This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/apr/04/coronavirus-australia-live-news-nsw-health-defends-handling-of-ruby-princess-as-more-cases-confirmed-latest-update
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus Australia live news: Australia death toll rises to 30 as NSW health minister under fire for handling of Ruby Princess – latest updates | Coronavirus Australia live news: Australia death toll rises to 30 as NSW health minister under fire for handling of Ruby Princess – latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Brad Hazzard hits back at criticism of disembarkation of passengers while ACT announces second death in the territory. Follow all the latest news live | Brad Hazzard hits back at criticism of disembarkation of passengers while ACT announces second death in the territory. Follow all the latest news live |
| Kelly is asked a question about why they are not recommending mask use for the broader public. He says one reason is the supply constraints. | |
| He says the other is that “using a mask incorrectly can actually make it more dangerous”. | |
| “If you are not used to wearing a mask, it can become quite uncomfortable, even claustrophobic,” he says. | |
| “And indeed, it can become quite itchy underneath the mask. So touching a surface with the virus, scratching yourself underneath the mask, can in fact increase your risk rather than decrease your risk.” | |
| Kelly is saying authorities are still not recommending the use of masks broadly in the community because of pressure on supplies. | |
| “For the moment, mask use is not recommended for the Australian public, and we can continue to look at ways, and indeed we are actively looking at ways of thinking about mask use into the future,” he says. | |
| Kelly says while there are promising signs some of the measures taken to reduce physical contact are working, we need to remain “vigilant”. | |
| “I really would caution against thinking we have got through this completely, because we definitely have not, and we really have to be hypervigilant now in collecting the information and making some decisions about what that means in terms of the people that are getting infected, the people that are getting sick, those that are using a hospital system, those that need to be admitted to intensive care, and so on,” he says. | |
| He acknowledges the measures are tough. | |
| “Many people have been separated from loved ones,” he says. In my own family, there are people in New York, in the UK, in Italy. They cannot be seeing their parents at the moment, my siblings. So these are tricky times,” he says. | |
| “And it is a difficult balancing act, which we will continue to be led by the data and information that we are gathering, experiences we are gathering from other parts of the world, for some months.” | |
| The deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, is speaking. | |
| He speaks first about the “unfortunate” rise in deaths in the past 24 hours, up by five to 30. | |
| He says the good news is that daily increases in new infections are less than they were a week ago. | |
| Labor has welcomed some of those changes the government has announced for temporary visa holders and migrant workers. | Labor has welcomed some of those changes the government has announced for temporary visa holders and migrant workers. |
| Labor had been calling for relaxed conditions for “trapped” temporary visa holders in Australia thrown into chaos by global travel bans and border closures. | Labor had been calling for relaxed conditions for “trapped” temporary visa holders in Australia thrown into chaos by global travel bans and border closures. |
| The conditions announced today include allowing backpackers to extend their visas and allowing temporary visa holders to access their superannuation. | The conditions announced today include allowing backpackers to extend their visas and allowing temporary visa holders to access their superannuation. |
| “The government has implemented Labor’s calls to relax the requirements for fully qualified nurses in Australia on working holiday maker (WHM) visas to be able to continue working in hospitals rather than being forced to meet visa requirements – such as completing “specified work” often picking fruit,” Labor’s Kristina Keneally and Andrew Giles said in a statement. | |
| But they said the announcements today didn’t cover all temporary visa holders and migrant workers. | But they said the announcements today didn’t cover all temporary visa holders and migrant workers. |
| “Labor remains concerned for the hundreds of thousands of temporary visa holders in Australia who are trapped here, who can’t go home, and are being forced out of their accommodation,” they said. | “Labor remains concerned for the hundreds of thousands of temporary visa holders in Australia who are trapped here, who can’t go home, and are being forced out of their accommodation,” they said. |
| The United Workers Union, representing workers for Australia’s largest out of hours school care provider, is calling for extra protection for staff and children. | The United Workers Union, representing workers for Australia’s largest out of hours school care provider, is calling for extra protection for staff and children. |
| In a letter to management signed by 61 staff, Camp Australia workers called for increased access to hand sanitiser, temperature checks for children, and lower children-to-staff ratios so workers could properly care for children while also maintaining social distancing requirements. | In a letter to management signed by 61 staff, Camp Australia workers called for increased access to hand sanitiser, temperature checks for children, and lower children-to-staff ratios so workers could properly care for children while also maintaining social distancing requirements. |
| The United Workers Union says Camp Australia employees want staff currently not eligible for the jobkeeper payment under the government’s guidelines, “including international students and casuals who have been with the company for less than 12 months, to also receive the jobkeeper payment”. | The United Workers Union says Camp Australia employees want staff currently not eligible for the jobkeeper payment under the government’s guidelines, “including international students and casuals who have been with the company for less than 12 months, to also receive the jobkeeper payment”. |
