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Australia coronavirus live update: Victoria to begin easing Covid-19 restrictions as 17th death reported at Sydney's Newmarch House – latest news Australia coronavirus live update: Victoria to begin easing Covid-19 restrictions as 17th death reported at Sydney's Newmarch House – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Another Newmarch resident dies after testing negative, while Victorian plan to lift lockdown rules announced and PM says he doesn’t see China decision on barley tariffs as retribution. Follow the latest updates, liveAnother Newmarch resident dies after testing negative, while Victorian plan to lift lockdown rules announced and PM says he doesn’t see China decision on barley tariffs as retribution. Follow the latest updates, live
There are 49 people in hospital from Covid-19, 16 of whom are in intensive care, and 14 people on ventilators.
6,179 people have recovered from Covid-19, Kidd says. And Australia has conducted over 855,000 tests in total.
Kidd is asked whether the start of cold weather in Australia could increase transmission rates.
He says the limits on indoor gatherings are crucial during winter.
“We don’t understand exactly what the impact of the weather has on transmission rates for Covid-19,” he says. “Clearly, as the weather gets colder, people tend to crowd more, we may get more crowding on public transport, or inside, in venues.
“The mechanisms put in place to maintain physical distancing, to reduce the number of people to 4 sq metres in each venue, are incredibly important.”
There are now 5.5 million registered people on the Covidsafe app, Kidd says. He adds that it is now fully “operational and working”.
However, the contact-tracing departments of the states and territories have only just completed their training with it, and they won’t be able to use that data for a few days.
“It is operational and working so if you have it on your phone, it will be recording the details of people you have been in close contact with, encrypting those details and storing them on your phone,” he says.
“The national cabinet on Friday agreed to national protocols for the use of the information being stored on the app, and training by disease detectives in each of the states and territories, has been completed today.
“And we hope it will therefore start to be used by disease detectives over the next day or two across the country.”
The deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd has issued a strong warning as states ease restrictions and people gradually start congregating more.
“We have very serious risks if overcrowding starts to occur,” he says. “Covid-19 is still out there in our country.
“This is not a time to become complacent,” he says. “Each of us needs to continue our strong commitment to maintaining physical distancing of 1.5m from other people whenever we are outside of our homes, and that means avoiding crowds whenever possible.
“If you see a crowd, please go in the other direction.”
He adds: “Going into to a crowded workplace at this time would not be sensible”
The deputy chief medical officer, Michael Kidd, is now providing the daily coronavirus update.
There have been no new cases in the ACT, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia, or Tasmania.
And you may have seen earlier today – and last week – my dispatches from the NSW special inquiry into the Ruby Princess cruise ship.
The inquiry wrapped up its sixth day of public hearings today. There will be more hearings and witnesses at some point in the future, but commissioner Bret Walker SC did not specify when. The next hearing dates will be put up on the website when they are ready, he said.
Over the past six hearings, spread over multiple weeks, we’ve heard evidence from the ship’s senior doctor on board, a NSW Health senior epidemiologist, the duty harbourmaster, the acting CEO of the NSW Port Authority, two paramedics, the Ruby Princess’s port agent, and a senior manager of Carnival Australia, who are the operators of the virus-hit ship.
The inquiry must complete its final report by 14 August.
Hi everyone, it’s Naaman Zhou here. Thanks to Amy Remeikis for her incredible work, as always.Hi everyone, it’s Naaman Zhou here. Thanks to Amy Remeikis for her incredible work, as always.
Queensland’s new cabinet has just been sworn in, after the sudden resignation of deputy premier and treasurer Jackie Trad.Queensland’s new cabinet has just been sworn in, after the sudden resignation of deputy premier and treasurer Jackie Trad.
The ministers assembled at government house today with an appropriate 1.5 metre gap for the official photo, AAP reports.The ministers assembled at government house today with an appropriate 1.5 metre gap for the official photo, AAP reports.
One of the betting agencies is so desperate for punts, it is now taking bets on how often the prime minister will say “Australians” in his press conference.One of the betting agencies is so desperate for punts, it is now taking bets on how often the prime minister will say “Australians” in his press conference.
Moving on.Moving on.
That’s me done for the day – thank you so much for joining me. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with Covid and parliament in the one blog, so make sure you have your coffee ready for that.That’s me done for the day – thank you so much for joining me. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with Covid and parliament in the one blog, so make sure you have your coffee ready for that.
I’ll leave you with the wonderful Naaman Zhou for the next part of the day. Thanks again – and take care of you.I’ll leave you with the wonderful Naaman Zhou for the next part of the day. Thanks again – and take care of you.
The deputy chief medical officer, Prof Michael Kidd, will give today’s national update.The deputy chief medical officer, Prof Michael Kidd, will give today’s national update.
It won’t include the death of the Newmarch House resident because that person (we don’t know gender or age) had tested negative for Covid before they died, which would have put them in the “recovered” cases.It won’t include the death of the Newmarch House resident because that person (we don’t know gender or age) had tested negative for Covid before they died, which would have put them in the “recovered” cases.
Exhibit A:Exhibit A:
(And no, it is not lost on me that the network that made Evans a household name in a lot of households is now all whhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa....????)(And no, it is not lost on me that the network that made Evans a household name in a lot of households is now all whhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa....????)
That a health authority has to not only make this post, but have all the (zoom) meetings, sending up the chain requests, consult with departments and bother a scientist who is probably pretty busy doing things that actually matter, says everything about what has gone quite stupidly wrong in this country:That a health authority has to not only make this post, but have all the (zoom) meetings, sending up the chain requests, consult with departments and bother a scientist who is probably pretty busy doing things that actually matter, says everything about what has gone quite stupidly wrong in this country:
Paul Karp has the latest on the sports rorts saga – new evidence has emerged about five representations from the PMO.Paul Karp has the latest on the sports rorts saga – new evidence has emerged about five representations from the PMO.
Jacinda Ardern continued:Jacinda Ardern continued:
Jacinda Ardern says the NZ cabinet has met and agreed to relax restrictions even further:Jacinda Ardern says the NZ cabinet has met and agreed to relax restrictions even further:
Jacinda Ardern says that as of today, New Zealand has just 90 active cases of Covid-19, with two people in hospital, and believes it is on track to eradicate the virus from its shores.
But she still wants to step up testing.
Wyd? (Via AAP):
Locked down in his New York home, world famous artist Spencer Tunick battled depression while contemplating all the goals he set for an isolation period amid a global pandemic.
The possibility of creating one of his large-scale, iconic nude shoots at a landmark like the Sydney Opera House was out of the question.
But during a time when everyone is communicating via video chats, he decided to invite people around the world to help create a naked mosaic titled Stay Apart Together, to highlight “human connection in the virtual world”.
Up to 100 volunteers will be directed to pose online as the artist composes an image where different nude bodies in their own personal space will create an image “similar to a window in a church”.
Australians are among the first to be offered a spot in the artist’s creation and anybody selected for the communal artwork will also feature in an Australian-only canvas.
Tunick told AAP:
Living in one of the worst-hit regions in the US, Tunick has experienced the struggle of coronavirus firsthand, tending to a family member who lives nearby as they recovered from coronavirus.
The artistic endeavour has helped Tunick get through lockdown and he believes it can help those amateur models willing to participate.
*Ian Malcolm Jurassic Park voice* Life will find a way.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, has responded to reports of revamping jobkeeper.
He said:
The federal government has released its Covidsafe tool for businesses.
You can find that here.
Well, the cruise industry apparently thinks it is all steam ahead.
Oceania Cruises has launched its “ultimate sale” – “featuring major price reductions with fares starting as low as $2,220 per guest for inside staterooms and $2,930 per guest for veranda staterooms”.
(This is not a parody.)
The ABC is reporting a version of Super Rugby will recommence as an Australian-only competition comprising five teams, including the Western Force.
The Perth-based Force were considered surplus to requirements in 2017 when they were axed from the competition. They have since been playing in Global Rapid Rugby and the National Rugby Championship.
The Force will join the Queensland Reds, ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels in a new-look competition that will reportedly be back up and running by July at the earliest.
Global travel restrictions have put paid to the inclusion of the South African cohort of teams, along with Argentina’s Jaguares and Japan’s Sunwolves. New Zealand has already announced its plans for a local-only competition, “Super Rugby Aotearoa”.
The 2020 Super Rugby season was suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak in mid-March, after just seven rounds of play had been completed.
The ACT has recorded no new cases, meaning it stays (active) Covid-case free.
The aged care provider has released this statement:
That is the 17th person to die in the facility, having been diagnosed with Covid-19, and the second to have passed after recovering from the virus to the point they tested negative in the days before their death.
Labor’s industrial relations spokesman, Tony Burke, has left the door open to reforming the $130bn jobkeeper wage subsidy – if the proceeds were redirected to workers who missed out.
At issue is the fact that some employees who normally earn less than $1,500 a fortnight actually earn more than their usual wages through the subsidy, while others such as shorter-term casuals with less than 12 months service miss out.
Burke told Guardian Australia:
I don’t imagine Labor would support cutting short the six-month term, but there does appear to be some flexibility on ensuring it is better targeted.