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Australia coronavirus live: deputy chief medical officer warns of risks from restarting NRL too soon – latest updates Australia coronavirus live: deputy chief medical officer warns of risks from restarting NRL too soon – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Paul Kelly says league is ‘not a law unto themselves’ and would need permission to resume play next month as it intends. Follow the latest updatesPaul Kelly says league is ‘not a law unto themselves’ and would need permission to resume play next month as it intends. Follow the latest updates
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The Western Australia minister for health and deputy premier Roger Cook has reported seven new cases of Covid-19 in the state, as well as four new cases linked to the cruise ship Artania. The 11 new cases are in people aged between 25 and 78, and bring the state’s total to 506.
The total number of cases linked to cruise ships is 191, more than one-third of the total.
Six people have died in WA.
Also in Western Australia, several hundred passengers who had been on board the Vasco da Gama cruise ship are due to end their quarantine today. The West Australian passengers have been held on Rottnest Island, they will be ferried back to Perth this afternoon.
But hundreds of others from the east coast and other parts of Australia are coming out of quarantine, today and in coming days, without a way home because of mass cancellation of flights across the country.
Cook said the state government would continue to accommodate those passengers, while finding a way to get them home.
The state’s deputy chief health officer Robin Lawrence said those who had completed their quarantine, but who were still waiting to fly home, would be allowed out of their hotels.
For the passengers from the Vasco da Gama, that would be in a few hours.
Queensland’s chief medical officer has posted a list of “Covid-19 hot spots” in NSW and ordered anyone returning to the state from those locations to quarantine for 14 days.Queensland’s chief medical officer has posted a list of “Covid-19 hot spots” in NSW and ordered anyone returning to the state from those locations to quarantine for 14 days.
It has been one week since Queensland closed its border to New South Wales for the first time since the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1919. Police have been enforcing the “hard closure” at three checkpoints between the towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads on either side of the border.It has been one week since Queensland closed its border to New South Wales for the first time since the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1919. Police have been enforcing the “hard closure” at three checkpoints between the towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads on either side of the border.
The gates have also been shut on the state’s two other shared borders between the Northern Territory and South Australia.The gates have also been shut on the state’s two other shared borders between the Northern Territory and South Australia.
Queensland residents are exempt from the ban, but from Saturday those returning home from a list of designated inter-state “Covid-19 hot spots” will be forced to undergo two weeks quarantine.Queensland residents are exempt from the ban, but from Saturday those returning home from a list of designated inter-state “Covid-19 hot spots” will be forced to undergo two weeks quarantine.
Good afternoon, Ben Doherty here, my thanks to my colleagues for their work today. And thank you for your company this afternoon. Please feel free to get in touch via twitter @BenDohertyCorro or email ben.doherty@theguardian.com .Good afternoon, Ben Doherty here, my thanks to my colleagues for their work today. And thank you for your company this afternoon. Please feel free to get in touch via twitter @BenDohertyCorro or email ben.doherty@theguardian.com .
Social distancing, how important is it? This, from the Ohio department of health in the US, is excellent.Social distancing, how important is it? This, from the Ohio department of health in the US, is excellent.
They’ve wrapped up the press conference in Adelaide. And I’m going to wrap up here, too.They’ve wrapped up the press conference in Adelaide. And I’m going to wrap up here, too.
I’ll leave you with my excellent colleague Ben Doherty who will take over from here.I’ll leave you with my excellent colleague Ben Doherty who will take over from here.
Cusack says at this stage there is no case to close the state’s beaches. Marshall is asked about photographs local media published apparently showing groups of people.Cusack says at this stage there is no case to close the state’s beaches. Marshall is asked about photographs local media published apparently showing groups of people.
Marshall says: “I have spent time down at the beach myself today and I can tell you that there were a lot of people enjoying their time but the most important thing is we are trying to guard against large numbers of people congregating in close vicinity, but not people walking the dog, going for a jog.Marshall says: “I have spent time down at the beach myself today and I can tell you that there were a lot of people enjoying their time but the most important thing is we are trying to guard against large numbers of people congregating in close vicinity, but not people walking the dog, going for a jog.
“We do not want to see reporters, with all due respect, or members of the public try to separate people. They could be people of the same family, people living together.”“We do not want to see reporters, with all due respect, or members of the public try to separate people. They could be people of the same family, people living together.”
Cusack says there are 15 people in South Australian hospital. Six are in ICU and four are in a critical condition.Cusack says there are 15 people in South Australian hospital. Six are in ICU and four are in a critical condition.
Michael Cusack, the SA Health executive director of medical service, says that the state has recorded seven new cases overnight. There are 428 in the state.Michael Cusack, the SA Health executive director of medical service, says that the state has recorded seven new cases overnight. There are 428 in the state.