| Good afternoon everyone, Lisa Cox, here, taking over the blog from Melissa Davey. | Good afternoon everyone, Lisa Cox, here, taking over the blog from Melissa Davey. |
| The ABC is reporting about 50 Qantas and Jetstar staff, including pilots and cabin crew, have tested positive for coronavirus. | The ABC is reporting about 50 Qantas and Jetstar staff, including pilots and cabin crew, have tested positive for coronavirus. |
| The company’s medical officer Russell Brown yesterday told staff that, in addition to previously announced cases of baggage handlers, the airlines’ numbers included eight pilots and 19 cabin crew, according to the ABC. | The company’s medical officer Russell Brown yesterday told staff that, in addition to previously announced cases of baggage handlers, the airlines’ numbers included eight pilots and 19 cabin crew, according to the ABC. |
| “Most of those were from overseas, but they were taking the precautions,” Dr Brown said via a webinar. | “Most of those were from overseas, but they were taking the precautions,” Dr Brown said via a webinar. |
| “They are wearing masks when flying and being careful, and we’re still seeing these cases. | “They are wearing masks when flying and being careful, and we’re still seeing these cases. |
| “When you’re dealing with a community that has more spread, the risk goes up, and we have to start thinking about what’s going on here.” | “When you’re dealing with a community that has more spread, the risk goes up, and we have to start thinking about what’s going on here.” |
| Thanks so much for joining me for Guardian Australia’s live coverage throughout the day. I am about to handover to my colleague Lisa Cox to take you through the afternoon. It has been quite an eventful Saturday, with a few key announcements. To recap: | Thanks so much for joining me for Guardian Australia’s live coverage throughout the day. I am about to handover to my colleague Lisa Cox to take you through the afternoon. It has been quite an eventful Saturday, with a few key announcements. To recap: |
| Cases in Australia have exceeded 5,500 and there are now 30 deaths after ACT Health reported on Saturday a man in his 80s died at Canberra Hospital. The ACT has had two deaths overall and 93 cases. | Cases in Australia have exceeded 5,500 and there are now 30 deaths after ACT Health reported on Saturday a man in his 80s died at Canberra Hospital. The ACT has had two deaths overall and 93 cases. |
| Amid being called on to resign the NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has strongly defended the handling of the Ruby Princess cruise ship saga by senior health department officials. | Amid being called on to resign the NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has strongly defended the handling of the Ruby Princess cruise ship saga by senior health department officials. |
| Changes to visa arrangements have been made. International students working in aged care, as nurses and in supermarkets have had the amount of hours they can work extended to support critical sectors. New Zealanders who are on 444 visas and arrived before 26 February 2001 will have access to welfare payments and the jobkeeper payment. Temporary skilled visa holders who have been stood down, but not laid off, will maintain their visa validity and businesses will have the opportunity to extend their visa as per normal arrangements. They will also be able to access up to $10,000 superannuation this financial year. | Changes to visa arrangements have been made. International students working in aged care, as nurses and in supermarkets have had the amount of hours they can work extended to support critical sectors. New Zealanders who are on 444 visas and arrived before 26 February 2001 will have access to welfare payments and the jobkeeper payment. Temporary skilled visa holders who have been stood down, but not laid off, will maintain their visa validity and businesses will have the opportunity to extend their visa as per normal arrangements. They will also be able to access up to $10,000 superannuation this financial year. |
| Stay safe, and inside. | Stay safe, and inside. |
| Some tragic news from the UK overnight, where two nurses have died after acquiring Covid-19. | Some tragic news from the UK overnight, where two nurses have died after acquiring Covid-19. |
| Areema Nasreen, a 36-year-old NHS nurse from Walsall in the West Midlands, who was believed to have had no underlying health issues, died shortly after midnight on Thursday in intensive care at Walsall Manor hospital, where she had worked for 16 years. Tributes were also paid to another NHS nurse, mother of three Aimee O’Rourke, who is is believed to have contracted the virus before she died. | Areema Nasreen, a 36-year-old NHS nurse from Walsall in the West Midlands, who was believed to have had no underlying health issues, died shortly after midnight on Thursday in intensive care at Walsall Manor hospital, where she had worked for 16 years. Tributes were also paid to another NHS nurse, mother of three Aimee O’Rourke, who is is believed to have contracted the virus before she died. |
| You can read more here. | You can read more here. |
| We are expecting the WA premier Mark McGowan to give an update at about 2.15pm AEDT, or 11.15am AWST. Here’s where the situation in WA was as of Friday evening: | We are expecting the WA premier Mark McGowan to give an update at about 2.15pm AEDT, or 11.15am AWST. Here’s where the situation in WA was as of Friday evening: |
| I put out a call asking for your home gardening projects that you’ve been working on in isolation and got some pretty lovely examples in response. While there are many tough aspects of having to stay home, it looks like some of you are using it as a chance to grow veggies and acquire a green thumb. Here are some of the best responses - thanks for sharing! | I put out a call asking for your home gardening projects that you’ve been working on in isolation and got some pretty lovely examples in response. While there are many tough aspects of having to stay home, it looks like some of you are using it as a chance to grow veggies and acquire a green thumb. Here are some of the best responses - thanks for sharing! |