‘Very unhelpful’: Prime Minister Scott Morrison accuses Tasmanian health worker of lying after COVID-19 outbreak
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has blasted a health care worker for being dishonest during virus contact tracing, as China’s death toll increased dramatically.
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Scott Morrison is threatening to make a coronavirus surveillance software mandatory or keep strict social restrictions in place if not enough Australians sign up voluntarily.
The Prime Minister has also likened downloading the mobile phone tracing application to undertaking national service, saying “you’ll be helping save someone’s life”.
Mr Morrison’s comments came as a seventh person died from coronavirus in Tasmania, with Australia’s death toll now at 65. Nationally, more than 6500 people have contracted the disease.
A cluster of cases in Tasmania’s northwest is being held up as a demonstration of how the virus can flare up at any time.
Mr Morrison says the nation needs to have a broader testing regimen, better contact tracing and greater capacity to respond to local outbreaks before governments can look at easing restrictions.
The federal government is developing a contact tracing app that checks Bluetooth connections made by the phone of someone with the virus while they were contagious.
At least 40 per cent of the population would need to install it for the results to be effective.
Mr Morrison compared using the tracing app to national service.
“I know this would be something they might not normally do at an ordinary time but this is not an ordinary time,” he told Triple M radio today.
“If you download this app you’ll be helping save someone’s life.”
He hopes some parts of the economy could be restarted in mid-May if the testing, tracing and response capacity goals are met.
But he refused to rule out making the phone tracing mandatory.
“This is the simple deal: if people download the app and more people have got it, the sooner we can start easing off on some of these restrictions,” Mr Morrison said.
“My preference is to give Australians a go at getting it right.
“That’s my plan A and I really want plan A to work.
“I know this would be something they might not normally do at an ordinary time but this is not an ordinary time.”
However, Mr Morrison said he expects social distancing measures to remain in place until a vaccine is available.
Australia’s deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly says the app’s rollout will begin on a voluntary basis.
“The app would be an extra piece to this puzzle and that timeliness element is the crucial thing,” Prof Kelly told reporters in Canberra.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said he is concerned about the prospect of forcibly being tracked.
“One of the things that would occur if that was the government response would be people would simply stop taking their phone to places,” he told reporters.
‘VERY UNHELPFUL’
Meanwhile, there are fears the coronavirus outbreak among health workers in northwest Tasmania may have spread to three nursing homes.
A 72-year-old man died today at the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe in the region.
It’s been revealed a healthcare worker who tested positive for the virus did shifts at three aged care homes as well as the two hospitals in Burnie at the centre of the outbreak.
No virus cases have been confirmed at the homes but one resident with mild respiratory symptoms is expected to get test results back soon.
Mr Morrison said that worker’s actions had been “very unhelpful”. “We’ve had someone down there not tell the truth to contact tracers about where they’ve been and who they’ve been with,” he said.
“That means a lot of people have been put at risk in northwest Tasmania.”
It came as a crew member from the coronavirus-plagued Artania cruise ship has died in a Perth hospital, taking Western Australia’s toll to seven.
The man was in his early 40s and died at Royal Perth Hospital on Thursday.
“His family have been notified and were put in contact with that crew member via translators ... and they were able to reach out to him in his dying days,” WA’s Health Minister Roger Cook said.
WUHAN DEATH TOLL RISES
The central Chinese city of Wuhan has raised its number of COVID-19 fatalities by 1,290, with state media saying today the undercount had been due to the “insufficient admission capabilities” at overwhelmed medical facilities at the peak of the outbreak.
Wuhan’s revised death toll of 3,869 is the most in China. Numbers of total cases in the city of 11 million were also raised by 325 to 50,333, accounting for about two-thirds of China’s total 82,367 announced cases.
The official Xinhua News Agency quoted an unidentified official with Wuhan’s epidemic and prevention and control headquarters as saying that during the early stages of the outbreak, “due to the insufficiency in admission and treatment capability, a few medical institutions failed to connect with the disease prevention and control system in time, while hospitals were overloaded and medics were overwhelmed with patients.
“As a result, belated, missed and mistaken reporting occurred,” the official was quoted as saying.
The new figures were compiled through a comparison of data from Wuhan’s epidemic prevention and control big data system, the city funeral service system, the municipal hospital authority’s information system, and the nucleic acid test system to “remove double-counted cases and fill in missed cases,” the official was quoted as saying.
New death cases were added because non-hospitalized deaths had not been registered at the disease control information system and some confirmed cases had been reported late or not been reported at all by some medical institutions, the official said.
Questions have long swirled around the accuracy of China’s case reporting, with Wuhan in particular going several days in January without reporting new cases or deaths.
That has led to accusations that Chinese officials were seeking to minimize the impact of the outbreak and wasting opportunities to bring it under control in a shorter time.