The cases range in age from 23 to a person in their 80s.The cases range in age from 23 to a person in their 80s.
He says:He says:
The South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, is addressing the media as we speak.The South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, is addressing the media as we speak.
Marshall says the former Wakefield hospital is now ready to take patients. It has been transformed into a Covid-19 facility.Marshall says the former Wakefield hospital is now ready to take patients. It has been transformed into a Covid-19 facility.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, will address the children of Australia in a special broadcast on the ABC, the network has announced.The prime minister, Scott Morrison, will address the children of Australia in a special broadcast on the ABC, the network has announced.
The ABC says in a statement that Morrison will answer questions from children on the Monday bulletin of its flagship children’s news program, Behind The News.The ABC says in a statement that Morrison will answer questions from children on the Monday bulletin of its flagship children’s news program, Behind The News.
An ABC statement said the broadcast would include questions such as:An ABC statement said the broadcast would include questions such as:
“My question is, what’s your advice to the population who have lost their jobs as their workplaces have shut down?”“My question is, what’s your advice to the population who have lost their jobs as their workplaces have shut down?”
“How long do you think it will take to find a cure for the coronavirus?”“How long do you think it will take to find a cure for the coronavirus?”
The program will air 6.25pm on Monday.The program will air 6.25pm on Monday.
Advocates for the unemployed have called on the government to extend the $550 per fortnight coronavirus supplements to disability support pensioners and carers.
The Guardian reported last month that people on these payments would now receive a lower base rate of income support than a jobseeker or a person receiving parenting payment who did not have a disability.
“[The Australian Unemployed Workers Union] has been flooded with calls and messages from our members who have been unfairly excluded from the $550 supplement, and thousands of people have signed our petition to #RaiseTheDSP,” a statement read.
“The minister has been granted extraordinary new powers that mean she can do this without going back to parliament. No legislation is required.”
A Greens motion to include these welfare recipients in the coronavirus supplement failed to win the support of the government or Labor this week.
However, the minister, Anne Ruston, can extend the supplement without legislation.
“I’m on DSP, not parenting payment but I’m the only person raising my children, why is it I’m not seen to have extra costs/needs,” said Emma, a respondent to an AUWU survey.
Of the outbreak at the Northwest hospital, Courtney says: “All staff who worked at the Northwest regional hospital in the medical or surgical wards will be asked to quarantine for 14 days. We will be providing accommodation for those staff who are unable to quarantine in their own homes.”
Courtney says that staff will be tested, regardless of whether they are showing symptoms.
A fourth person has died in Tasmania, the state’s health minister has just announced. Sarah Courtney says the man was elderly and died at Northwest hospital. She extends her condolences to his family.
Courtney says there were four more Covid-19 cases confirmed overnight, bringing the state’s total to 111.
Northern Territory police have issued a statement outlining the fines issued yesterday for social distancing rules.
Police said they fined a 32-year-old woman who “absconded from mandatory quarantine in Darwin”.
“The woman arrived in the NT on 7 April 2020, travelling from Adelaide and was required to remain in a hotel for 14 days,” a police statement said. “Police located the woman and issued her a fine before returning her to her hotel.”
Police also said a 22-year-old man in Araluen also “breached quarantine by leaving his house to register his new vehicle at the MVR”. “The man had returned to the NT by road from South Australia on 29 March 2020.”
A further six people were issued with infringement notices relating to mass gatherings.
Police said 3,630 compliance checks had now been completed with 17 fines issued.
Just to recap deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly’s comments on the NRL’s decision to restart.
Kelly said emphasised that we all have a responsibility to continue with social distancing measures.
He said that although the league’s players were not at high risk, others who are involved in the game would be.
Kelly specifically named two coaches, Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart, as being vulnerable to Covid-19.
“To be really frank about this, we all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track,” he said.
He added that it “remains to be seen” whether May is the right time to restart the league, but that the NRL would “definitely need to get some permission to do that”.
The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, confirmed today that he hadn’t been consulted prior to the league’s announcement of a planned restart date.
Kelly reiterates that the health advices on schools remains the same. That is that the schools can remain open.
But he notes that “we’ll be having more to say about schools in the coming weeks.”
And with that, the press conference has concluded.
Kelly is asked by a journalist, and we are thankful to her: what about about NRL Island?
He says:
Is the NRL risking the community by saying they will return to the game?
Kelly says:
Kelly is asked about the NRL’s plans to restart the game next month. He is asked whether the NRL would need permission from state government or whether they are, for want of a better word, “a law unto unto themselves in this regard”?
He says: