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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 238 new Covid-19 cases and one death as NSW records 13 cases Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 238 new Covid-19 cases and Berejiklian considers ‘further restrictions’ for NSW
(32 minutes later)
Victorian premier announces death of woman in her 90s as 10 new NSW cases linked to Crossroads Hotel cluster in south-western Sydney suburb of Casula Victorian premier announces death of woman in her 90s as 10 new NSW cases linked to Crossroads Hotel cluster in south-western Sydney suburb of Casula. Follow the latest news and updates
Palaszczuk said she does not make “any apologies for delays at the borders”.
She says people were told about the border restrictions and knew there may be delays. She also thanked police and other emergency services staff working on those border checkpoints.
It’s currently 20C in Coolangatta.
Queenslanders, if you want to take the AFL from Victoria, you’ve got to take some of the weather. Better knock at least 5C off the top.
There are no new cases of Covid-19 in Queensland in the past 24-hours. Four cases remain active.
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, is talking in Brisbane now about that phone call she had with the chief executive of the AFL, Gillon McLachlan, about potentially moving some more Melbourne-based teams to Queensland.
The shape of that arrangement has not been announced, but she said it would mean “nearly all” of the Melbourne teams would be based in Queensland.
Palaszczuk said:
Sacrilege. She continues:
Just to stave off any cries of “backflip!”: Berejiklian said last night that she had ruled out returning NSW to lockdown at this stage. She did not say there would be no further restrictions.
Restriction =/= lockdown
Gladys Berejiklian has said NSW has to “consider further restrictions” by looking at how the Covid-19 has spread in Victoria.
Speaking at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event in Sydney on Wednesday to outline NSW’s Covid-19 economic recovery, Berejiklian also reaffirmed NSW would not pursue elimination of Covid-19 because it was “unrealistic” and would “hurt” the state’s economic “aspiration”.
On an elimination strategy, Berejiklian said:
She said the disease is “insidious” and sometimes it can be “bubbling away without detection”.
Berejiklian said NSW contributes 40% to 50% of the nation’s wealth, and says targeting elimination would “hurt our aspiration to at least have continuity” for businesses.
Other venues associated frequented by people in the Crossroads Hotel cluster are:Other venues associated frequented by people in the Crossroads Hotel cluster are:
Bankstown YMCA in Revesby,Bankstown YMCA in Revesby,
Woolworths in Bowral,Woolworths in Bowral,
Milky Lane in Parramatta,Milky Lane in Parramatta,
Bavarian Macarthur in Campbelltown,Bavarian Macarthur in Campbelltown,
Macarthur Tavern in Campbelltown,Macarthur Tavern in Campbelltown,
West Leagues Club in Campbelltown,West Leagues Club in Campbelltown,
Kmart in CasulaKmart in Casula
More details on the times of most concern for those venues here.More details on the times of most concern for those venues here.
And you can find the full list of all testing clinics in NSW here.And you can find the full list of all testing clinics in NSW here.
Let’s go back to the new NSW cases.Let’s go back to the new NSW cases.
Ten of the 13 cases reported today (figures from 8pm Monday to 8pm Tuesday) were connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster, and the remaining three were in hotel quarantine.Ten of the 13 cases reported today (figures from 8pm Monday to 8pm Tuesday) were connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster, and the remaining three were in hotel quarantine.
The new Crossroads cases are:The new Crossroads cases are:
31 year old male who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July31 year old male who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July
42 year old female who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July42 year old female who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July
27 year old female who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July27 year old female who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July
14 year old female close contact of Crossroads Hotel staff case14 year old female close contact of Crossroads Hotel staff case
27 year old male who attended Planet Fitness gym, Casula27 year old male who attended Planet Fitness gym, Casula
24 year old male who attended Planet Fitness gym, Casula24 year old male who attended Planet Fitness gym, Casula
53 year old male who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July53 year old male who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July
22 year old male tertiary case from Crossroads Hotel22 year old male tertiary case from Crossroads Hotel
33 year old female who is a close contact of a previously reported case in the Blue Mountains, who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July33 year old female who is a close contact of a previously reported case in the Blue Mountains, who attended Crossroads Hotel on 3 July
17 year old male tertiary case from Crossroads Hotel17 year old male tertiary case from Crossroads Hotel
There is also one other case, recorded after 8pm last night (so it will be added to tomorrow’s tally, we’ve figured out how it works now).There is also one other case, recorded after 8pm last night (so it will be added to tomorrow’s tally, we’ve figured out how it works now).
