Coronavirus Australia live news: One in four eligible Australians now fully vaccinated; WA to allow only vaccinated NSW visitors; NSW peaks again at 390 cases, 2 deaths
Scott Morrison says Australia is ‘just shy’ of administering 15 million vaccines, as NSW is set to tighten rules around the singles bubble.
- NSW to crack down on singles bubble
- One in four now fully vaccinated
- WA: only vaccinated NSW arrivals
- NSW peaks again at 390 cases
- Vic records 15 new local cases
- MPs flee Canberra lockdown
- Melbourne’s freedom hopes fade
Welcome to live updates on Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scott Morrison says one in four eligible Australians are now fully vaccinated. WA says it will only allow vaccinated arrivals from NSW, after that state recorded 390 new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 and two deaths.
Victoria has recorded 15 new locally acquired cases, with seven infectious in the community.
A mystery Covid-19 case has plunged Canberra into a seven-day lockdown, sending politicians scrambling and placing doubt on federal parliament’s next sitting dates. The news came as Melbourne’s hopes of freedom from lockdown faded and a Sydney school for autistic children suffered its own outbreak.
Geoff Chambers10.20pm:Bosses reassured on jab liability
Employers would be protected from legal action if they did not mandate vaccinations for workers under a national cabinet plan Scott Morrison said would not force Australians to be jabbed.
After another record day of vaccinations across the country on Friday, the Prime Minister said state and territory governments would use workplace laws to shield businesses from legal exposure if they did not impose mandatory vaccines for employees.
Under current arrangements endorsed by the national cabinet, aged-care and quarantine workers are the only people in the country who must be vaccinated.
The Weekend Australian understands any need that arises to impose mandatory vaccines for industries would be based on advice from chief health officers via public health orders.
Read the full story here.
Natasha Robinson9.50pm:Cluster hospital’s safety protocols under scrutiny
The Sydney hospital at the centre of a growing cluster of Covid-19 cases and deaths has had three unconnected infection breaches, including one that occurred after management rejected advice pleas to test a patient from a hotspot zone before an operation.
Seven patients from Liverpool Hospital in Sydney’s southwest have died, and dozens of staff and patients have contracted the virus, since the first case almost four weeks ago.
Operating theatre staff at the hospital were placed at risk on July 14 when a patient from the Fairfield local government area – then the epicentre of Sydney’s Delta outbreak – was taken into theatre without operating staff knowing a Covid-19 swab had been taken pre-operatively, which turned out to be positive.
Staff learned of the woman’s positive status during her caesarean section operation, and none was wearing a N95 mask. Two days later, an anaesthetist who had worked across Liverpool and Campbelltown Hospitals tested positive for Covid-19.
Read the full story here.
Matthew Condon9.00pm:One man manages to unite a region in anger
The Lismore Base Hospital has about 260 beds, and this week one of them, inside its box-like building and jumbled annexes on a hill in the heart of town in NSW’s Northern Rivers just south of the Queensland border was occupied by perhaps the most loathed and reviled man in the region’s recent history.
His name was Zoran Radovanovic, 52, from Sydney’s harbourside eastern suburb of Rose Bay, and he was hospitalised with the Covid-19 Delta variant.
Radovanovic had allegedly travelled last month from locked-down Greater Sydney with his two teenage children to the Byron Shire, taking up an Airbnb outside the quaint village of Bangalow.
While infected with the virus, knowingly or not, he and his children had an active few days in the region before they tested positive to the virus last Monday. Radovanovic, and subsequently both of his kids, were hospitalised.
Read the full story here.
Nicholas Jensen 8.30pm:Aussie-made vaccine shows promise
An Australian-made vaccine named COVAX-19 has progressed to the final stages of a human clinical trial, after strong preliminary results demonstrating its ability to resist coronavirus and prevent lung infection.
Scientists at South Australia’s Flinders University, working to develop a Sars-CoV-19 vaccine since pandemic began, have published new peer-reviewed research that suggests its formula cannot only prevent lung infection but potentially reduce the risk of viral transmission.
COVAX-19 remains the most advanced of Australia’s locally developed vaccines.
The research, conducted in conjunction with the Kirby Institute and the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology at the University of Georgia, focuses on producing an effective protein-based vaccine that can be manufactured on a large scale and remain stable in normal refrigerated conditions.
Flinders vaccine specialist Nikolai Petrovsky, who leads the development project, said the initial results were very promising and provide a strong insight into the vaccine’s future potential.
Read the full story here.
Adeshola Ore8.00pm:Bleeding tourism ‘is on life support’
Australia’s tourism sector could face more than 750,000 job losses by the middle of next year, as the decimated industry warns it will not bounce back without a wage subsidy when the international border reopens.
Lockdowns across swaths of Australia’s east coast have soured consumer confidence as the tourism industry prepares for a sluggish September school holiday period.
Peak body the Tourism and Transport Forum said the industry was “fading on life support” and demanded the reinstatement of the JobKeeper. The organisation has written to all federal MPs requesting they back the resumption of the wage subsidy- equalling $1500 a fortnight – for tourism businesses that are down more than 50 per cent of their pre-Covid turnover.
On Friday NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian flagged the state could be in lockdown until the end of October, when it is expected to have fully vaccinated 70 per cent of its eligible population and begin easing restrictions.
Read the full story here.
Joseph Lam7.15pm: Man charged after faking positive result in text
A Dubbo man who allegedly sent a fake positive Covid-19 text to a group chat which forced workers into isolation has been charged
Police allege the man, who was tested on Thursday and received a negative result about 6am on Friday, altered a text message with his results to depict he had tested positive for the virus.
One group chat member notified his workplace that he was a close contact which resulted in the entire worksite closing down on Friday with workers instructed to get a test and isolate.
As the workplace shutdown, Orana Mid-Western Police District officers were notified and began an investigation only to find the man altered his test.
A man has been charged after he allegedly sent a fake positive COVID text to a group chat, forcing the suspension of workers in Dubbo today.https://t.co/2W6PhMXFSk
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) August 13, 2021
He has been served a Court Attendance Notice and will appear in Dubbo Local Court on Monday, September 27, on charges of false representation resulting in police investigation.
Lisa Allen7.00pm:Tehan’s bright outlook in sector’s darkest hour
Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan says travel is experiencing its toughest period yet but border openings and bubbles with Singapore, the Pacific Islands and New Zealand will happen if 80 per cent vaccination rates are reached.
“The next 3-4 months will be trying for all of us but there is still a strong ray of sunshine,” Mr Tehan told the embattled sector on Friday.
“Once we hit that 80 per cent [vaccination] rate by Christmas we will be able to turn the corner.”
However, as lockdowns and border closures continue to draw out he acknowledged local tourism businesses are doing it tough.
Read the full story here.
Ellen Whinnett6.07pm:‘Significant’ challenges await Paralympians in Tokyo
Australia’s Paralympians have put in a gold medal performance just to get to the games this year.
Covid-19 border restrictions have robbed the athletes of the chance to acclimatise to the brutal heat and humidity in Tokyo by restricting their arrival into Japan to five days before their events.
Local lockdowns also stopped many of them travelling to northern Queensland to acclimatise, and prevented some national teams from getting together to train.
And the virus itself poses an enormous risk to athletes who have compromised lungs and immune systems.
AFP5.29pm:Israel mandates tests for kids as young as three
Israel is to require Covid-19 tests from next week for children as young as three to enter schools, swimming pools, hotels or gyms, as infections from the Delta variant surge despite extensive adult vaccinations.
Israel already required children aged 12 and over to show a green pass, reintroduced late last month showing a person’s vaccination and testing status and whether they had recovered from Covid.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said from next Wednesday the state would fund unlimited tests for children aged three to 11.
