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Australia coronavirus update latest: Queensland to relax some restrictions from Friday midnight – live news Australia coronavirus update latest: Western Australia and Queensland to relax some restrictions – live news
(32 minutes later)
Rescue flight from Argentina returns Australian and New Zealand travellers stranded in South America since the outbreak. Follow live WA easing will be effective tomorrow, while Queensland will ease some of its restrictions from midnight Friday. Follow live
NSW Health today released a report showing there has been very limited transmission of Covid-19 within the state’s schools.
McGowan says the easing of restrictions brings WA in line with South Australia’s current social distancing rules.
He stresses that all public playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gym equipment must remain closed.
“The changes announced today are sensible and reasonable and are designed to provide some relief all Western Australians,” McGowan says.
“They are low-risk but there with a high social benefit.”
More from McGowan on the easing of social distancing rules.
The WA premier Mark McGowan has announced the easing of social distancing restrictions, which will allow 10 people to gather indoors, as well as the resumption of non-contact recreational activities.
“Effective from tomorrow, that is Monday, April 27, based on health advice, indoor and outdoor non-work gatherings will be relaxed to allow up to 10 people maximum,” he said.
He said the resumption of non-contact recreational activities was for “activities like private picnics in the park, fishing, boating, hiking or camping”.
“I stress this must only occur in compliance with travel restrictions and a 10 person rule.”
The Greens have issued a statement on the government’s Covid-19 tracing app that will be introduced today.
AAP has also filed this guide to Queensland new social distancing rules, which will be eased from Friday.
WHEN: It starts 11.59pm Friday, so effectively people will be free to move around on Saturday onwards for recreational purposes.
HOW FAR CAN I TRAVEL?
Travel has been restricted to 50km from your place of residence to prevent mass movement of people between cities and towns.
ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES RELAXED?
Definitely not. Social distancing of 1.5m and hygiene must be maintained and if it’s not adhered to, stay-at-home restrictions could return.
All other rules on gatherings, including limitations on the number of people who can visit a household, remain in place.
CAN I CATCH UP WITH FRIENDS OR JUST FAMILY?
Only members of the same household are permitted to gather in public, so it’s not a chance to party in a park.
If you’re single, you may socialise with only one other person.
WHAT CAN I DO?
You’re allowed to go for a drive for up to 50km for your home
You’re permitted to ride a motorbike, jetski or even spend time on a boat for pleasure
Shopping for non-essential items is also allowed but it does not mean the business you are visiting will be allowed to open
You can have a picnic with a family or visit a national park but be mindful toilet facilities and day use areas will NOT be open
WHEN WILL THEY BE REVIEWED?
The Queensland government will review Covid-19 restrictions again in a fortnight.
AAP reports that another elderly man has died from coronavirus at the Mersey Community hospital in northern Tasmania, taking the state’s toll to 11.AAP reports that another elderly man has died from coronavirus at the Mersey Community hospital in northern Tasmania, taking the state’s toll to 11.
Ten of these deaths have occurred in the state’s north-west.Ten of these deaths have occurred in the state’s north-west.
Only NSW and Victoria have recorded more deaths from Covid-19 in Australia.Only NSW and Victoria have recorded more deaths from Covid-19 in Australia.
The health minister, Sarah Courtney, announced the death of the man in his 90s on Sunday, following the death of another man at the hospital on Saturday.The health minister, Sarah Courtney, announced the death of the man in his 90s on Sunday, following the death of another man at the hospital on Saturday.
She also confirmed a health worker at the Mersey hospital in the Covid-19 positive ward as the latest confirmed case. A total of 208 cases have now been confirmed, while 123 have recovered.She also confirmed a health worker at the Mersey hospital in the Covid-19 positive ward as the latest confirmed case. A total of 208 cases have now been confirmed, while 123 have recovered.
“I’d like to reassure other staff at that site that this gentleman has presented swiftly. He did only work within the Covid ward at that hospital,” she told reporters.“I’d like to reassure other staff at that site that this gentleman has presented swiftly. He did only work within the Covid ward at that hospital,” she told reporters.
I’m sure this comment wasn’t aimed at anyone.I’m sure this comment wasn’t aimed at anyone.
Thanks to Ben Smee for his work today. I’ll be with you into the evening. And yes, good call on the bleach.Thanks to Ben Smee for his work today. I’ll be with you into the evening. And yes, good call on the bleach.
And this is where I leave you.And this is where I leave you.
Luke Henriques-Gomes is going to take the blog from here.Luke Henriques-Gomes is going to take the blog from here.
Thanks very much for your time and, as always, please don’t consume any bleach.Thanks very much for your time and, as always, please don’t consume any bleach.
Of course if you’re Kerry Stokes, then you get to avoid hotel quarantine altogether.Of course if you’re Kerry Stokes, then you get to avoid hotel quarantine altogether.
My colleague, Matilda Boseley, has an update on a man who became seriously ill while in hotel quarantine in Perth.My colleague, Matilda Boseley, has an update on a man who became seriously ill while in hotel quarantine in Perth.
From Matilda:From Matilda:
The 71-year-old man who was placed in an induced coma after allegedly waiting up to nine hours for medical treatment in Perth hotel quarantine has begun the road to recovery. Ken Watson’s wife Kathleen said he was taken out of his coma a week ago and no longer requires a ventilator to breathe.The 71-year-old man who was placed in an induced coma after allegedly waiting up to nine hours for medical treatment in Perth hotel quarantine has begun the road to recovery. Ken Watson’s wife Kathleen said he was taken out of his coma a week ago and no longer requires a ventilator to breathe.
“They have got him off the oxygen, which is a really good step,” Kathleen said.“They have got him off the oxygen, which is a really good step,” Kathleen said.
“The next step is to get him to a rehabilitation centre somewhere in Perth … we are originally from the NSW central coast so he needs to get well enough to get on a plane and get home.”“The next step is to get him to a rehabilitation centre somewhere in Perth … we are originally from the NSW central coast so he needs to get well enough to get on a plane and get home.”
Kathleen was admitted to the hospital at the same time. She was released after a week and was returned to the hotel to complete her quarantine.Kathleen was admitted to the hospital at the same time. She was released after a week and was returned to the hotel to complete her quarantine.
Originally doctors suggested Ken may be in the coma for a number of months and were unsure if he would recover. You can read the Guardian’s full report on the story here.Originally doctors suggested Ken may be in the coma for a number of months and were unsure if he would recover. You can read the Guardian’s full report on the story here.
Peter Dutton is the minister for home affairs, which means he looks after things like, say, whether big cruise ships (with potentially hundreds of coronavirus cases) are allowed to dock.
He is not the minister for foreign affairs, which means he doesn’t really have a role in the business of geopolitical posturing.
And in completely unrelated news, here below is the latest yarn from AAP:
Home affairs minister Peter Dutton is standing firm on the need for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus in China, even as the Asian giant accused Australia of playing “political games”.
Foreign minister Marise Payne raised the idea of an international inquiry a week ago, calling for greater transparency on how Covid-19 originated and how it was subsequently handled.
“We want more transparency within the communist party of China in the way they have dealt with this virus issue,” Mr Dutton told Sky News on Sunday.
“If not just to understand how we can defeat this threat into the future when you have got these wildlife wet markets where the flu may have originated from.”
He said there needs to be reassurance globally this is not going to happen again in 12 months or two years time.
“We need a level of reassurance that’s not there at the moment,” he said.
But China has hit back, describing the independent review proposed by Australia as “political manoeuvring”.
“At such a critical juncture, it is highly irresponsible to resort to politically motivated suspicion and accusation,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement to various media outlets.
“We advise the Australian side to put aside ideological bias and political games, focus on the welfare of the Australian people and global public health security, follow the international community’s collective will for cooperation, and contribute to the global cooperation in fighting the virus, instead of doing things to the contrary.”
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant says the new death in NSW is an 82-year-old male resident of the Newmarch House aged care facility.
She also spoke about a worker at the Boddington aged care facility at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, who has been diagnosed with Covid-19.
Chant said:
Brad Hazzard says a medical practitioner at Nepean hospital is among the new cases in NSW.
And NSW health minister Brad Hazzard confirms there has been another death in NSW as well.
AAP reports that Victoria has recorded one new death from coronavirus overnight.
Health minister Jenny Mikakos says a man in his 90s died in hospital, bringing the state’s total deaths to 17.
The state’s total coronavirus cases now stand at 1,349, an increase of three since Saturday, one of which is a patient at a private psychiatric facility that has had a cluster of infections.
Currently in Victoria there are 21 people in hospital, including 10 patients in intensive care. A further 1,265 people have recovered and more than 101,000 tests have been completed.
The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, is up. He says there are eight new coronavirus cases in the state.
The inimitable Amy Remeikis reports this morning on the upcoming launch of the federal government’s coronavirus tracing app.
Kim Jong-un watch: The whole “where is Kim Jong-un?” thing is getting quite a bit of online traction.
In this report by Reuters, we learn that what is possibly the Korean supreme leader’s train has maybe been spotted at a resort town.
Remarkably, analysts looking at satellite photos think this because the train is parked at a “leadership station”, which is like the equivalent of an executive parking space, but for trains.
Does this mean he is on death’s door?
The short version: we don’t know.
“The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health but it does lend weight to reports that Kim is staying at an elite area on the country’s eastern coast,” the report by a North Korean monitoring project said.
Has to be stressed, the Queensland announcement doesn’t come into force until NEXT weekend.
So to be clear, don’t go shoe shopping until Saturday, May 2.
After that, you can head to your local Julius Marlow stockist.