NSW is continuing to see large numbers of people hospitalised.
Currently, 447 people with COVID have been admitted to hospital. 69 of those are in ICU and 24 require ventilation.
Eighteen new cases were recorded in western NSW, all of which were detected in Dubbo.
NSW Health says it has recently detected a new case in Broken Hill. Officials said the person lives in the far west health district and has been infectious for several days while travelling between Broken Hill and Wilcannia.
In Hunter New England ten new cases were recorded, bringing the total number of cases in that area to 130.
Despite concern over high case numbers, Ms Berejiklian said NSW continues to power ahead in vaccination.
“We’ve hit the mark of 5.2 million jabs in New South Wales so we’re well on our way to 6 million jabs by the end of August … That is an outstanding effort. We now have nearly 52 per cent of our population across the state with at least one jab.”
“We’re keen to make sure the vaccination rate is higher and remains high in western and
south-western Sydney and that is why in the next three weeks we will have a vaccination blitz in those areas.
Rachel Baxendale11.15am:Andrews to give update at 11.30am
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to address the media at 11:30am, alongside chief health officer Brett Sutton, Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton and health department deputy secretary in charge of contact tracing, Kate Matson.
The press conference comes on Victoria’s first day of toughened coronavirus restrictions, including a 9pm to 5am curfew and a ban on the use of playground equipment.
Nicholas Jensen11.02am: NSW records 452 new cases
NSW has recorded 452 new local cases, with at least 50 infectious in the community while
129 were linked to a known case or cluster and 323 cases are still under investigation.
There are more than 440 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. To find your nearest clinic visit: https://t.co/LmeATIQK4Z or contact your GP.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 17, 2021
Of today’s cases, 75 per cent are under 40, NSW Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed.
NSW Health says a woman in her 70s from western Sydney died at Westmead Hospital yesterday.
Ms Berejiklian said she remains “extremely concerned” about the unfolding situation.
“In relation to the suburbs of concern, obviously in Greater Sydney, south-west and west Sydney remain generators of most cases,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian also highlighted a string of suburbs across Sydney’s west and south-west as locations of high transmission, including Merrylands, Guildford, Granville, Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Yagoona, Greenacre and Bankstown.
Rachel Baxendale10.55am: Hospital assistant sacked over anti-Semitic remark
The Royal Melbourne Hospital has stood down a clinical assistant after she made an anti-Semitic comment referencing the Holocaust in response to news of an engagement party attended by 69 members of the Orthodox Jewish community in breach of coronavirus restrictions last week.
The staff member is no longer an employee of the hospital and we apologise for the hurt and anger this has caused.
— The Royal Melbourne Hospital (@TheRMH) August 17, 2021
We stand with and support our Jewish staff members, patients and community. [2/2]
In a statement released on social media on Tuesday morning, the hospital said: “We are aware of a hospital support staff member who made an abhorrent and disgraceful anti-semitic comment on Facebook. The comment does not reflect @TheRMH and our values. We do not tolerate racial or religious hatred, contempt or ridicule.”
“The staff member is no longer an employee of the hospital and we apologise for the hurt and anger this has caused. We stand with and support our Jewish staff members, patients and community.”
Clinical assistant Doreen Bonello had commented “put them in a gas chamber” in response to news of the illegal gathering.
Nicholas Jensen10.10am:Ekka reinstated as Qld records 1 new case
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has reinstated the Ekka show as the state records one new local case.
Tuesday 17 August – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 17, 2021
1 new locally acquired case - detected in home quarantine.
1 overseas acquired case - detected in hotel quarantine.#covid19pic.twitter.com/DRvx64XCaV
Ms Palaszczuk said the Ekka would be moved to October 29 after it was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. The popular holiday is expected to create a potential cash injection of more than $100m into Queensland’s ailing tourism economy.
The new case was detected in quarantine and is linked to the state’s Indooroopilly cluster, with a second case recorded in hotel quarantine.
BREAKING: @TheEkka public holiday will be moved to Friday, 29 October after the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 17, 2021
The new public holiday applies to the Local Government Areas of Brisbane, the Scenic Rim and Moreton Bay.#Ekka#GoodToGopic.twitter.com/SRwvyy7R44
Ms Palaszczuk said health authorities remain confident they have held the virus at bay, after today’s local infection had already been in home quarantine.
As Queensland moved to tighten its border with NSW on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk said police stopped 10,000 vehicles at the border, with more than 1000 asked to turn back.
“As a result of the large number of people attempting to cross the border, more officers would be stationed at the Coolangatta-Tweed border and the border heading out west as well.”
Queensland health officials are expanding vaccine clinics in Logan and Caboolture to prepare for the arrival of extra Pfizer vaccines next week.
Rachel Baxendale9.55am:Victoria exposure sites grow to 541
In the past 24 hours, 24 new coronavirus exposure sites have been added to the Victorian health department’s list, bringing the total to 541.
The latest sites are spread across Melbourne, from South Morang and Roxburgh Park in the outer north, to Cheltenham and Keysborough in the outer southeast.
Other suburbs with new sites include St Kilda, Balaclava, and Elsternwick in the inner southeast, Port Melbourne in the inner south, and Newport in the inner southwest.
Tyre business TyrePlus Newport has been listed between 8.00am and 6.30pm for eight consecutive days between August 2 and August 9 - indicating someone was working while likely infectious during that period.
The earliest known case among the current outbreaks is a teacher in her 20s at Al-Taqwa College, who lives in Newport, whose case first emerged on August 4.
READ MORE:Bourke records first case
Nicholas Jensen9.45am:Silverwater Prison inmates test positive
Four men have tested positive for Covid-19 in western Sydney’s Silverwater Prison, sparking fears the virus could spread throughout the facility.
NSW Corrective Services confirmed four inmates had tested positive, after two of the men spent time at the Bathurst Correctional Centre which was forced into lockdown last week.
“All inmates are tested for COVID-19 when they arrive in custody and are managed in quarantine for 14 days before being cleared to move into the general population,” said a statement issued by NSW Corrective Services.
None of the four men had contact with other inmates, but did come into contact with prison guards. Affected prison guards have been ordered to get tested and isolate until further notice.
The infected inmates are quarantining at Silverwater’s isolation hub.
READ MORE:Urgent virus alert
Remy Varga9.40am:Lockdown party doctors referred to professional regulator
Doctors who breached lockdown to attend an engagement party in St Kilda East have been referred to the medical professional regulator.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency confirmed on Tuesday it had received a number of complaints about registered health practitioners who attended the party.
“We are aware that Victoria Police have stated that they intend to take action with respect to individuals who attended the event,” a spokesman said.
“We will liaise with them in relation to any registered health practitioners who were present.
“National Boards remind health practitioners their professional behaviour extends to acting in accordance with the law.
“All health practitioners should ensure that they are aware of their legal obligations and act in accordance with them.
“National Boards can and will take action for failing to comply with legal obligations in your state or territory.”
READ MORE: Golfers go to water to evade bunker
Rachel Baxendale 9.35am:State of Victoria’s eight mystery clusters
Victoria currently has at least eight separate clusters since August 4 with no identified source of acquisition.
A further four of Tuesday’s cases are yet to be linked to previously known outbreaks.
On Monday, Covid logistics chief Jeroen Weimar said authorities had identified links between three previous mystery cases and other outbreaks.
The mystery cases include:
- An Al-Taqwa College teacher in her 20s and her optometrist partner, who live in Newport in Hobson’s Bay in Melbourne’s inner southwest. The partner worked at Caroline Springs Square shopping centre and played football at the Newport Football Club;
- A Maribyrnong man in his 20s who works at a warehouse in Derrimut;
- A City of Melbourne father who works at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and his son who is in Grade One at St Michael’s Primary School in North Melbourne;
- A Glenroy family linked to Glenroy West Primary School, where there are now 31 cases. This cluster now includes two previous mystery cases in a Roxburgh Park resident who works in Bundoora, and in a Glenroy family whose child attends Corpus Christi Primary School in Glenroy;
- A delivery truck driver who lives in Wyndham Vale in Melbourne’s outer southwest, and does not drive interstate;
- A person who lives in Middle Park and visited the South Melbourne Market and a string of sites in Melbourne’s inner south and southeast. This case is believed to be linked to a case in a cleaner who lives in the City of Greater Dandenong, in Melbourne’s outer southeast, and works in Fitzroy Street;
- A mother and her adult son from East St Kilda who attended an illegal engagement party last week;
- Two cases from a household in the public housing tower at 480 Lygon Street, Carlton;
- Four cases in Tuesday’s numbers which are yet to be linked to a source of infection.
The following cases have now been linked to other known outbreaks, although authorities have not yet said which outbreaks:
- A Melton family of two parents and a child;
- A Brunswick West man who had visited sites in Flemington and Parkville;
- A construction worker who lives in West Footscray;
READ MORE: Premier sticks to guns on border control
Nicholas Jensen 9.25am: Covid recorded in hospital oncology ward
NSW Health has confirmed three patients and two staff members in the oncology ward at St George Hospital in Sydney have tested positive for Covid-19.
The patients and staff tested positive last week, causing the hospital to close its oncology ward to conduct urgent infection control procedures.
Two of the three patients who tested positive had one dose of vaccine, while one patient was unvaccinated. The two staff members who tested positive were both fully vaccinated.
A statement from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said the district’s Public Health Unit was working with St George Hospital in Kogarah following notifications that three patients and two staff members had tested positive for Covid on August 13 and 14.
“As a precautionary measure the hospital is treating all patients on the ward as close contacts and has implemented additional infection control procedures on the ward to maintain the health and safety of patients,” the statement read.
“The hospital is contacting patients and staff who were on those wards at the same time that other patients may have been infectious and asking them to get tested and isolate.”
Rachel Baxendale9.10am:Victoria active cases total 227
Tuesday’s 24 cases in Victoria follow the Andrews government’s imposition on Monday of a 9pm-5am curfew on Melburnians and an extension of the city’s lockdown for 14 days to September 2nd, as well as other tougher measures including bans on the use of playgrounds and on drinking alcohol in public.
The latest cases come after 22 cases on Monday, 25 on Sunday, 21 on Saturday, 15 on Friday, 21 locally acquired and two interstate acquired cases on Thursday, and 20 on each of Wednesday and last Tuesday.
The outbreak peak so far was 29 on August 7, just three days after short-lived celebrations of zero on August 4 - the day before the state’s sixth lockdown was announced.
Of 228 cases linked to Victorian outbreaks which have emerged since August 4, 94, or 41 per cent, have been in quarantine for the duration of their infectious period, including 14 in each of Tuesday and Monday’s numbers, 12 in Sunday’s, 11 in Saturday’s, eight in Friday’s, 15 in Thursday’s and 14 in Wednesday’s.
There are currently 227 active cases, including up to three active cases acquired overseas - one of which is in Tuesday’s numbers.
As of Monday, there were six people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus, up from four on Sunday.
These included two men and a woman in their 40s, two women in their 20s and a child, who is in intensive care.
The latest cases come after 31,519 tests were processed on Monday, compared with 29,986 on Sunday, 32,286 on Saturday, 33,675 on Friday, 40,737 on Thursday, 45,408 on Wednesday, 41,571 on Tuesday, and 34,892 last Monday.
Victoria’s testing record is 59,355 tests on July 20.
READ MORE: Outback anger over jabs
Rachel Baxendale 8.45am:Vic records 24 new local cases
Victoria has recorded 24 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to midnight on Monday.
The source of acquisition of three cases remains under investigation, with 21 linked to previously known outbreaks.
Reported yesterday: 24 new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 16, 2021
- 25,742 vaccine doses were administered
- 31,519 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/criDnQ00A9
Of the 24, there are 14 who were in isolation throughout their infectious period, while 10 spent time in the community while infectious.
Reported yesterday: 24 new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 16, 2021
- 25,742 vaccine doses were administered
- 31,519 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/criDnQ00A9
Max Maddison8.35am:Canavan: Lockdowns proliferating faster than Covid
Nationals senator Matt Canavan has called into question the widespread use of draconian Covid restrictions, saying the curfew in Melbourne just “doesn’t make sense”.
With parts of the Northern Territory being plunged into lockdown on Monday, and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr extending the territory’s restrictions for another two weeks, senator Canavan said it appeared lockdowns were proliferating “faster than the coronavirus”.
He pointed to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews imposition of a nightly curfew from 9pm to 5am, saying concentrating people’s movements into a smaller window and limiting the amount of time they could spend outside defied logic.
“Why are we stopping people going outside, but it’s pretty clear we know for 18 months this disease is almost zero. I think there might be zero, reported transmissions anywhere in the world, from incidental contact outside,” Senator Canavan told Sky News on Tuesday morning.
“We have to balance things here. There’s no path here which involves no cost; there’s no path here which is a utopia.”
READ MORE: Factions at war in NSW crisis cabinet
Nicholas Jensen 8.25am: NSW police issue 529 infringement notices
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon says too many residents are breaking lockdown restrictions and ignoring public health orders, despite a crackdown on compliance across the state.
Following the launch of Operation Stay At Home on Monday, NSW Police said it issued 529 infringement notices, as well as 34 court attendance notices.
Deputy Commissioner Lanyon told the ABC the operation includes more than 1000 police transport and safety command officers patrolling to ensure residents are complying with the health orders.
“People are moving around far too frequently.
“A gentleman at Fairfield who is Covid-positive and has been issued a self-isolation order by health. Police went to his house to conduct a compliance check, when they got there, he wasn’t home. We attended some time later and he was unable to provide any excuse for being out of his premises.
“It’s important to overstate the danger that a person being around in the community has in terms of the spread of the virus and therefore for other community members,” he said.
While the operation will be concentrated in the 12 LGAs of concern, Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said police will be enforcing restrictions “right across the Greater Metropolitan Sydney area and certainly right across regional areas”.
READ MORE: Spare us the gobbledegook
Max Maddison7.55am:Plibersek: increase vaccination supply
Opposition education and women spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek says the Morrison government needs to sort out vaccination supply issues before the national conversation turns to mandatory jabs.
The nation’s sluggish vaccination rollout has picked up pace in recent months, but with over half the country struggling through renewed lockdowns, ongoing supply constraints for mRNA vaccines mean younger people face extended waiting times to receive their jab.
While attention has turned to whether employers will be able to make jabs mandatory, Ms Plibersek said the conversation was premature while so much demand for vaccinations existed in the community
“Before we start talking about making things mandatory, how about we get enough supply to the people who are desperate to be vaccinated,” Ms Plibersek told Sky News on Tuesday morning.
“There are, as you say, teachers who would love to be vaccinated. Aged care workers, disability workers still not vaccinated, vulnerable people in disability homes that would love to be vaccinated but are still not vaccinated.”
READ MORE: Certainty needed on mandatory jabs
Nicholas Jensen7.40am:Curfew ‘won’t make any difference’
ANU infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon says there is little evidence to suggest Melbourne’s night curfew will make any difference to case numbers, as the state introduced new measures on Monday to contain its Delta outbreak.
“I’m not convinced a curfew makes all that much difference. If you look at the people breaking the rules I’m not sure having police on the road at 2am would have made a lot of difference,” Professor Collignon told Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
“The trouble is it takes a lot of resources for the police. They probably have to stop everybody. Most of the people moving around at 2am are essential workers or for a legitimate excuse. I haven’t heard material to the contrary. A lot of extra resources I think for not a lot of extra benefits,” he said.
Professor Collignon said he would not support a Victorian-style curfew in NSW.
“What we really need to do in NSW is get vaccinated and make sure essential workers make extra efforts to avoid being close to other people indoors, when there is an increased chance, unless they’ve got their eyes and their face protected, and much more than we can do on that.”
READ MORE: Parents deserve truth on lockdown dangers
Nicholas Jensen7.20am:‘Serious threat’ for NT indigenous population
Greater Darwin and Katherine have entered a three-day snap lockdown on Monday after health officials detected a positive case.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the positive case is a man in his 30s who travelled to the NT from Sydney for “legitimate work purposes” on August 12.
The man stayed in Darwin for several days and visited locations in Darwin before travelling to Katherine to work at the Knotts Crossing Resort.
Mr Gunner said “there is a very real risk that this virus has been transmitted to others”.
Schools and childcare will close, but some staff will remain available for the children of essential workers.
NT’s peak indigenous health body, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance, said the Territory’s current situation posed a “very serious” threat for the Indigenous population.
.@jpatto12 NT Covid update: Darwin and Katherine go into three-day lockdown after positive case in Northern Territory #Stayoncountry#Careforfamily#GetVaccinatedNow#OurJobProtectOurmobhttps://t.co/HgGLHgwspwpic.twitter.com/mvQyPdiHzB
— Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT🖤💛â¤ï¸ (@AMSANTaus) August 16, 2021
AMSANT said it remains deeply concerned about the potential spread of the virus, given the high rates of chronic illness and overcrowding in the region
As NSW recorded its highest number of daily cases on Monday since the beginning of the pandemic, Melbourne, Canberra and Darwin are continuing to grapple with their own Delta outbreaks.
NSW recorded 478 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/RtVyEanPpr
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 16, 2021
After recording 22 infections, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Melbourne would be subjected to a nightly curfew, from 9pm to 5am, with the city remaining in a lockdown until September 2.
Playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor exercise equipment will be closed.
Mr Andrews said the new raft of restrictions have been introduced to combat mystery cases and to prevent rule-breaking and illegal gatherings.
“There is simply no option today but to further strengthen this lockdown. We are at a tipping point.” Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.”
Victorian health authorities said the spike in cases had been partly driven by residents breaking lockdown rules, with police fining more than 60 people for attending an engagement party.
Meanwhile, the ACT recorded 19 new cases as it extended its lockdown for a further two weeks.