Helen Trinca5.12pm:Boom times are not so cut and dried
It was bad enough when Joh Bailey’s up-market hair salon in Sydney’s Double Bay shut down because of a Covid-19 scare, denying blow-dries to desperate clients.
Two days later, on June 25, every hairdresser across the city closed – caught up in the city’s lockdown, now in its eighth week. And that’s far too long for Sydneysiders who rely on a decent cut and colour to get them through the daily grind.
Which is why areas like the Southern Highlands, an easy 100km drive from Sydney, and still open for business, have suddenly become the hair destination of choice for many happy to try to break the rules for a half-head of foils.
A week or so back it all got too much for Jennifer Aoun, owner of the B Tempted Hair and Beauty salon in Mittagong. So many Sydneysiders were giving her staff a hard time when they refused to book them appointments, that Ms Aoun gave them specially printed T-shirts saying, “Be Kind” to wear at work.
Rachel Baxendale4.49pm:Qantas fires back at Andrews over borders
Qantas has hit back at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, saying it is the responsibility of trained officials, and not airline staff, to decide who can and can’t cross state borders.
The comments come after two women tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday after travelling from Sydney to Melbourne on Monday without a valid permit.
NSW is currently designated an “extreme risk zone” by Victoria, meaning only people who have secured exceptionally rare compassionate exemptions can travel to the southern state, where they must complete a fortnight in quarantine.
Mr Andrews made reference to recent federal aviation support packages worth hundreds of millions of dollars, saying it “wouldn’t be too much” to ask airline workers to check border crossing permits.
A Qantas spokeswoman said that while she agreed the women should not have been able to enter Victoria without a valid permit, “trained officials should decide who can and can’t cross state borders, not airline workers, particularly as travel restrictions vary so much between states and territories that we fly to and are constantly changing.”
“It is not possible for airline workers to check whether passengers are telling the truth in their declarations, as was the case this week,” the spokeswoman said.
“A year ago, we suggested to governments that they take a national approach to border compliance, with health officials screening people leaving hotspots, rather than when they arrive at their destination. This suggested approach has not been taken up.”
Qantas has a policy of reminding passengers before their flight of their responsibilities to comply with government border requirements.
Asked earlier whether he would consider sending Victorian health department authorised officers to Sydney Airport to ensure compliance, Mr Andrews said: “I don’t want to have to do that, but there are permits, and the other thing too is maybe we can train people at Qantas to do this important work.”
Challenged over whether it was the responsibility of airlines or the government to protect Victoria’s borders, Mr Andrews said he was not “here today to have a crack at airlines”.
“But I think airlines have been pretty generously supported by taxpayers, and it wouldn’t be too much to ask them to check whether someone’s got a permit or not.”
Yoni Bashan4.24pm:NSW to crack down on singles bubble
EXCLUSIVE
The NSW Government is expected to announce a significant reworking of its ‘singles bubble’ across Greater Sydney, with residents to be forced to register their companion in a bid to strengthen enforcement of mobility rules.
At least two crisis cabinet ministers are known to have pushed back against the proposal - including Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello - but relented in order to win other concessions.
Police Minister David Elliott and NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller were seeking to restrict the singles bubble to a five kilometre radius, however this will be kept at 10 kilometres due to resistance from Mr Hazzard and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The changes are currently being put to a meeting of the state’s crisis cabinet, which convened at 4pm.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said previously that she would support Mr Fuller with whatever he sought in order to significantly boost compliance with the Public Health Orders.
The Australian understands that people will have to register their companion through Service NSW, which will be accessible to police officers conducting checks.
Currently, people are allowed to have a ‘bubble’ with a friend but they are also technically permitted visits to intimate partners. It is understood this will be scrapped, meaning residents will only be able to hold visits with one companion.
Mr Dominello was known to have resisted the requirement for people to register their companion, arguing that it was too invasive.
The Australian understands the rules have been drafted with a timeframe of up to 90 days.
Rachel Baxendale4.18pm:We don’t need ‘door to door’ testing: Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the state’s Covid outbreak is “not at a point where we need to be going door to door” to test for the virus, despite 10 mystery cases emerging in just over a week.
While NSW set a new record of 151,830 tests on Wednesday, with a similarly strong 127,988 on Thursday, Victoria processed 40,737 tests on Thursday and the state’s record is 59,355 tests on July 20.
NSW has a population of 8.2m compared with 6.7m in Victoria.
The northern state also has a policy of requiring cohorts of essential workers from Covid hotspots to be tested every three days, regardless of symptoms.
Asked whether he was satisfied with Victoria’s testing numbers given the emergence of mystery cases and wastewater detections of Covid in areas not otherwise understood to have infections, Mr Andrews said he believed current testing was adequate, citing a 100 per cent testing rate of close contacts at Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne’s west after it was linked to an outbreak last week.
“I’m not concerned with the numbers. They are not too low and I would guard against the natural comparison with New South Wales where they literally require people, whether they have symptoms or not, they must go get tested every three days and it is many hundreds of thousands of tests each week, directly attributed to that,” Mr Andrews said.
However, he said he would not rule out a testing blitz in areas of concern, as was done in Melbourne’s north and west amid Victoria’s second wave last year.
“We do not rule that out. In the past we have literally gone door to door and put a testing site at the end of everyone’s street,” Mr Andrews said.
“We have done it before. We would do it again if we thought that was something that would help us to contain case numbers. We’re not at that point now.”
Adeshola Ore4.12pm:Berejiklian addressed premiers’ concerns in ‘good spirit’
Scott Morrison said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had addressed concerns from other premiers about the state’s outbreak in “good spirit”.
“The premier was able to go through the steps that were being taken in New South Wales to address the outbreak,” he said.
“I didn’t sense any complacency among the premiers or chief ministers. We know how rapidly the Delta strain can inflict its impact on our populations.”
The Prime Minister said he welcomed Western Australia’s announcement that it would only allow vaccinated people from NSW to enter the state, as it further tightens its border controls.
“That is not unlike the sorts of things we have been talking about for some time, where people are vaccinated and an exemption has been granted so the vaccination aids that exemption being given on public health grounds,” he said.
“I think that is really consistent with what the national plan is seeking to achieve.”
Adeshola Ore4.05pm:Australia living through its third wave: CMO
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the nation was “clearly” experiencing its third wave of Covid-19, with more than 12 million Australians living under lockdown restrictions.
Professor Kelly said Australia had reported 10,000 cases across the country and 39 deaths this year.
“Most of these cases and most of these deaths are associated with the New South Wales outbreak which is continuing to be a concern,” he said.
Professor Kelly said Australia’s third wave was “not entirely, but mostly in New South Wales.”
Adeshola Ore4pm:Employers won’t breach law with no mandatory jab
Scott Morrison has assured businesses not mandating vaccination for employers they would not be in breach of workplace health and safety law.
The Prime Minister said many businesses feared that they would be subject to legal action from employees who may become ill due to the virus if they did not implement a mandatory vaccine requirement.
Mr Morrison said that state workplace health and safety regulators could provide a statement of intent to ensure businesses they would not breach such laws if they did not mandate immunisation.
He reiterated that Australia did not have a mandatory vaccination program.
“It is not reasonable that an employer may feel they have to put some sort of mandate in place to protect themselves potentially from some health and safety laws,” he said.
Adeshola Ore3.45pm:One in four eligible Australians fully vaccinated
Scott Morrison says one in four eligible Australians are now fully vaccinated.
The Prime Minister is addressing the media after national cabinet met this afternoon.
“It was 11.6 per cent just one month ago,” he said.
“You are doing a great job Australia, keep going for the way we need to get where we need to go.”
Mr Morrison said Australia was “just shy” of 15 million total Covid-19 jabs administered nationwide.
Tasmania is leading the states, with over 30 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated.
Mr Morrison said no decisions have been made yet on exemptions for vaccinated Australians, which will begin once the nation reaches a threshold of 70 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated.
