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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 270 new Covid-19 cases and NSW 13 cases Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 270 new Covid-19 cases and NSW 13 cases
(32 minutes later)
South Australia to keep border closed to NSW as Queensland introduces quarantine rule for parts of Sydney. Follow liveSouth Australia to keep border closed to NSW as Queensland introduces quarantine rule for parts of Sydney. Follow live
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is speaking now in Sydney. He starts by talking about the Palace Letters. Which, again, you can read all about here.
Australia’s barley industry feels it may have borne the brunt of “a fracture” in the relationship with China, representatives of GrainGrowers have told a parliamentary inquiry.
David McKeon, chief executive officer of the industry body, told an inquiry into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile that China’s decision to impose steep tariffs on barley from Australia in May had effectively put a $1.5bn market “out of reach overnight for Australian farmers and exporters”.
Brett Hosking, the chair of GrainGrowers who gave evidence during the same session today, said the allegations about subsidies and “dumping” of products were unfounded. He told the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth:
Hosking said the industry was working with Chinese authorities in a bid to resolve the current dispute over barley, but added:
Back to South Australia. Where, as we mentioned very briefly earlier, premier Steven Marshall has announced that they will not reopen their border to NSW and the ACT because of concerns about the rise in coronavirus cases from community transmission in Sydney.
From AAP:
This has become a rolling announcement.
The producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which should be halfway through its second year at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, have announced they have suspended production for a further five weeks in line with the Melbourne stage three lockdown.
That pushes performances out, again, until at least 13 September. They said:
While all that was happening, the Australian Rugby League Commission called an urgent meeting to see if the NRL should be moved to Queensland for the rest of the season, to stave off another mid-season halt.
It comes as Queensland announced new quarantine requirements for travellers from the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwest Sydney.
More on that here:
One final thing: one of the clusters Sutton mentioned was connected to a private hospital. We were a bit confused about which hospital, but Melissa Davey has clarified it was the Brunswick Private Hospital.
There are now 14 cases linked to that hospital — last week it was only five.
Sutton said Victoria was currently on the “wrong side of the curve” to be talking about the possibility of pursuing an elimination strategy, but should consider it in future.
It’s interesting, when you cut so quickly between a Victorian and NSW press conference, to see the difference in the way they talk about suppression versus elimination. Berejiklian sounded very comfortable with a suppression strategy. Sutton does not.
He said:
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews repeated that further restrictions could be imposed if case numbers continue to rise.
Ok let’s go back to Victoria now. We missed the second half of that press conference by jumping to NSW.
The Victorian chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, was asked if Victoria was now recording a higher positivity rate in its coronavirus tests. He says that they may be getting a higher positivity rate, but that’s because testing was focused on the areas of the highest risk.
The question was prompted by Victoria doing fewer test this week than the peak of 37,000 tests per day last week.
Says Sutton:
He said they were also encouraging people in regional areas to get tested, if they have any symptoms.
I just spoke to someone from NSW Health to clarify those new coronavirus figures, and was told they would put out a statement shortly. So we’ll bring you that information as soon as we have it.I just spoke to someone from NSW Health to clarify those new coronavirus figures, and was told they would put out a statement shortly. So we’ll bring you that information as soon as we have it.
Berejiklian praises the person who first linked back the two disconnected cases, reported last week, to the Crossroads Hotel.Berejiklian praises the person who first linked back the two disconnected cases, reported last week, to the Crossroads Hotel.
Berejiklian is asked if these new restrictions on pubs essentially mean that the previous restrictions were not tight enough.Berejiklian is asked if these new restrictions on pubs essentially mean that the previous restrictions were not tight enough.
She says that’s not what it means, but then repeats that it’s “highly likely” that NSW has been exposed to underlying community transmission for some weeks.She says that’s not what it means, but then repeats that it’s “highly likely” that NSW has been exposed to underlying community transmission for some weeks.
She said this level of community transmission was “a new phenomenon for our continent”.She said this level of community transmission was “a new phenomenon for our continent”.
The new rules for pubs in NSW will come into force this week.The new rules for pubs in NSW will come into force this week.
As of midnight on Thursday night, ever pub in NSW must download a Covid-safe plan and register with Service NSW. As of midnight on Thursday night, every pub in NSW must download a Covid-safe plan and register with Service NSW.
NSW has recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus to 8pm last night. Of those, two are returned travellers in hotel quarantine, and one is a known close contact of a previous overseas case who was isolated prior to becoming infectious.NSW has recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus to 8pm last night. Of those, two are returned travellers in hotel quarantine, and one is a known close contact of a previous overseas case who was isolated prior to becoming infectious.
Ten other cases are connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster. Three attended the venue, and the remaining seven are close contacts.Ten other cases are connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster. Three attended the venue, and the remaining seven are close contacts.
That brings the number of cases associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster to 28, NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said. She’s describing these numbers in a slightly confusing way – they’ve changed the standard reporting period.That brings the number of cases associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster to 28, NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said. She’s describing these numbers in a slightly confusing way – they’ve changed the standard reporting period.
Anyway. The new cases are:Anyway. The new cases are:
A 40-year-old south-western Sydney woman, who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;A 40-year-old south-western Sydney woman, who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;
A 50-year-old Melbourne man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;A 50-year-old Melbourne man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;
A 30-year-old south-western Sydney man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;A 30-year-old south-western Sydney man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;
A 20-year-old south-western Sydney woman who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;A 20-year-old south-western Sydney woman who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July;
A south-western Sydney child, who is a contact of a hotel case;A south-western Sydney child, who is a contact of a hotel case;
A south-western Sydney teenager, who is a contact of a hotel case;A south-western Sydney teenager, who is a contact of a hotel case;
An 80-year-old south-western Sydney man who is a contact of a hotel case;An 80-year-old south-western Sydney man who is a contact of a hotel case;
A 20-year-old south-western Sydney man who is currently being interviewed by contact-tracing experts.A 20-year-old south-western Sydney man who is currently being interviewed by contact-tracing experts.
Says Chant:Says Chant:
She has again urged anyone who visited the hotel between 3 and 10 July to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible.She has again urged anyone who visited the hotel between 3 and 10 July to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible.
Says Berejiklian:Says Berejiklian:
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is addressing the media now. She is stressing that indoor activity where people aren’t seated is a huge risk for the spread of coronavirus.
She is announcing those previously foreshadowed changes to hospitality in NSW.
They include:
A cap of 300 patrons.
Venues with a capacity of of more than 250 people to have a full-time marshal to enforce the coronavirus safety plan.
A coronavirus safety monitor smaller capacity venues during peak times.
Making it mandatory for hotels and pubs to take every customer’s contact details.
These measures were put forward by the Australian Hotels Association, Berejiklian says.
She says it’s a good example of industry taking the initiative.
This was expected. South Australia will not open its border with NSW.
On the outbreaks in aged care, Sutton says that some residents have been transferred out of Menarock aged care but it is not always appropriate that aged care residents be transferred to hospital.
I skipped over this earlier, but one of the agreements struck around the use of ADF members in Victoria will be to make many ambulances in Victoria a shared crew, with an ADF member partnered with a paramedic.
Andrews says it is “a bit novel”.
Here’s a run-through of some of the the biggest outbreaks in Melbourne.
Al Tarqua College — 147 cases.
Menarock Life aged care facility in Essendon — 28 cases.
Riverina Apartments in Footscray — nine cases
Somerville retail services — 14 cases
Victoria’s chief health officer, Prof. Brett Sutton, said he is expecting that “a couple of hundred individuals at least” will be hospitalised in Victoria after testing positive to Covid-19, over the next few weeks.
There are currently 26 patients in intensive care in Victoria, an increase of nine from yesterday. Twenty-one are on ventilators. There are 81 people in hospital with coronavirus in Victoria.
Sutton says there are now 1,800 active cases of coronavirus in Victoria, and that usually 10-15% of coronavirus cases will require hospitalisation.
He urged GPs to refer patients who may need more intensive treatment early.
Andrews said he and prime minister Scott Morrison would issue a statement later today announcing a standing capacity of ADF members in Victoria to help with the coronavirus effort.
That standing capacity will be around 335 members, which is the number of ADF members already working in Victoria. The 1,000 ADF members announced yesterday are in addition to that standing capacity.
Andrews said:
Andrews said the tasks the additional 1,000 ADF members would be doing, includeing providing surge capacity at the state control centre; logistics and planning; delivering meals to people in public housing towers; helping police monitor exits to the Melbourne and Mitchell Shire lockdown area.
On contact tracing, Andrews said that about 200 staff from Ambulance Victoria who are not able to be on the road, including graduates, are now helping the public health team with contact tracing.
They are off-roster paramedics, people who who would not be on the road anyway so it’s not taking away from the number of paramedics available to be on the road.
Andrews said the Victorian government was still working on partnerships with the private sector, including bringing across staff from Medibank, Telstra, Qantas and Jetstar to work on the call-centre elements of the contact tracing and public health effort.
The total number of coronavirus cases reported in Victoria now stands at 4,224, premier Daniel Andrews says.
Some 21,995 tests were conducted yesterday, and 1,170,352 since 1 January.
Andrews has again encouraged anyone with even mild symptoms to get tested.
Of the 270 new cases reported overnight, 28 are connected to known “and contained” outbreaks, whatever that means, and the remaining 242 are under investigation.
Victoria has recorded 270 new cases of coronavirus, which brings the national total to about 10,250.