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Australia coronavirus live: national death toll reaches 52 as police warn people to stay at home – latest updates Australia coronavirus live: national death toll reaches 53 as police warn people to stay at home – latest updates
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Pressure on the New South Wales government over Don Harwin after he was fined $1,000 for visiting holiday house. Follow the latest updatesPressure on the New South Wales government over Don Harwin after he was fined $1,000 for visiting holiday house. Follow the latest updates
Hazzard has had to hand over mid-sentence to the NSW chief medical officer Kerry Chant because he’s having a coughing fit. Some good news for the more than 100 Australian and New Zealand residents who were aboard the Antartica cruise that was anchored of the coast of Uruguay.
New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard is speaking in Sydney. AAP reports that the group are expected to land in Melbourne over Easter after Aurora Expeditions, the operator of the Greg Mortimer ship, chartered a flight from Montevideo.
He’s announced that a 69-year-old man has died at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle overnight, bringing the total number of deaths in NSW to 22. The news was confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told AAP on Friday.
He says NSW has 49 new cases of Covid-19. That’s very slightly more than the day before, when there was a three week low of 39 new cases. Of the more than 200 people on the vessel, 96 are Australian passengers and crew, along with roughly 16 New Zealand citizens.
211 cases are in NSW hospitals. 29 of those are in ICU. Of those 29, 23 are ventilated. Five Australians have already been taken off the Greg Mortimer and hospitalised in Montevideo, DFAT said.
If you haven’t already watched Scottish sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter’s commentary of his two labradors, Olive and Mabel, and their quiet battle over an orange rubber bone, I need to strongly insist you do so right now. Thanks to Michael for his efforts this morning. I’ll be with you for the next few hours.
It is, I assure you, an absolute tonic. My colleague Steph Harmon has written about it: That’s where I’ll leave you for today. Thanks for your company. I’ll hand over to my colleague Luke Henriques-Gomes, who will take you through the afternoon.
The Gold Coast Airport has closed its terminal because there are no regular scheduled commercial flights to the tourism hotspot for the foreseeable future. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has issued a statement slamming celebrity chef Pete Evans, after the Channel Seven star and reality television host posted a video falsely suggesting a $15,000 light machine could be used treat Covid-19.
AAP reports the terminal closed on Friday after the last Qantas and Virgin flights departed on Thursday. In a live video posted to his Facebook page, the My Kitchen Rules judge said the BioCharger NG Subtle Energy Platform “is a pretty amazing tool” and claims there are “a thousand different recipes” including “a couple on there for Wuhan coronavirus”.
The operation of the runway and airfield operations will continue for general aviation and other activities. Evans is selling the product on his own website for $14,990. It states the product is “a hybrid subtle energy revitalisation platform” with “four transmitted energies” which “stimulate and invigorate the entire body to optimise and improve potential health, wellness and athletic performance”.
Gold Coast Airport boss Marion Charlton says the terminal will open when regular passenger flights resume. The post has been condemned by RACGP president Harry Nespolon, who said Evans, who has in the past promoted anti-vaccination views, “needs to stop”.
“The aviation industry is at the front line of this crisis, with passenger numbers falling steadily since the beginning of March,” she said in a statement. Nespolon said he had suggested several months ago Evans should “leave vaccinations alone”.
“We will continue to work closely with our partners throughout this challenging time.” “Well, he should also steer well clear of peddling devices which he claims use ‘subtle energy’ to counter Covid-19. He just needs to stop it right now.
A few scenes of the Easter long weekend in Australia. “It is a reality that many people look up to Mr Evans in his roles as a popular chef and television host. I once again urge him to book an appointment with his local GP to learn about the damage he is doing on social media.”
Victoria has recorded another Covid-19 death, taking Australia’s national death toll to 52. Quickly to the ACT, where three new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours. The ACT’s total is now 103.
The latest death is a man in his 80s who died in hospital, the state government confirmed on Friday. It marks the 13th person to die from the virus in the state. The new confirmed cases are two women and one man, aged between 26 and 51. One is a close contact of a previous confirmed case and the other two are under investigation.
Victoria also recorded 13 new cases in the past 24 hours. Forty-three people remain in hospital, with 13 of those in intensive care. Seven people have been released in the last 24 hours. Kerry Chant says the 69-year-old man who died in Newcastle overnight likely contracted the virus “during a recent trip interstate”. The man had travelled to Queensland.
Queensland’s health minister, Stephen Miles, is speaking in Brisbane. The state has recorded 13 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Asked about the $1,000 fine levelled against arts minister Don Harwin last night for breaching public health orders, he says:
He’s also confirmed that the state has issued 289 fines for breaches of public health orders. The fines begin at $1,300. Hazzard is asked about the NRL’s announcement yesterday that they will restart the competition on 28 May.
Miles also revealed that one person in the state has been charged for allegedly spitting at a nurse. He says he has only had one meeting with the game, which was about four weeks ago before it was shutdown.
Hard to fathom, really. Hazzard has recovered from his coughing fit and is back taking questions.
The trade minister, Simon Birmingham, appeared on one of the commercial breakfast TV networks and admitted to feeling “a degree of frustration” with Australians stranded overseas. He’s asked about new $5,000 on-the-spot fines in NSW for people who cough or spit on health workers.
Thousands of Australians remain scattered overseas, and on Thursday the foreign affais minister outlined plans for charter flights for people trying to get home from various parts of the world. A special Qantas flight from Peru landed in Australia overnight. Birmingham said: He’s asked about a McDonald’s worker who was allegedly spat on yesterday, and whether the fines should be extended. Says they will look at it.
Police in Victoria have issued 98 fines for breaches of public health orders in the past 24 hours. The fines include nine children who were fined “for gathering in a private residence” and a man who received four warnings before he was fined. The NSW police have issued almost 50 new fines for breaches of public health orders in the past 24 hours.
Unlike in NSW, police in Victoria have refused to release data about the locations of the fines. We also don’t know any demographic indicators about the people who have been fined. So, for example, their housing status or ethnicity. Chant thanks the people of NSW for helping to slow the spread, and urges people not to neglect their normal medical needs.
Victoria police say they conducted 754 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services in the past 24 hours. Since 21 March they have conducted a total of 18,386 spot checks. Yesterday we reported that GP clinics across the country are reporting a major drop in patient numbers due to the pandemic, either because of Covid-19 fears or problems transitioning to telehealth services.