Mr Morrison said more than $2.25bn in Covid-19 disaster payments had been provided to Australians who have lost work due to lockdown restrictions.
In NSW, $1.9bn has been paid to 762,869 people.
READ MORE:Andrews sets vaccine goal
Joseph Lam3.16pm:Infected student attended NSW vaccination drive
A “number of students” who received their Covid-19 jab during the NSW government’s mass student vaccination drive at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday are now in isolation after a student tested positive for the virus.
Despite the positive case, a Western Sydney Local Health District spokesperson said contact tracing had found no close contacts linked to that student.
“Through our surveillance testing, one asymptomatic student vaccinated on August 10 subsequently tested positive for COVID-19,” they said.
“Thanks to our COVID safety plan, our public health unit has detected no close contacts. A number of students who were present at the time have been contacted and advised to get tested as a precautionary measure only.”
The spokesperson did not say how many students are now in isolation; however more than 11,000 students were vaccinated during the event.
“A comprehensive COVID safety plan was developed as part of our planning of the centre, which includes a surveillance COVID testing program and very strict infection control procedures,” they said.
“There is no impact on our staff or the running of the vaccination centre.”
Andrew McMillan3.04pm:Isolation Room: Fanny Lumsden sings from her caravan
For country singer-songwriter Fanny Lumsden, this year is on track to be the most dramatic, unpredictable and successful of her career, despite all the odds.
It began with sweeping the Golden Guitars in January by winning five awards – including album of the year for her third release Fallow – in the midst of playing dozens of sold-out theatre shows across five states.
In May, Lumsden landed the plum gig of supporting Paul Kelly on an extensive national regional tour. “We were meant to have 58 shows from the end of May to the end of October – and then I’m going to have a baby,” she told The Weekend Australian.
Read the full story and watch the video here.
Ellie Dudley2.22pm:Second inmate tests positive at NSW prison
A second inmate at a prison in the NSW Central West has tested positive for Covid-19, sending the entire facility into an immediate lockdown.
The 29-year-old man was accepted at the Bathurst Correctional Centre on Wednesday and was subject to a Covid-19 test upon arrival as part of the facility’s virus protocol.
He tested positive on Friday morning.
“The safety of all staff and inmates is our number one priority and remains at the forefront of our decision making while Covid-19 continues to pose a risk,” a spokeswoman from Corrective Services NSW said.
“Inmates are tested for Covid-19 when they arrive in custody as a precaution. It was this sentinel test that determined he was positive.”
This is the second Covid-19 case to have been detected at the prison, after a man returned a positive reading for the virus earlier this week.
The first case arrived at the centre last Saturday, and was released on Monday after being granted bail.
The Corrective Services NSW Covid Command Post has been working with staff to identify anyone who has had contact with the latest inmate to test positive. It is understood he had been staying in a single cell since arriving at the centre.
All staff will be tested immediately for Covid-19.
Callum Jones2.00pm:Top employers warn: No jab, no work
Some of America’s largest employers are telling staff to have both Covid-19 jabs before they return to the office as infections rise.
McDonald’s, the fast food chain, and NBCUniversal, the television and film business, are among them. Companies are also delaying plans to get their staff back into the office. NBC has delayed its planned full office return until late October at the earliest.
Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange will be required to be inoculated against Covid-19. It closed for two months in the spring of last year and only fully reopened in May this year.
Ellie Dudley1.35pm:National cabinet meets amid NSW case spike
National cabinet is set to meet on Friday afternoon to discuss the ongoing Covid-19 crises spread across Australia.
With almost 12 million Australians in lockdown, the premiers and chief ministers across the country are expected to discuss the country’s roadmap out of the pandemic and the intricacies of the vaccination roll out.
It has also been reported that state leaders will raise the contentious topic of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian promising “greater freedoms” for her state at a 50 per cent vaccination rate, despite the Doherty Report, which governs national cabinet decisions, stipulating a 70 per cent threshold.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will address the media shortly after the meeting ends.
Rachel Baxendale1.30pm:Wastewater alert in four Victoria areas
Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton says he’s concerned about four unexpected detections of coronavirus in wastewater, including in Lakes Entrance, in Gippsland in the far east of the state.
There have also been repeated detections in the Camberwell area in Melbourne’s east, which takes in Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills, most recently between August 8-11, but also dating back to July 25-29 and August 2-4.
Professor Sutton also noted detections in the Tarneit, Truganina and Williams Landing areas in Melbourne’s outer west, which correspond with known exposure sites but not necessarily with the residences of known cases.
“As we always say, any symptoms please get tested, but in particular in these catchments,” Professor Sutton said.
“Bear in mind there could well be a case in those catchments. It could be you. You need to get tested if you have any symptoms at all.”
WSJ1.10pm:WHO scientist’s stunning reversal on lab theory
The remarks signal the biggest departure by a member of the WHO team from their view at a February news conference that a lab incident was too unlikely to merit further studies. Read more here
Paul Garvey12.40pm:WA tightens border to NSW visitors
Western Australia will only allow vaccinated people from NSW to enter the state as it further tightened its border controls.
WA is already only allowing travellers who meet a limited set of criteria to enter WA from NSW, and premier Mark McGowan on Friday said the rules would be restricted further from next week.
In addition to being granted an exemption, anyone hoping to enter WA from NSW will now also be required to show that they have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. They will also be tested upon arrival and will have to spend 14 days in state-run quarantine.
It makes WA the first state to make vaccines a requirement for crossing state borders.
Mr McGowan said the new rules would allow West Australians stuck in NSW to find a way back into their home state.
“It’s tough but it’s fair,” he said. “If you are a West Australian in NSW and you’re despairing about coming home, it gives you a pathway to come back provided you are vaccinated.”
The new rules will be introduced as part of NSW being classified as an “extreme” risk state under WA’s Covid-19 risk assessment regime.
Mr McGowan said WA’s response had to evolve with the pandemic.
“What is happening in NSW continues to be a growing concern for their own citizens and the entire country, given it is continually seeding the virus into other states,” he said.
“Given what is happening in NSW, there’s no sign of the situation improving in the coming weeks.”
Adeshola Ore12.35pm:ACT sets zero target for reopening
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the territory would aim to return to zero infectious cases in the community before it lifted its lockdown.
“We want all identified cases to have been in quarantine for their entire infectious period,” he said.
Mr Barr said health authorities were “still working through the details” of how the man in his 20s first contracted the virus in the ACT.
Rachel Baxendale12.30pm:Sutton: Mystery cases ‘a concern’
Victoria has now had 10 clusters since August 4 with no identified source of acquisition, eight of which have been identified in the past three days. These include:
- An Al-Taqwa College teacher in her 20s and her optometrist partner, who live in Hobson’s Bay. 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 Melton family of two parents and a child;
- 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 Brunswick West man who had visited sites in Flemington and Parkville;
- Two separate Glenroy households whose cases are yet to be linked to each other;
- A delivery truck driver who lives in Wyndham Vale in Melbourne’s outer southwest, and does not drive interstate;
- A person who lives in Roxburgh Park and works in Bundoora;
- 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;
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the mystery cases were “a particular concern”.
“These are individuals who didn’t know that they were infectious at the time,” Professor Sutton said.
“They’ve developed symptoms, gotten tested and done the right thing in isolating. Their close contacts are being followed up. They’ve been out in the community within the restrictions imposed in the lockdown,
but still shopping for food, going out for essential reasons.
“Those exposure sites are quite numerous, because that individual wasn’t already identified as a primary close contact. That’s the challenge of mystery cases. That’s why we need to get on top of them as much as possible.”
Rachel Baxendale12.20pm:A breakdown of Victoria’s cases
Two people are in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus on Friday, one of whom is in intensive care.
Of Victoria’s 15 new cases on Friday:
- Four are linked to Al-Taqwa College, including one student and three household contacts in different households;
- Two are household contacts from two different households linked to the Newport Football Club;
- One is a household contact of a worker at the Caroline Springs CS Square shopping centre;
- One is a household contact of Wednesday’s City of Melbourne father & son mystery cluster;
- One is a household contact of Thursday’s mystery case from West Brunswick;
- Two cases in a student and a household contact at Glenroy West Primary School are linked to one of two separate Glenroy mystery clusters named on Thursday;
- One case is in a student of another primary school who is a household contact of Thursday’s other Glenroy mystery cluster. Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the school was yet to be contacted and would be named later on Friday;
- One new mystery case is a delivery truck driver who lives in Wyndham Vale in Melbourne’s outer southwest, but does not drive interstate;
- One new mystery case lives in Roxburgh Park in Melbourne’s outer north, and works in Bundoora;
- One new mystery case lives in bayside Middle Park in Melbourne’s inner south;
Adeshola Ore12.10pm:ACT records two new cases, total at six
ACT has reported two new cases of Covid-19, taking the total number of infections in the outbreak to six.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said only people identified as close contacts and those with symptoms should come forward for testing.
ACT will also expand its testing capacity after territorians flocked to testing centres on Thursday.
Four of the cases are linked to a man in his 20s who tested positive to the virus and one case - in a school student - remains under investigation.
The 14-year-old school student who attends Gold Creek School, in the north of the ACT, was infectious at the site for three days, from Monday to Wednesday.
Ellie Dudley11.55am:Berejiklian: No plans to vaccinate children
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the state is not yet considering vaccinating children in order to get them back to school.
A timeline hasn’t been revealed by the NSW government in regards to when students would be permitted to return to school.
Asked whether the health authorities had a plan to vaccinate children to have them recommence face-to-face learning sooner, Ms Berejiklian said they are currently focusing on vaccinating adults.
“We know that the experts advise that children are more likely to get the disease from adults,” she said.
“There is no doubt we need to tread very carefully given what we have seen around the world.
“It is very concerning when you look at some parts of the world where there is very low vaccination rates, you are seeing high numbers of cases amongst children.
“It is important for us also to protect children but if we reduce the incidence of the virus throughout the community it prevents children from getting symptoms at the coming.”
“There is no doubt that back-to-school will be an enormous challenge for us in a safe way that is why the health experts and education are working closely together to work out what is a safe way and what is a safe environment to get children back to school.”
Ellie Dudley11.50am:NSW case spike ‘a big challenge’
Health Minister Brad Hazzard says health networks in western NSW will face a “big challenge” in managing a spike in Covid-19 cases.
A total of 25 new infections were detected in the Dubbo region overnight, as concerns rise over the ability for hospitals and Aboriginal medical service to manage the cases.
“Obviously the medical facilities are much smaller than you would expect to find in a major city like Sydney. There is an Aboriginal medical service there which does excellent work, a very large building with a reasonable number of staff,” Mr Hazzard said.
“They manage in normal times but trying to manage if there is a major outbreak with a one in 100 year virus is going to be a challenge for them.”
Mr Hazzard has written to federal health minister Greg Hunt to request Commonwealth support for the Aboriginal health services in the region.
“I pointed out to him, on behalf of the state government, that we would need them to step in and do work that they said they would be doing much earlier and that is to try and vaccinate as many people as was full and provide support,” he said.
Ellie Dudley11.45am:Premier: People knowingly doing wrong
Premier Gladys Berejiklian says that one of the “challenges” NSW is facing is people
“using the public health orders as an excuse to do the wrong thing.”
The state government has recently come under fire for loopholes in the public health orders that permit residents to travel to inspect property or move between multiple residences.
Ms Berejiklian said it was “obvious” that a major problem for the future of the state’s infections are people flexing the rules.
“People are saying, oh, I didn’t know this was this or that was that” she said. “Police are doing an incredible job in terms of compliance but let’s not pretend that people are doing the right thing.”
“People are knowingly doing the wrong thing, and pretending it is because they did not understand. We have been very clear about what the rules are.”
She added that people know the “basic rules” and the “vast majority” are doing the “right thing.”
Rachel Baxendale11.40am:Victoria opens up AstraZeneca to under-40s
The Andrews government will make AstraZeneca available to under-40s at all 50 of its state-run vaccine hubs from Monday, in a bid to administer a million vaccine doses over the next five weeks.
The government will also open three new drive-through vaccine clinics in Wyndham in Melbourne’s outer southwest, Hume/Whittlesea in the outer north, and Casey/Cardinia in the outer southeast.
The news comes after the government rolled out AstraZeneca at six metropolitan and three regional hubs last Monday, and opened Australia’s first drive through vaccination clinic at a disused Bunnings in Melton in Melbourne’s outer northwest.
Health professionals will be available at all sites to discuss the very small risk of AstraZeneca side-effects with under-40s.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said 10,000 under-40s had availed themselves of AstraZeneca at the nine hubs already offering it since Monday.
“This is all about making sure that we get jabs in arms and that we, all of us, play our part in getting to the other side of this,” Mr Andrews said.
On Thursday, a record 27,427 vaccinations were administered at state-run clinics in Victoria, contributing to a national record day of 262,314 doses.
Mr Andrews said the goal of a million doses over the next five weeks, combined with the efforts of GPs and pharmacists, would help Victoria reach a 60 per cent vaccination rate by the end of September, and get closer to the goal of reaching 70 and 80 per cent vaccination rates.
“The quicker we get to 70 per cent will mean the quicker we get to 80 per cent, and then we’re in a different world, one where hopefully lockdowns are not part of everyday living, where we still have the virus to deal with, particularly amongst those who do not have the jab, but it’s a very different world ... If you want to participate fully in hopefully a much, much better 2022, then being vaccinated is an important part of that.
“As the chief health officer says, the best vaccine is the one that’s available today. Consult with your GP or make an appointment and talk to the experienced health professionals, whether it be a pharmacist, or a very senior nurse or doctor at one of our state clinics.”
Ellie Dudley11.35am:NSW avoids state-wide lockdown
Health Minister Brad Hazzard has rejected the suggestion NSW would go into a statewide lockdown today.
Covid-19 cases are continuing to spread across regional NSW, raising questions of whether the entire state should be put under stay-at-home orders.
But Mr Hazzard said “that has not been proposed to me by health officials at any point.”
“We have tried to balance all along through this by keeping our economy open by trying to invest in mental health,” he said.
“I’m sure each of you will know people who are really struggling with mental health issues and let’s face it is a pretty awful time.”
Ellie Dudley11.30am:Younger residents urged to be vaccinated
NSW Health’s Marianne Gale has urged young Sydneysiders to be vaccinated, due to the “large number of younger adults” targeted by the Delta variant.
There are currently 391 cases admitted to hospital. 63 cases are in intensive care, and 30 require ventilation.
Of the 63 in ICU, four are in their 20s, six are in their 30s, five in their 40s, and 15 are in their 50s.
“I want to emphasise, again, the importance, particularly for young people in our community, with this Delta variant we are seeing a large number of younger adults being affected by Covid-19,” she said.
Dr Gale said over the last 14 days the greatest number of cases have come from people in the 20-29 age group.
“I want to encourage young adults in our community to please take the stay at home orders in the greater Sydney area seriously, as seriously as you possibly can,” she said.
Ellie Dudley11.22am:Covid reaches NSW indigenous communities
Some of the new cases detected in the Dubbo region in outer west NSW have been in indigenous communities, NSW Health’s Marianne Gale says.
The region reported at least 25 new cases of Covid-19 overnight, raising concerns for the health of unvaccinated Indigenous people.
“Certainly some of the cases are Aboriginal people,” Dr Gales said.
“We are conscious that... in that part of the state many of our Aboriginal communities often come from large families and do move around as part of cultural practice.
“Hence our advice for that area please follow the health advice, stay home and stay within
your household.
“Only leave if you have a reasonable excuse.”
Ellie Dudley 11.20am: Red zone authorised prioritised for jabs
Authorised workers in government areas of concern will be prioritised for vaccination from Monday, says Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Workplaces and households remain a concern for health authorities as the greatest source of infection.
In order to stop the spread, 100,000 authorised workers between 16 and 39 years of age from LGAs of concern will be sent an invitation to get their vaccinations.
“We know there are categories of workers who just can’t stay home because of the work they do, whether it is in healthcare or getting food on our table, they must work,” she said.
“Knowing that they are going to get vaccinated gives us a greater degree of confidence in trying to reduce the spread.”
Rachel Baxendale 11.15am:Andrews’ ‘room of doom’ returns
Daniel Andrews’ press conference has been moved inside following concerns over security after his media briefing outside 1 Treasury Place was disrupted by a heckler on Wednesday.
The Premier’s minders had for months resisted holding press conferences in Treasury Theatre, which colloquially became known as the “purple room of doom” at the height of Victoria’s second wave in 2020, when Mr Andrews held 120 consecutive press conferences in front of a purple banner with the slogan “staying apart keeps us together”.
On Friday, the purple wall is back, this time with a new “voices for vaccine” slogan.
They could've picked literally any other colour in the rainbow but they went for pandemic purple https://t.co/eUKe2RIieE
— Benita Kolovos (@benitakolovos) August 13, 2021
Ellie Dudley 11.10am: NSW will reach 70pc vaccination ‘by Oct end’
NSW will reach a 70 per cent vaccination rate by the end of October, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says.
According to the Doherty Report which governs timelines from national cabinet, once 70 per cent of a state’s population is fully vaccinated, restrictions can begin to ease.
At 80 per cent, communities start to live with Covid-19 in a “real and meaningful way”, Ms Berejiklian says.
“On current projections, conservatively, New South Wales will get to 70 per cent double doses by the end of October and by mid November, we hope to get 80 per cent double doses,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian said the state would reach 4.8 million doses by the end of the day, and are on track to hit the 6 million dose target by the end of the month.
By the end of the day, 15,000 HSC students from southwest and western Sydney will have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Ms Berejiklian said.
“I want to thank them all for coming forward and getting the jab,” she said. “It means they consider sit safely for the examinations later in the year.”
Ellie Dudley 11.08am:Dubbo cases spike with 25 recorded
Cases in Dubbo have spiked overnight, raising concerns over the capacity of medical services in the outer west NSW region, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says.
A total of 25 new cases were detected in the region overnight, which Ms Berejiklian said was a “big challenge.”
NSW recorded 390 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/0knksHe0Uc
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 13, 2021
“The New South Wales government has been liaising with our federal colleagues as well to make sure that we get support to those communities in western New South Wales,” she said.
Five cases were reported in the Hunter New England region, which Ms Berejiklian said was a “pleasing” improvement for the area.
There were no new cases detected in Tamworth, Armidale or the Northern Rivers region.
Ellie Dudley 11.00am: NSW peaks again at 390 cases
NSW has recorded 390 new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 as infections across the state continue to spread.
At least 60 of the cases were active in the community for the entirety of their infectious period, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“I anticipate, given the large number of cases we have had in the last few days, but unfortunately this trend will continue for at least the next few days,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Two people died overnight after contracting Covid-19.
The first was a woman in her 40s from southwest Sydney who died at home and was not vaccinated.
The second was a man in his 90s from the Hunter New England area. He was vaccinated, but was being treated under palliative care.
Around 128,000 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Lydia Lynch10.40am:Palaszczuk to demand NSW containment plan
Annastacia Palaszczuk wants NSW to explain how they plan to contain exploding daily Covid cases when national cabinet meets today.
The Queensland Premier stopped short of calling on Gladys Berejiklian to plunge all of NSW into lockdown, but said she was “looking forward to an update”.
It’s not just in Sydney now, it’s encroaching into other parts of the state. It’s up near the border where we are, it’s a real concern,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“New South Wales needs to have a clear plan for containment - this is a concern for the rest of the nation.
“The last thing we want is for the virus to spread north and south and across the nation.”
Eli Greenblat10.30am:Baby bunting eyes post-lockdowns boom
It’s already expanding after a rise in profit, but the baby goods retailer says Medicare scan figures now point to a new surge in births. Read more here
Lydia Lynch10.15am: MPs who fled to Qld to iso for 14 days
Politicians who fled Canberra for Queensland on Thursday will still be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said anyone who has been in the ACT since August 9 needed to quarantine at home.
Those people will also have to return three negative Covid swabs before being allowed back into the community.
Federal politicians including shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers and Senator Murray Watt, boarded one of the last flights out of Canberra to the Gold Coast on Thursday afternoon.
The ACT on Thursday announced a seven-day lockdown after a new local case emerged who has spent “extensive” time in the community.
Anyone who arrives in Queensland after 1am on Saturday will have to quarantine at a hotel for 14 days.
Ellie Dudley10.10am: Elective surgery postponed in Dubbo
Elective surgery will be temporarily postponed at Dubbo Base Hospital after new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the area.
All emergency surgery and urgent elective surgery will continue unaffected, a statement from NSW Health said.
“This response is a necessary step to ensure we keep staff, patients and members of the public safe and ensure there is bed availability should the need arise,” the statement read.
“The NSW government is providing an additional $30 million to support private hospitals to undertake additional elective surgery on behalf of the NSW Health system to ensure that patients who have their non-urgent elective surgery postponed will be scheduled for surgery as soon as possible.”
Dubbo, in central west NSW, was plunged into a seven day lockdown on Wednesday, after two new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the community.
No new cases have been found since, but sites added to the NSW Health’s list of potential exposure venues on Friday morning indicated there may have been cases active in the community.
Lydia Lynch 10.05am:Qld records 7 new local cases
Queensland has recorded seven local cases, with none infectious in the community.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said one of the cases was detected on day 12 of quarantine, underlying the need for people to comply with isolation rules.
Indooroopilly State High School, the school at the centre of Brisbane’s latest outbreak, reopened on Friday.
There have now been 137 cases linked to the cluster which began to spread on July 30.
Friday 13 August – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 13, 2021
7 new locally acquired cases - all linked to the Indooroopilly cluster and detected in home quarantine.
1 overseas acquired case - detected in hotel quarantine.#covid19pic.twitter.com/O0jwb8oNpY
Rachel Baxendale 10.00am: South Melbourne market among new Vic alerts
The South Melbourne Market is among almost 60 new Victorian coronavirus exposure sites which have been added in the past 24 hours, bringing the health department’s list to more than 400.
The market as a whole has been listed as a Tier 2 site during a busy period between 1.30 and 2.20pm last Saturday August 7, while individual stores have been listed as Tier 1, with all attendees required to isolate for a fortnight.
These include Rita’s Coffee & Nuts, The Fish Shoppe, Small Town Pie Co, Emerald Hill Nursery, Vangelis Deli, Fruit on Coventry and Hagen’s Organics.
A swathe of other sites have also been listed in the past 24 hours in Melbourne’s inner south and southeast in suburbs including Albert Park, South Melbourne, Middle Park, Elwood, St Kilda and Port Melbourne.
Other Melbourne suburbs with new exposure sites include Cobblebank, Melton, Melton West, Aintree, Taylors Hill, Westmeadows, and Sunshine in Melbourne’s outer northwest and west, Glenroy, Moonee Ponds and Brunswick in the inner north and northwest, Wyndham Vale and Werribee in the outer southwest, Clayton and Ringwood in the southeast and outer east, and the CBD, Parkville and West Melbourne.
Concerningly, Royal Children’s Hospital consulting rooms for paediatric and neonatal specialist Dr Joseph Crameri have been added to a long list of other Tier 2 exposure sites earlier listed at the hospital.
A pathology clinic in Aintree in Melbourne’s outer northwest has also been listed as a Tier 1 site.
Public transport routes with exposure sites include the Williamstown/Werribee/Sunbury, Mernda, Pakenham and Craigieburn train lines, as well as trams in the CBD and between the city and the Royal Children’s Hospital.
A full list of exposure sites is available on the health department website.
READ MORE:What we’re not told about new cases
Adeshola Ore9.35am:Barr ‘embarrassed’ ACT residents fleeing to NSW
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says he’s embarrassed that some Canberrans fled the territory for the NSW south coast to avoid the jurisdiction’s snap seven-day lockdown.
The ACT reported four new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, plunging the territory into a seven day lockdown. It was the first time the territory had reported cases of community transmission in over one year.
Mr Barr said he anticipated that regional NSW residents would be outraged at an influx of territorians.
“I’m embarrassed by that behaviour, frankly. I know the regional area of New South Wales will be horrified at that thought,” he told the ABC.
“I don’t want this to become an ACT/New South Wales thing. There are many Canberrans who are very upset that the virus got here in the first place and they presume it’s come from Sydney.”
ACT health authorities are still investigating how a Canberra man in his 20s first contracted the virus. Three of his close contacts have also tested positive for Covid-19.
READ MORE: Politicians scramble to flee Canberra
Ellie Dudley9.25am:Leaders’ updates: Qld 10am, NSW 11am, ACT noon| WATCH
State and territory leaders will front the media on Friday to provide updates on their respective Covid-19 outbreaks.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will hold a press conference at 10am alongside Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and the state’s chief health officer, Jeannette Young.
Queensland recorded ten new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, all of which had been linked to existing cases in Brisbane’s inner west, and had been in quarantine for the entirety of their infectious period.
Ms Palaszczuk flagged on Thursday she may consider tougher restrictions for Queensland’s southern suburbs, after a new case was detected in the Northern Rivers area of NSW.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will provide an update at 11am, after the state recorded 345 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Monday and two deaths.
Residents of the Burwood, Bayside and Strathfield local government areas in inner western Sydney became subject to tougher restrictions after a spike in Covid-19 cases was discovered in the area.
People in the above LGAs must only obtain food or other goods and services, and exercise, within 5km of their home.
They cannot travel to other areas for work unless an authorised worker.
Two men in their 90s in NSW were reported to have died on Thursday, one associated with an outbreak of the virus at Liverpool hospital and the other contracted the virus at an aged care home in Summer Hill.
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr will address the media at 12pm, after four new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the territory and a seven day lockdown was imposed on all residents.
The source of the initial case, who then passed it on to three close contacts, is still under investigation.
The entire territory must stay home for the next seven days, only permitted to leave for essential reasons including essential employment, accessing health care, getting vaccinated or tested for the virus and shopping for groceries.
One hour of exercise will be permitted per day.
Victoria recorded 15 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, seven of which were in the community during their infectious period.
The source of four cases is still under investigation.
Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to front the media this morning, but the time of the press conference has not yet been released.
READ MORE: Scott vents at Australia’s handling of Covid
Ellie Dudley 9.10am:Mystery remains over first ACT case
ACT authorities still do not know how a 20-year-old man contracted Covid-19, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says.
The man was the first case to appear in the territory in over a year, and has since spread the virus to three of his close contacts.
Mr Barr said authorities were trying to “get to the bottom” of how the man became infected, but genomic testing was underway and results would be received later today.
“We have got an immediate priority to focus on the close contacts and the potential community transmission within the ACT,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
“There will be a back story here that we will find out but, at this moment, the number one priority for us, aside from getting everyone into lock down and reducing the transmission potential from people not moving about, is to focus on those close contacts and people who have been to the exposure sites.”
Mr Barr said there were “potentially thousands and thousands” of people who were contacts of the new cases.
“Some of the places that the original case had been to included night clubs and popular retail outlets, bars, cafes. He had an active social life,” he said.
“This is the immediate challenge for us.”
READ MORE: Vaccine mistake revealed
Rachel Baxendale9.05am:Vic now has 359 locally acquired cases
Friday’s 15 cases follow 21 locally acquired and two interstate acquired cases on Thursday, 20 on each of Wednesday and Tuesday, 11 on each of Monday and Sunday, an outbreak peak of 29 on Saturday, and six each on the preceding Friday and Thursday, following short-lived celebrations of zero on the Wednesday.
There have now been 359 community acquired cases since two incursions from NSW sparked Victoria’s fifth lockdown last month, of which 136 cases are linked to outbreaks which have emerged since August 4, ahead of the state’s sixth lockdown being announced the following day.
No source of acquisition has yet been confirmed for either of the Victorian community outbreaks which prompted the sixth lockdown, nor for two more mystery clusters which emerged on Wednesday, or a further three which emerged on Thursday, with the source of four of Friday’s new cases also under investigation.
The first cases to appear from each outbreak last week were a teacher in her 20s from Hobsons Bay who works at Al-Taqwa College, and a Maribyrnong man who works at a warehouse in Derrimut - all in Melbourne’s west.
Wednesday’s new mystery cases relate to two parents and a child who live in the City of Melton in Melbourne’s outer northwest, and a father who works at the Melbourne Children’s Eye Clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and his Grade One son who attends St Michael’s Primary School in North Melbourne.
Thursday’s mysteries include a Brunswick West man whose case is not linked to any others, and three people spread across two households in Glenroy, in Melbourne’s north, with no interactions so far identified between the two households.
Of 136 cases linked to Victorian outbreaks which have emerged since the 4th of August, 43, or 32 per cent, have been in quarantine for the duration of their infectious period, including 14 in Wednesday’s numbers, 15 in Thursday’s and eight in Friday’s.
There are currently 148 active cases, including up to two active cases acquired overseas.
As of Thursday, there were two people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus, neither of whom were in intensive care.
The latest cases come after 40,737 tests were processed on Thursday, compared with 45,408 on Wednesday, 41,571 on Tuesday, 34,892 on Monday, 38,987 on Sunday, 38,179 on Saturday, 43,618 on Friday, and last 29,631 on Thursday.
Victoria’s testing record is 59,355 tests on July 20.
Rachel Baxendale 8.45am: Victoria records 15 new local cases
Victoria has recorded 15 new locally acquired cases, with seven infectious in the community.
Reported yesterday: 15 new local cases and 0 new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 12, 2021
- 27,427 vaccine doses were administered
- 40,737 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/r5bmxogqNl
While 11 have been linked to previous outbreaks, the source for acquisition for the remaining four is under investigation.
Eight of the 15 were in quarantine throughout their infectious period.
Reported yesterday: 15 new local cases and 0 new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 12, 2021
- 27,427 vaccine doses were administered
- 40,737 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/r5bmxogqNl
Ellie Dudley 8.30am:Concerns rise over Dubbo, Walgett new exposure sites
A number of exposure sites have been identified in Dubbo and Walgett, as NSW contact tracers scramble to get on top of the growing outbreak in the state’s outer west.
The regions of Dubbo and Walgett were plunged into a seven day lockdown on Wednesday, after cases of Covid-19 were detected in the community, sparking concerns of the virus reaching unvaccinated Indigenous communities.
Anyone who visited the following venues at the times listed must be tested immediately and isolate until further information is provided by NSW Health.
