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Coronavirus updates: almost one in three Americans must stay home as New Zealand announces lockdown Coronavirus updates: almost one in three Americans must stay home as New Zealand announces lockdown
(32 minutes later)
European treatment trial launched; first confirmed case in Syria; Olympic committee considers ‘scaled-down’ Tokyo 2020. Follow the latest news European treatment trial launched; Canada won’t send athletes to Tokyo 2020; first confirmed case in Syria. Follow the latest news
Argentina has announced a fixed sum for self-employed and independent workers who are being left without their livelihood because of the country’s general lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus. Some four million people are estimated to be eligible for the benefit. They include hairdressers, restaurant workers, construction workers and domestic employees. Argentina’s population is 45 million.
Conversations are under way as well with utility and mobile phone companies to prevent the cutting off of services for lack of payment while the nationwide quarantine remains in effect.Argentina had a slight respite in the increase of coronavirus cases Sunday, with only 41 new cases reported, bringing the total to 266, compared with an increase of 67 Saturday.Press reports Sunday affirmed that the government of President Alberto Fernández is handling projections of a minimum 250 thousand coronavirus cases by June and is therefore considering extending the nationwide quarantine beyond its original March 31 deadline.
Saying in Australia for a moment: two beer brewers in the state of Western Australia have teamed up to produce hand sanitiser, AAP reports.
Spinifex Brewing Co and Limestone Coast Brewing have joined forces to produce World Health Organisation grade sanitiser using about 80 per cent ethanol.
Here is the statement from Australia’s Olympic Committee, announcing that it is planning for a postponed Olympic games.
“The AOC held an Executive Board meeting via teleconference this morning and unanimously agreed that an Australian Team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad,” the statement says.
Australian Team Chef de Mission for Tokyo Ian Chesterman says:
Australia’s Olympic Committee has joined Canada and New Zealand in expressing the view that the Olympics should not go ahead this year, the ABC reports.
Australia has told its athletes to prepare for the olympics to be held next year, in 2021, the ABC reports.
AOC chief executive Matt Caroll said in a statement:
“We have athletes based overseas, training at central locations around Australia as teams and managing their own programs. With travel and other restrictions this becomes an untenable situation”.
“The IOC had adopted the key principles of putting athlete health first and ensuring it acted in their best interests and the interests of sport. This decision reflects those principles. “We are now in a position where we can plan with greater certainty.”
Back to the Olympics now: New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley has said the country would consider boycotting the olympics.Back to the Olympics now: New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley has said the country would consider boycotting the olympics.
Earlier today, Stanley published an open letter in which he wrote, “Athletes need a safe, and fair, playing field to compete and, right now, the widespread and evolving impact of Covid-19 is not allowing that to happen,” and urged the International Olympic Committee to “finalise their decision as soon as possible, bringing clarity to our sports and athletes.”Earlier today, Stanley published an open letter in which he wrote, “Athletes need a safe, and fair, playing field to compete and, right now, the widespread and evolving impact of Covid-19 is not allowing that to happen,” and urged the International Olympic Committee to “finalise their decision as soon as possible, bringing clarity to our sports and athletes.”
A few hours later, following the news that Japan was considering postponing the games, Stanley told Newshub that, the news organisation writes, “postponement is the only way to go,” and that if the IOC does not postpone the Tokyo Olympics, New Zealand would consider boycotting the games.A few hours later, following the news that Japan was considering postponing the games, Stanley told Newshub that, the news organisation writes, “postponement is the only way to go,” and that if the IOC does not postpone the Tokyo Olympics, New Zealand would consider boycotting the games.
The time of coronavirus is strange indeed – I for one never thought I would feel relieved to learn that car traffic anywhere is increasing, but as my colleague Lily Kuo just reported, enough Beijingers headed to work this morning that the city’s streets were at least somewhat jammed – and that’s a good thing.The time of coronavirus is strange indeed – I for one never thought I would feel relieved to learn that car traffic anywhere is increasing, but as my colleague Lily Kuo just reported, enough Beijingers headed to work this morning that the city’s streets were at least somewhat jammed – and that’s a good thing.
We have the latest figures from China now, which saw a drop in its daily tally of new coronavirus cases, reversing four straight days of higher figures, as the capital Beijing ramped up measures to contain the number of infections arriving from abroad.We have the latest figures from China now, which saw a drop in its daily tally of new coronavirus cases, reversing four straight days of higher figures, as the capital Beijing ramped up measures to contain the number of infections arriving from abroad.
On Monday, China reported 39 new cases from the previous day, all of which were from imported cases, according to the National Health Commission. On Sunday, China ordered that all international flights to Beijing will be diverted to other cities where passengers will be screened before continuing on to the capital.Authorities in Wuhan are loosening restrictions. Residents can now leave the city if they have a green health code, issued through an app. Those stuck in Wuhan over the last two months may now leave if they are screened and get a health certificate from local authorities. Residents and community volunteers can now enter grocery shops but are required to present electronic health codes, from their smartphones, have their temperature tested and register their names.Other signs of life returning to normal in China include Beijing seeing early morning Monday before work traffic. Several provinces have announced dates for when students will go back to school.On Monday, China reported 39 new cases from the previous day, all of which were from imported cases, according to the National Health Commission. On Sunday, China ordered that all international flights to Beijing will be diverted to other cities where passengers will be screened before continuing on to the capital.Authorities in Wuhan are loosening restrictions. Residents can now leave the city if they have a green health code, issued through an app. Those stuck in Wuhan over the last two months may now leave if they are screened and get a health certificate from local authorities. Residents and community volunteers can now enter grocery shops but are required to present electronic health codes, from their smartphones, have their temperature tested and register their names.Other signs of life returning to normal in China include Beijing seeing early morning Monday before work traffic. Several provinces have announced dates for when students will go back to school.
In a press release, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paraolympic committee called “urgently” for the games to be postponed for one year.In a press release, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paraolympic committee called “urgently” for the games to be postponed for one year.
“While we realize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” it said.“While we realize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” it said.
“This is not solely about athlete health - it is about public health.”“This is not solely about athlete health - it is about public health.”
The announcement from Canada comes as Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, hinted that postponing the Tokyo Olympics could be an option if the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to hold the Games this summer and with the full quota of athletes and spectators.It is the first time that Abe has publicly conceded that the timing of the Games, which are due to open on 24 July, may have to change, as more athletes and sports federations added their voices to calls for a postponement.Cancellation, however, is not among the options, Abe said, echoing the position of the International Olympic Committee [IOC], which said on Sunday that it was drawing up alternative scenarios for the Games but was not considering calling them off.If holding the Olympics in its complete form “becomes impossible, we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games, given the Olympics’ principle of putting the health of athletes first,” he told parliament on Monday.The IOC is expected to take up to a month to reach a decision. “These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games,” it said in a statement.“The IOC will ... start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement. The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks.”The announcement from Canada comes as Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, hinted that postponing the Tokyo Olympics could be an option if the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to hold the Games this summer and with the full quota of athletes and spectators.It is the first time that Abe has publicly conceded that the timing of the Games, which are due to open on 24 July, may have to change, as more athletes and sports federations added their voices to calls for a postponement.Cancellation, however, is not among the options, Abe said, echoing the position of the International Olympic Committee [IOC], which said on Sunday that it was drawing up alternative scenarios for the Games but was not considering calling them off.If holding the Olympics in its complete form “becomes impossible, we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games, given the Olympics’ principle of putting the health of athletes first,” he told parliament on Monday.The IOC is expected to take up to a month to reach a decision. “These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games,” it said in a statement.“The IOC will ... start detailed discussions to complete its assessment of the rapid development of the worldwide health situation and its impact on the Olympic Games, including the scenario of postponement. The IOC is confident that it will have finalised these discussions within the next four weeks.”
Away from New Zealand now to Canada, where the Canadian olympic committee has just announced that it will not send athletes to Tokyo 2020.Away from New Zealand now to Canada, where the Canadian olympic committee has just announced that it will not send athletes to Tokyo 2020.
Some reaction now to the announcement.
In general, it seems to be (as one Twitter user put it) “Woah”, but also that it’s the right thing to do:
Below is an explainer on what New Zealand’s Covid-19 alert levels mean, from the NZ government website.
In short, Level four (“eliminate”), which New Zealand will go up to on Tuesday, means it is “Likely that disease is not contained.”
The listed response measures include:
People instructed to stay at home
Educational facilities closed
Businesses closed except for essential services (e.g. supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics) and lifeline utilities
Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities
Travel severely limited
Major reprioritisation of healthcare services
The full PDF is here, or you can check the official site here.
Just to summarise the latest from New Zealand now, where prime minister Jacinda Ardern has just concluded a press conference announcing that the country should prepare to go into self isolation. Ardern said:
Medical modelling suggests that without the measures announced today, tens of thousands of people in the country will die.
The country will move to a higher alert level – a three out of four – for the next 48 hours before the highest level of four is deployed, essentially shutting down the country.
All non-essential businesses are to close, schools will be closed from tomorrow, and domestic travel restrictions will be in place.
The level four restrictions will be in place for at least four weeks.
Supermarkets, pharmacies and essential medical services will stay open.
And news from earlier today:
There were 36 new cases of coronavirus registered by 8am this morning.
The New Zealand opposition party suspended all election campaigning amidst the coronavirus crisis.
“I do not underestimate what I am asking New Zealanders to do. It is huge,” Ardern said of the decision to put the country into self isolation and close non-essential services. “The worst-case scenario is simply intolerable, it would represent the greatest loss of New Zealanders’ lives in our history and I will not take that chance.”She said it was important that New Zealanders followed the rules by going to the park to see a friend or to have lunch with a family member.Ardern said she had no doubt that the measures would cause “unprecedented economic and social disruption, but they are necessary”.Her final message to people was: “Be kind, I understand that people will want to act as enforcers, I understand that; people are anxious.” But she said the government would act as the enforcer of these measures.
She encouraged people to go home tonight, to check on their neighbours, to set up a phone tree with their street to check their wellbeing.
Still in New Zealand for now, prime minister Jacinda Ardern says that medical modelling suggests that without the measures announced today, tens of thousands of people in the country will die.
New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern just announced the country would move to a higher alert level – a three out of four – for the next 48 hours before the highest level of four is deployed, essentially shutting down the country. All non-essential businesses are to close, schools will be closed from tomorrow, and domestic travel restrictions will be in place. The level four restrictions will be in place for at least four weeks. Supermarkets, pharmacies and essential medical services will stay open. “We are all now preparing as a nation to go into self-isolation,” Ardern said.
“Staying at home is essential.”
In New Zealand, prime minister Jacinda Ardern has said that in 48-hours’ time, the country will move to the highest alert level.
Earlier on Monday, director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there were 36 new cases of coronavirus registered by 8am this morning, bringing the country’s total to 102 cases.
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says the country must prepare to go into self-isolation, and that schools will close on Tuesday.
Ardern also raised the nationwide alert level to level three, effective immediately.
This is breaking now, we’ll have more very shortly, so do stay tuned.
British musicians have already lost an estimated £13.9m (US$16m) in earnings because of coronavirus, according to a Musicians’ Union survey.
The organisation, which has 32,000 members and is the main trade union for the sector in the UK, surveyed its members over the impact of the outbreak, and received more than 4,100 responses. Ninety per cent of respondents said their income had already been affected.
In the US, Donald Trump attempted to blunt growing criticism of the stalled federal response to the coronavirus crisis on Sunday night, promising that more help was on the way for states suffering a critical shortage of medical equipment, hospital beds and testing facilities.
As the death toll from Covid-19 in the US rose to 417, with more than 33,000 cases reported nationwide, increasing numbers of state and city leaders fired off warnings to the White House that a tipping point was near.
Warnings were particularly strong from New York, where cases have risen sharply past 15,000 and now account for around half of those in the US.