ACT COVID-19 update (16 August 2021)
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) August 16, 2021
â–ªï¸ Cases today (since yesterday’s press conference): 19
â–ªï¸ Active cases: 28
â–ªï¸ Total cases (since March 2020): 152
â–ªï¸ Test conducted (past 24 hours): 5,723
â–ªï¸ Negative test results (past 24 hours): 6,444
â–ªï¸ Total negative tests: 298,964 pic.twitter.com/i6Sq0ALucO
Nicholas Jensen6.45am:Parents of late teen with Covid-19 hospitalised
The parents of Osama Subuh, 15, who died after contracting Covid-19 in Sydney’s south west, are now in hospital fighting the virus themselves.
They farewelled their son on Sunday on Facetime after making the decision to switch off his life support machine.
Mr Subah had been receiving treatment in ICU at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, where he was also being treated for pneumococcal meningitis as well as Covid-19
NSW Health says while Mr Subah was Covid-positive this was not the reason for his ICU admission and not the direct cause of death.
The teenager’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, but his parents will reportedly be unable to attend.
READ MORE:Sydney teenager with Covid-19 dies
Nicholas Jensen6.30am: Church, restaurant added to exposure sites list
A church and a restaurant are among a host of new locations been added to NSW’s expanding list of exposure sites.
In addition to Sushi Zen in Dubbo and The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Waratah in Newcastle, NSW Health also listed new casual contact sites across Metropolitan Sydney, Dubbo, Glendale, Ingleburn and Kotara.
NSW yesterday announced 478 new daily infections, the highest number recorded since the beginning of the current outbreak on June 16.
NEW NSW EXPOSURE SITES
■ Sunday, August 8: Sushi Zen, 4/116-120 Macquarie Street, Dubbo — 12.45pm to 12.55pm; and
■ Saturday, July 31 to Sunday, August 15: The Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, 1/27 Crescent Road, Waratah.
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there, regardless of the result.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – NEW AND UPDATED VENUES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 16, 2021
We have been notified of a number of new and updated casual contact venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID 19. pic.twitter.com/qzzAAXzC8E
READ MORE:Sydney golfers go to water to avoid Covid travel bunker
Rachel Baxendale5.15am:Melbourne’s Covid-19 curfew pointless, police say
Five million Melburnians will be living under a 9pm-5am curfew for at least the next 16 days, despite scepticism from epidemiologists over the efficacy of the measure and opposition from the police union and civil liberties groups.
The curfew comes alongside a 14-day extension of Melbourne’s lockdown, and bans on the use of playgrounds and on drinking alcohol in public.
It was imposed as Victoria recorded 22 new coronavirus cases on Monday, including eight in people who had not been isolating during their infectious period.
Asked to justify the measure, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said: “It worked. It’s simply not up for debate. We had more than 700 cases and we took it down to zero.
“There was a package of measures. A curfew was one of them. The real question, I would have thought, was for some other jurisdictions that don’t have a curfew,” Mr Andrews said in reference to NSW.
ANU infectious diseases physician Peter Collignon said he had “never seen any evidence that curfews make a lot of difference”.
Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said the “contentious” measure wasn’t popular with his members in 2020, who “didn’t really see great value in it.”
“It’ll be the police again that’ll be asked to enforce it and we are stretched paper thin.”
Read the full story here.
Ellen Ransley5am:NSW rulebreakers’ actions ‘have tragic consequences’
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday issued an alarming call to arms to citizens, saying high numbers of cases would continue if people didn’t do the right thing.
After announcing 478 locally acquired cases on Monday, the state’s highest daily number of cases, Ms Berejiklian said there were “dozens of examples of people who are flagrantly just disobeying the rules”.
She said her message to the “small proportion” of the community who broke the rules their actions would “continue to have tragic consequences”.
“The case numbers are disturbingly high and we are at a fork in the road,” she said.
“Do we want the case numbers to come down? Are we going to live in fear and have case numbers continue to go up?
“That is up to all of us together.”
Read the full story here.
Helena Burke4.45am:ACT lockdown extended after ‘serious’ spike
Canberra’s lockdown has been extended for an extra two weeks after 19 new local Covid cases were recorded.
The national capital’s outbreak has now grown to 28 cases.
With the two week extension, the ACT’s lockdown is now set to end on September 2 instead of August 19.
The new cases included a student from Lyneham high school and a worker from the Greenway Views retirement village in Tuggeranong.
Chief Health Minister Andrew Barr said the retirement village was now in full lockdown.
“This is a serious situation. We do not want to see the numbers continue to grow and we do not want to see exponential growth as we have seen in other jurisdictions,” he said.
Read the full story here.
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