Dubbo: McDonald’s West Dubbo, 101 Whylandra St, Friday August 6, 3.35pm to 3.55pm
Dubbo: Bunnings Dubbo, Cnr Mitchell Hwy and Sheraton Rd, Monday August 9, 8.12am to 8.20am
Dubbo: Dan Murphy’s, Cnr Windsor Pde & Birch Ave, Monday August 9, 2pm to 2.20pm
Dubbo: Myall St Mini Mart, 272 Myall St, Monday August 9, 3.35pm to 3.45pm
Dubbo: Fitness Focus Dubbo, 7 Jannali Rd, Monday August 9, 3.53pm to 5.05pm
Dubbo: Uniting Service Station, 195 Cobra St, Monday August 9, 4.25pm to 4.28pm
Walgett: Walgett Sporting Club, 10 Montkeila Street, Tuesday August 10, 7.39pm to 7.50pm
The virus has also spread through to the inner west, as venues in Marrickville appear on the list alongside new exposure sites in Byron Bay.
Anyone who visited the following venues at the times listed must be tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.
Harris Park: Green Farm Meat, 1/55 Marion St, Monday August 2, 7am to 9pm, Tuesday August 3, 7am to 9pm
Marrickville: Thai Hung Hong Phuoc, 305 Illawarra Rd, Friday August 6, 11am to 11.50am
Marrickville: JA Butchery, 299 Illawarra Rd, Friday August 6, 11.50am to 12pm
St Marys: Liquid Self Serve Laundromat, 22 Queen St, Saturday August 7, 3.15pm to 5.30pm
Byron Bay: Japonaise Kitchen, 2/25-27 Lawson St, Saturday August 7, 4.30pm to 5pm
Byron Bay: Izakaya Gallery Kura, 8/4 Bay Lane, Friday August 6, 5.30pm to 6pm
The following bus routes are also of concern.
Anyone who travelled on the buses below must be tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.
Bus B1-2: From Wynyard Station, Carrington St, Stand B To Narrabeen B-Line, Pittwater Rd, Monday August 2, 6.06am to 06.48am
Bus B1-2: From Narrabeen B-Line, Pittwater Rd To Wynyard Station, York St, Stand M, Monday August 2 3.11pm to 3.57pm
READ MORE:Abbott calls for Covid royal commission
Ellie Dudley 8.15am: Sydney transport delays with almost 600 workers in iso
Almost 600 public transport workers are in isolation in NSW, with the state government warning Sydneysiders of delays to the network.
The transport department confirmed 560 transport workers are isolating as close or casual contacts, most of which were bus drivers who have not been prioritised for their Covid-19 vaccination.
NSW Opposition Transport Spokeswoman Jo Haylen called on the state government to offer protection for transport workers.
“(Transport Minister) Andrew Constance needs to tell the public if he has a plan to protect our transport workers from the spread of the delta variant and how he will guarantee vital public transport services during this outbreak,” she said.
“There are nurses, health workers and other essential workers who rely on bus services to get to our hospitals and our testing clinics every day so they can protect the public.”
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – NEW VENUES AND TRANSPORT ROUTES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 12, 2021
NSW Health has been notified of new venues of concern across NSW, as well as bus routes in Sydney, which are associated with confirmed cases of COVID 19. pic.twitter.com/aAmYoRiEqg
READ MORE:Border crossers may face tougher controls
Ellie Dudley8.05am: Son of Byron Bay lockdown man also charged
The 19 year old son of the Sydney man who allegedly sparked Byron’s seven day lockdown has been charged.
Zoran Radovanovic, 52, who is fighting the virus in a Lismore hospital, was charged earlier this week after travelling from Sydney to Byron Bay in breach of public health orders.
NSW police have now charged his son, Kristian, who allegedly travelled alongside his father.
Kristian Radovanovic was charged for defying public health orders, including not wearing a face mask while on public transport.
He will appear in Byron Bay court on September 27.
READ MORE:‘Time to get tough on rule breakers’
Ellie Dudley 7.45am:‘Welome to federation’: Dutton plays down state divisions
Defence Minister Peter Dutton has refused to admit giving state leaders powers to govern their own regions throughout the pandemic, leading to bitter feuds, is “not working”.
The latest outbreaks across the country have highlighted tensions between premiers and chief ministers.
Divisions between states have been seen most recently after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her state would experience greater Covid-19 freedoms at 50 per cent vaccination rate, ignoring the timeline from the national cabinet that declared a 70 per cent rate the safe threshold to begin opening up.
But Mr Dutton said the state leaders have a right to create rules for their own regions, simply stating: “Welcome to federation.”
“The federation is set up such that the state premiers and chief ministers have powers under the Constitution,” he told Channel 9’s Today.
“We may not like that but that is the law of our country and the Prime Minister has tried every day and night since this virus started to bring the premiers and the chief ministers together in a united fashion.”
Mr Dutton accused Labor leader Anthony Albanese of “playing politics” in “talking down” the vaccination roll out and “what our country has achieved.”
“We want to make sure that we get our economy back on track but we don’t want to do it in a way where we end up with deaths a week like we have seen overseas,” he said.
“It means that we are going to have some tough months ahead but once we open up, once we get to that 70 per cent, then it will be a remarkable situation compared to where we are now.”
READ MORE: Vaccine powers for vaccine employers
Ellie Dudley 7.40am: Qudos Bank Arena an exposure site
The NSW mass vaccination hub for Year 12 students has been declared an exposure site after a case of Covid-19 was detected.
The positive case was at the Qudos Bank Arena in western Sydney on August 10 between 2.40pm and 4.20pm.
Anyone who was at the site at the same time must immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
They must also get a second test on August 15.
Year 12 students from southwest and western Sydney have been encouraged this week to get the Pfizer vaccine at the sporting stadium.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday almost 10,000 doses of the vaccine had been administered at the hub to HSC students in a bid to have them fully protected before they sit their final exams in October.
The arena will be converted to a vaccination hub for the general public from next week.
READ MORE:Kiwis opt for caution
Ellie Dudley7.20am: South Melbourne focus of new Vic alerts
New exposure sites have been released in association with Victoria’s latest Covid-19 outbreak, the bulk of which have been detected in South Melbourne.
The state recorded 21 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, 15 of which were in quarantine throughout their infectious period.
Anyone who had visited the following Tier 1 exposure sites at the time listed has been classified as a close contact, and must be tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.
ðŸ“Glenroy: Coles – Glenroy, Corner Glenroy Road & Morgan Court on:
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 12, 2021
â—¾ï¸8 August, 5:05pm - 5:50pm (Tier 2)
ðŸ“Glenroy: Coles Express Petrol Station Glenroy, 213 Glenroy Rd (Corner Pascoe Vale Rd) on:
â—¾ï¸9 August, 5:30am - 6:10am (Tier 2)
Albert Park: Moonfish Albert Park, 101 Bridport Street, Albert Park VIC 3206, August 9, 11.50am - 12.15pm
Middle Park: Gum Tree Good Food- Middle Park, 36 Armstrong Street, Middle Park VIC 3206, August 9 12.05pm - 12.42pm
South Melbourne: Rita’s Coffee & Nuts - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: The Fish Shoppe - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: Small Town Pie Co - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: Emerald Hill Nursery - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: Vangelis Deli - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: Fruits on Coventry - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
South Melbourne: Haqen’s Organics - South Melbourne Market, 322- 326 Conventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, August 7 1.30pm - 2.20pm
Melton: Jolly Miller Cafe, 265 High Street, Melton VIC 3083, August 1, 1.15pm - 2.55pm Melbourne: Bourke Place - Level 15, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, August 9 6.20am - 2.20pm
Port Melbourne: United West Gate North (Inbound), 1 West Gate Freeway, Port Melbourne VIC 3207, August 11 5.50pm - 6.40pm
The health department have already released a number of new venues which have been deemed Tier 2 exposure sites.
The full list is available on the health department’s website.
Ellie Dudley7.00am:12 millions Aussies now in lockdown
Almost 12 million Australians will wake up in lockdown on Friday, as the highly infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc across the country.
The ACT was the latest region to be plunged into a seven day lockdown on Thursday after one new case of Covid-19 was detected in the community.