AMERICAN FATHER DEAD AFTER RUBY PRINCESS
An American man, aged in his 70s, has died from coronavirus complications after travelling on the stricken cruise liner, Ruby Princess.
Steven Lazarus, from California, was on a ventilator for two weeks before he died on April 9 after developing COVID-19 symptoms upon his return to the United States.
“He was the rock of our family, someone who I relied on for advice and who never steered me wrong,” his son, Michael Lazarus, wrote in a social media tribute, according to the ABC.
Mr Lazarus’ wife Elissa also tested positive to coronavirus, but has not shown symptoms.
“It’s the way it took my dad,” Michael said of the family’s grief.
“It’s that I cannot comfort my [mother] physically. It pains my family deeply that we cannot comfort her like we should be able to and she has to deal with losing the love of her life on her own.”
It is understood up to 900 of the 2700 Ruby Princess passengers were from overseas, but Mr Lazaraus was the ship’s first confirmed international fatality.
In Australia, about 600 cases and 19 deaths have been connected to the ship, but the total number of infections among international passengers remains unknown.
The ship’s cruise around New Zealand was halted and the boat returned to Sydney on March 19, where passengers were allowed to disembark at Circular Quay despite more than a dozen people on board reportedly showing symptoms of coronavirus.
A number of passengers had also been tested for the bug.
The circumstances surrounding why passengers were allowed to disembark is now subject to a criminal police investigation and a likely NSW Government special commission of inquiry.
The ship, with more than 1000 crew on board, remains docked at Port Kembla south of Sydney.
The date it will depart Australia remains unclear.
So far, 128 crew members have tested positive for COVID-19.
There are confirmed coronavirus cases among Ruby Princess passengers have been reported in Canada, the US and New Zealand.
Steven and Elissa Lazarus were married for more than 50 years and he was a grandfather to five grandchildren.
Michael Lazarus said it was important to remember the people behind the grim death statistics related to the coronavirus.
“I have thought a lot about the effects of COVID-19 as it has had an enormous impact on everyone’s lives,” he wrote.
“But the charts and data and graphs and theories don’t bring anything.
“If you take anything away from this know this not about data points or statistics.”
Carnival Australia, the operator of the Ruby Princess, said it was co-operating with police.
“In addition to willingly participating in the investigation, Carnival Australia will vigorously respond to any allegations of which there must now be full disclosure and the basis for them,” a spokesman said.
STATES ‘FINDING IT DIFFICULT’ TO ENFORCE LOCKDOWN
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded state governments are finding it “difficult” to strike a consistent balance in enforcing COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
He said restrictions on our day-to-day lives would be in place for at least the next four weeks, with authorities working rapidly to ramp up testing and tracing systems before the rules can be relaxed.
In an interview on the ABC, Leigh Sales asked Mr Morrison was asked why she was not allowed to sit in a park by herself reading a book – yet she could get on a crowded bus.
She told the PM people found the inconsistencies in the social distancing restrictions “annoying”.
“Look, on a practical level on the ground and the way the states are implementing these issues, of course it’s difficult,” he said.
“We are in unprecedented, uncharted times. I think people have been very understanding of these issues. And I think everyone’s working to try and get these issues as consistent as they can.”
It comes as US President Donald Trump announces new social distancing guidelines as the country looks to reopen its economy after 22 million people applied for unemployment benefits.
Mr Trump has announced a three-phase plan to restart the US economy, declaring it the “next front in our war” against COVID-19.
Under the “Opening Up America Plan”, states have contained the virus will be able to re-open businesses such as restaurants, theatres and gyms as soon as May 1.
After signalling in recent days he would impose a mandatory lift of lockdown restrictions, Mr Trump stepped back from a looming battle with governors and said they would be in charge of their states.
“You’re going to call your own shots,” Mr Trump said.
“We’re going to be standing alongside of you.”
The new plan would focus on “sheltering the highest-risk individuals”.
“Healthy Americans will now be able to return to work as conditions on the ground allow,” Mr Trump said at the White House.
“Instead of a blanket shutdown we will pursue a focus of sheltering the highest-risk individuals.”
Mr Trump conceded “the balance is delicate”, with the US still having by far the highest reported number of infections.
“We must have a working economy,” Mr Trump said.
“We can get it back very, very quickly and that’s what’s going to happen. I believe it’s going to boom. A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense toll on public health.”
LIVE: Press Briefing with Coronavirus Task Force https://t.co/NB3LRIZHI7
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 16, 2020
Mr Trump earlier told states they would have control over how and when they would lift restrictions.
“Bottom line, if you’re ready and you have those beautiful, low numbers like some of you have, let’s get going, let’s open up your state,” Mr Trump said.