Shortly thereafter, three of the case’s close contacts tested positive, sending hundreds of students from Australian National University into lockdown and contributing to ACT Health’s new list of potential exposure sites.
The entire territory must stay home for the next seven days, only permitted to leave for essential reasons including essential employment, accessing health care, getting vaccinated or tested for the virus and shopping for groceries.
One hour of exercise will be permitted per day.
NSW recorded 345 new locally acquired cases of the virus on Sunday, forcing residents in the Burwood, Bayside and Strathfield local government areas in inner western Sydney to be subject to tougher restrictions.
People in these areas must only obtain food or other goods and services, and exercise, within 5km of their home.
They cannot travel to other areas for work unless an authorised worker.
The areas join the LGAs of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta and 12 suburbs in the Penrith LGA as being “areas of concern”.
Two men in their 90s in NSW were reported to have died on Thursday, one associated with an outbreak of the virus at Liverpool hospital and the other from an aged care home in Summer Hill.
Victoria recorded 23 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday - 21 locally acquired and two from interstate.
Of the locally-acquired cases, 17 have been linked to known outbreaks and four are under investigation, while 15 were in quarantine throughout their infectious period.
The two interstate cases were revealed to be in travellers from NSW who illegally boarded a plane to Melbourne.
The two women were fined $5452 each and were lodged immediately into hotel quarantine.
The state is currently fighting its sixth lockdown, with fears rising that the nature of the Delta variant could have the stay-at-home orders extended once again.
Ellie Dudley6.30am: 8 ANU halls placed into iso
Hundreds of students from the Australian National University have been put in isolation after being deemed contacts of a Covid-19 case.
Eight of the university’shalls of residence were sent into isolation, with some students being deemed close contacts and others secondary contacts.
“Everyone else in these residences is considered a secondary contact,” the statement from ANU read.
“As an additional precaution, we have instructed all residents in these residences to self-isolate until they are told otherwise.
“We are undertaking these measures to assist ACT Health with their contact tracing and to keep everyone safe.
“As always, our community’s safety and wellbeing is our highest priority.”
The eight halls affected are:
Burton and Garran Hall
Wright Hall
Ursula Lodge (Laurus Wing)
John XXIII
Kinloch Lodge
Lena Karmel Lodge
Wamburun Hall
Warrumbul Lodge
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Ellie Dudley6.15am:Pub, cafe among ACT’s new alerts
As Canberra contact tracers scurry to track the movements of a handful new cases of Covid-19, a series of new exposure sites have been released to warn those who may have been infected.
Four new cases of the virus were detected in the territory on Thursday, sending the entire region into a seven day lockdown.
ACT Health has updated some details for close contact and casual contact exposure locations tonight.
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) August 12, 2021
Close contact update:
🟢UPDATED - 10 Aug, Pellegrino’s Café 7:15am to 8:15am (no longer 8 Aug)
Casual contact update:
🟢NEW - 12 Aug, Deakin, EQ Cafe and Lounge, 6.30am to 10am
Anyone who had visited the following sites at the time listed has been classified as a close contact, and must be tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.
Fyshwick: Windsor Smith, Canberra Outlet Centre, T103/337 Canberra Avenue, August 8 2021, 2.45pm to 3.15pm
Braddon: Assembly The People’s Pub, 11 Lonsdale Street, August 8 2021, 8pm to 9.30pm
Fyshwick: Pellegrino’s Café, 7/49 Wollongong Street, August 10 2021, 7.15am to 8.15am
Those who were at the venues below at the time stipulated has been deemed a casual contact, and must be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
Gungahlin: Kmart Gungahlin, 33 Hibberson Street, August 10 2021, 3pm to 4pm
Gungahlin: Big W Gungahlin, Gozzard Street, August 10 2021, 3.45pm to 4.30pm
Deakin: EQ Café and Lounge, 70 Kent Street, August 11 2021, 6.30am to 4pm, August 12 2021, 6.30am to 10am.
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Olivia Caisley5.10am:Federal MPs flee as Canberra goes into lockdown
Canberra has been plunged into a seven-day lockdown after a man tested positive for Covid-19, the first ACT infection in more than a year, with three of his close contacts also returning positive tests, as federal MPs fled the territory.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Thursday confirmed Covid-19 fragments had been detected in wastewater late on Wednesday and a man in his 20s from Gungahlin in the city’s north had tested positive soon after.
Three of his close contacts were found to be positive just 20 minutes after lockdown restrictions kicked in at 5pm on Thursday. The man had been infectious in the community since Sunday, but the source of the virus remains a mystery, with multiple exposure sites listed on the ACT Health website.
Mr Barr said the cases represented the “most serious public health risk” the ACT had faced since the start of the pandemic.
As the lockdown loomed and federal parliament was due to rise at the end of the sitting fortnight, several politicians fled, including Labor politicians Jim Chalmers, Bill Shorten, Shayne Neumann and Murray Watt.
“The lockdown’s at 5pm – some of us have got kids to go home to,” Mr Chalmers said. “It makes a lot of sense (to leave).”
Parliament is set to return on August 23, three days after the lockdown is expected to lift, however the next sitting fortnight could be pushed back if more cases emerge.
Read the full story, by Olivia Caisley and Adeshola Ore, here.
Rachel Baxendale5am:Melbourne’s freedom hopes fade as clusters multiply
An end to Melbourne’s sixth lockdown appears as uncertain as it has been at any point since it was imposed a week ago, as contact tracers scramble to identify the sources of what are now seven mystery clusters – five of which have emerged over the past two days.
The first of Victoria’s most recent outbreaks surfaced last week, in a teacher from Al-Taqwa College and her optometrist partner, who works in Caroline Springs – both in Melbourne’s west.
The second of Victoria’s mystery outbreaks presented in a Maribyrnong man, who works at a Derrimut warehouse, also in the western suburbs. Authorities were still searching for the source but had ruled out a link to an associated family, who returned from hotel quarantine in NSW in July.
Thursday’s three mystery outbreaks comprise a Brunswick West man, whose case is yet to be linked to any others, and three people from two separate households in Glenroy, in Melbourne’s north.
Also of concern to authorities were the cases of two women who tested positive on Wednesday after flying to Melbourne from Sydney on Monday without valid entry permits. The women were detained in hotel quarantine on arrival, and have been fined $5452 each, after their positive test results forced 46 fellow passengers into isolation.
The outbreaks have resulted in 121 cases since August 4. There were 21 locally acquired cases announced on Thursday, 17 of which have been linked to known clusters.
Checked exposure sites lately? More have been published online at https://t.co/xojLvnrdjA, including: pic.twitter.com/aBXzvM0IR9
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 12, 2021
Read the full story here.
Steve Jackson4.45am:Covid outbreak strikes Sydney school for autistic
A Sydney school for autistic kids is the latest institution to suffer a Covid-19 outbreak, with 18 students and teachers testing positive for the virus, as the Delta variant shows up in an increasing number of young children.
Hundreds of teachers, students and families linked to Giant Steps, a special education school in Gladesville in the lower north shore are in isolation after more than a dozen students and a “handful of teachers” returned positive results.
Autism advocates have serious concerns over the outbreak and for parents who will have to deal with children on the spectrum in isolation.
On Thursday, NSW recorded 345 new Covid cases. Children aged to nine accounted for 44 infections, with 70 cases in the 10 to 19 years age bracket.
Infectious diseases experts say Covid-19 in children rarely causes significant illness or long-term harm in children. A recent study of 1700 British children showed 4.4 per cent had symptoms lasting more than a month.
University of Sydney infectious diseases specialist Robert Booy said it was especially important that those close to children with autism were vaccinated to reduce the spread of the virus because “(autistic children) may not appreciate the risk of interpersonal transmission”.
The Giant Steps school has about 20 staff and 60 students from kindergarten to Year 12.
Read the full story here.
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