The US economy has been rocked by the coronavirus, with more than 22 million applying for unemployment benefits in the past four weeks, and there are fears the unemployment rate will hit 15 per cent by the end of April, on its way to 20 per cent or more.
DEPORTEES FROM US TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
A group of Guatemalans deported on one flight from the US have tested positive for COVID-19.
A Guatemala government official confirmed 44 people on the flight had the coronavirus on Thursday, just prior to Guatemala Foreign Affairs Minister Pedro Brolo telling The Associated Press the government had again suspended deportation flights.
“We’re working on the details,” Brolo said, adding he did not know when the flights would resume.
The flight with the infected deportees arrived in Guatemala’s capital from Brownsville, Texas, on Monday, carrying 76 Guatemalans.
Three deportees displaying virus symptoms were immediately taken for testing.
When one of those tests came back positive more who had been quarantined at the airport were tested and 43 more resulted positive.
‘THREE KEY FACTORS’ TO END LOCKDOWNS IN AUSTRALIA
Earlier, Mr Morrison said the national cabinet had agreed to lock in three key improvements before considering changes to restrictions on mass gatherings, social distancing and freedom of movement.
This involves developing a more extensive testing regimen to quickly identify outbreaks, locking in greater tracing capabilities including an app, and ensuring stronger local response capabilities to handle any outbreaks.
Mr Morrison said the nation remained in the “suppression phase” of the virus, instead of “eradication mode” or pursuing “herd immunity”.
But he said it was pleasing that more than half of the number of Australians who had contracted the virus had recovered.
He also said Australians understand they must be ready for the “sobering news” of COVID-19’s impact on the economy.
“We are working on that road out and we are working on that road ahead in the recovery piece that will see people getting back into work and Australia getting through this into other side,” he said.
“On the road out, there are important metric, benchmarks, we are advised to day that will inform the national cabinet decisions about the easing of restrictions when that is deemed possible, and the most important of those is what it’s called the effective reproduction rate,” he said.
“I want to commend the state governments, this has been the really heavy lifting they have been doing over the last several weeks, and really boosting capability of tracing cases, they are a team of Sherlock Holmes out there at the moment and they are doing a fantastic job on tracking down these cases.
“We need to lift that to an industrial capability and do that using technology and we need to do that as soon as we possibly can, and we will be needing the support of Australians, if we can get that in place get the tracing capability up from where it is that will give us more options and Australians more freedoms.”
GLOBAL DEATH TOLL NEARS 140,000
It comes as the global infection toll approached 2,100,00 and the world death toll neared 140,000. The US still has by far the most reported cases at more than 640,000 with over 31,000 dead.
America’s infection rate is nearly 100 times greater than Australia, while its death toll is more than 400 times greater.
New York’s grim toll continued to climb – in the past seven days, the daily number of deaths in NY has been 777, 783, 758, 671, 778, 752, 606.
More people are infected in the state of NY than any single nation in the world outside the USA. NYC’s death toll is nearly 12,000.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said “my phone has been ringing off the hook” from people unhappy with his edict that everyone in New York must wear a mask when they are outside. But he said the move was necessary to not only protect the individual – but also other people they may infect.
The US released data yesterday showing more than 22 million people had applied for unemployment benefits in four weeks as economists pondered an unemployment rate of more than 20 per cent by the end of the month.
Coronavirus deaths in the UK jumped to 13,729 after 861 more patients died in hospital.
According to the Department of Health, 103,093 people have tested positive for the deadly bug – up 4617 from yesterday.
NEW YORK EXTENDS LOCKDOWN AS DEATH TOLL GROWS
Meanwhile, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended his statewide shutdown of non-essential functions to May 15, as coronavirus hospitalisations continued to level off — but over 600 new deaths were reported.
“New York PAUSE has worked,” said Mr Cuomo of the lockdown during a press conference on Thursday (local time). “That’s how we control the beast. However, we’re not there yet.”
In order to prevent the disease from mounting a comeback, Mr Cuomo extended the policy for another month, a decision that he said was made in consultation with other regional states New York has allied with to plan an eventual economic revival.
“I don’t want to project beyond that period,” he said. “One month is a long time. People need certainty and clarity so they can plan.”
Mr Cuomo announced the extension as another 606 New Yorkers succumbed to the bug in the 24-hour period ending midnight on Thursday, raising the overall death toll to 12,192.
“This is still continuing at a really tragic, tragic rate,” said Mr Cuomo of the fatalities.
Total hospitalisations, however, remained effectively flat, dipping slightly from 18,335 on Tuesday to 17,735 on Wednesday, despite 1,996 new daily hospitalisations.
Meanwhile, Mr Cuomo expanded his order mandating that New Yorkers wear masks or other face coverings when entering spaces in which social distancing proves difficult to include both drivers and passengers in for-hire vehicles.
“Is this inconvenient? Yes,” admitted Mr Cuomo of the order, which takes effect at 8pm on Friday (10am AEST). “This is a precaution for everyone that I think balances individual liberties with a social conscience.”
BRITS TO RUN THE COUNTRY VIRTUALLY
Coronavirus deaths in the UK jumped to 13,729 on Thursday (local time) after 861 more patients died in hospital.
According to the Department of Health 103,093 people have tested positive for the deadly bug – up 4617 from yesterday.
It comes as Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab extended the country’s lockdown for a further three weeks. Mr Raab told the British public that their efforts to stay home and stop the spread of coronavirus had been working, but more time is needed to get a full grip on the crisis.
“We must keep up this effort for a little while longer,” Mr Raab said.
“We have sacrificed far too much to ease up now. “We are beginning to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off – there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Among the latest deaths, 740 were recorded in England alone, NHS England figures show.
These patients were aged between 28 and 103 years old – and 40 of them had no underlying health conditions.
It brings the death toll in England to 12,396, rising above 12,000 for the first time.
The patients with no underlying health conditions who died were aged between 45 and 93.
Meanwhile, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland announced a combined 130 more deaths today.
The current numbers are based on those who have died in hospitals – if deaths outside of hospital were factored in, the UK toll could be as much as 50 per cent higher, new figures suggest.
US INVESTIGATING WHERE VIRUS REALLY CAME FROM
US officials are reportedly looking into the possibility that the coronavirus did not originate in a wet market in Wuhan but actually escaped from a lab experimenting on the deadly illness.
There is “increasing confidence” among officials that the Wuhan Institute of Virology lab is the original site of the virus after a report said embassy officials warned in January 2018 about inadequate safety there, according to Fox News.
President Trump did not directly address the “theory” during a White House press conference Wednesday.
“It should be no surprise to you that we have taken a keen interest in that and we’ve had a lot of intelligence take a hard look at that,” General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Fox about the Wuhan lab.
“I would just say at this point, it’s inconclusive, although the weight of evidence seems to indicate natural, but we don’t know for certain.”
Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said he sees China “withholding information.”
“I think we need to do more to continue to press them to share,” he told the network.
GERMANY SUFFERS DEADLY DAY, YET PLANS TO END LOCKDOWN
Meanwhile, in a move being watched closely by the rest of the world, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced Germany’s lockdown will begin to be lifted from next week – despite the country suffering its highest daily death toll for the second day in a row.
Overnight figures revealed another 315 COVID-19 deaths in the country – up from the previous high of 285 reported on Wednesday – taking the total to 3,569.
The number of new confirmed cases rose by 2,866 – almost 10 per cent – to a total of 130,450.
It is the third day in a row the rate of infections has risen after almost a week of decline.
The encouraging figures last week heaped pressure on Mrs Merkel to lift restrictions to rescue the sinking economy, which is heavily reliant on manufacturing exports.
An influential report by the National Academy of Science recommended reopening schools as soon as possible followed soon after by factories and other workplaces.
And despite the setback of the spike in cases, the Chancellor pressed ahead today with plans for a gradual easing of the lockdown.
Shops under a certain size could open their doors as early as next week, following a similar move in Austria.
SWEDEN IGNORES SHUTDOWN, SEES HIGHEST DEATH TOLL
Sweden has recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day after refusing to lockdown like the rest of Europe.
The Scandinavian country’s death toll hit 1203 with a record 170 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.
Sweden averages 94 deaths per day and is the only European country that has not gone into lockdown.
Bars, schools, restaurants, and shops remain open as the virus spreads across Stockholm, accounting for almost half of Swedish cases.
Swedes are still able to hold large scale gatherings like weddings and parties.
Its leaders have come under criticism from the scientific and medical community, both nationally and internationally, for refusing to lockdown.
A group of 22 doctors, virologists and researchers criticised the Public Health Agency in an op-ed published by Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Tuesday.
They accused the government of having failed to draw up a proper strategy, pointing out that the mortality rate in Sweden is now around double that of most of its Nordic neighbours.
Norway has 6,740 cases and 145 deaths. Finland has 3,237 cases and 72 deaths. Denmark has 6,681 cases and 309 deaths.
Random sampling carried out by the public health agency suggests that at least 2.5 per cent of Stockholm residents may already have been infected, implying a much higher figure of around six times the official stats.
Epidemiology professor Bo Lundback of the University of Gothenburg, slammed the Swedish government as naive and irresponsible.
He said: “The authorities and the government stupidly did not believe that the epidemic would reach Sweden at all.
“Sweden was poorly or even not at all prepared.”
He joined researchers’ calls for “rapid and radical measures” to stem the outbreak seen everywhere else in Europe.
Originally published as ‘Very unhelpful’: Prime Minister Scott Morrison accuses Tasmanian health worker of lying after COVID-19 outbreak
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