That case is a man in his 20s who is a close contact of a previously reported Crossroads Hotel case. That brings the number of cases in this cluster to 34.That case is a man in his 20s who is a close contact of a previously reported Crossroads Hotel case. That brings the number of cases in this cluster to 34.
So, you need to self isolate for 14 days even if you do not have symptoms, and get tested, if you attended the Crossroads Hotel from 3 to 10 July, and if you attended the Planet Fitness gym in Casula from 4 to 10 July.So, you need to self isolate for 14 days even if you do not have symptoms, and get tested, if you attended the Crossroads Hotel from 3 to 10 July, and if you attended the Planet Fitness gym in Casula from 4 to 10 July.
Guardian Australia understands that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has announced job cuts including 50 positions to go from Canberra, and 10 from eight international posts.Guardian Australia understands that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has announced job cuts including 50 positions to go from Canberra, and 10 from eight international posts.
The cuts are at the senior executive service, executive levels one and two, and Dfat will aim to achieve them through natural attrition with no redundancies.The cuts are at the senior executive service, executive levels one and two, and Dfat will aim to achieve them through natural attrition with no redundancies.
The Community Public Sector Union deputy national secretary, Beth Vincent-Pietsch, said:The Community Public Sector Union deputy national secretary, Beth Vincent-Pietsch, said:
Danny Hill, the general secretary of the Victorian Ambulance Union, has told ABC that six paramedics have tested positive to coronavirus and about 16 others have been identified as close contacts and are self-isolating.Danny Hill, the general secretary of the Victorian Ambulance Union, has told ABC that six paramedics have tested positive to coronavirus and about 16 others have been identified as close contacts and are self-isolating.
That’s why the Victorian government has arranged for ADF members to possibly pair up with paramedics, to ensure they can continue to staff ambulances.That’s why the Victorian government has arranged for ADF members to possibly pair up with paramedics, to ensure they can continue to staff ambulances.
Hill said that paramedics are exposed due to processes such as patient transfer, and said if the outbreak continues to grow as many as 40% of the paramedic taskforce in Victoria could be unable to work due to testing positive to Covid-19 or being quarantined as a close contact.Hill said that paramedics are exposed due to processes such as patient transfer, and said if the outbreak continues to grow as many as 40% of the paramedic taskforce in Victoria could be unable to work due to testing positive to Covid-19 or being quarantined as a close contact.
Finally, Hunt was asked about contact tracing downloads from the CovidSafe app.Finally, Hunt was asked about contact tracing downloads from the CovidSafe app.
He said 200 cases had been “identified” and that “in addition to that 300 downloads”.He said 200 cases had been “identified” and that “in addition to that 300 downloads”.
On aged care, Hunt said there were 32 aged care facilities in Victoria affected by coronavirus outbreaks.
Of those, eight facilities have residents who have tested positive to Coivd-19, and in the remaining 24 only staff have tested positive to date.
Hunt said Menarock Life aged care facility in Essendon was of “particular importance”.
He said there would be “full cohorting” of residents in the affected aged care facilities in Melbourne — which basically means the isolation of all positive cases and moving to hospital if necessary. Seventy-five hospital beds have been set aside for aged care residents.
Hunt said the federal government would provide additional military support to Victoria in the form of specialist logistics support.
I am not sure if this is part of the 1,000 ADF personnel already promised to Victoria, or an additional deployment.
Hunt said the team of logisticians would be headed by Commodore Mark Hill from the Australian Navy, which is a one-star equivalent rank, supported by a logistics specialist from the ADF. They will be helping with the contact tracing task.
Hunt said they will be in place in the next 24-hours.
He also said 1m Australians have now completed infection control training.
Health minister Greg Hunt is speaking to the media in Mount Martha in Victoria. He has brought his backdrop with him, which is probably because the pretty Mornington Peninsula backdrop would send the wrong message. (Mount Martha is in Hunt’s electorate.)
Hunt says he spoke to the acting chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, a short time ago about the situation in NSW, and Kelly said it was a “stable situation, and heartening that NSW has been able to confine the spread of cases to only those from the Crossroads”.
Hunt said:
He said the federal health department would provide 5,000 face masks to aged care homes in Western Sydney, identified as centres of most concern and most in need of the use of mandatory PPE.
Federal court judge John Middleton has warned administrators of Virgin Australia that they need to be “full and frank” with creditors to avoid putting the sale of the stricken airline at risk.
Middleton last week refused a request from some of the bondholders in Virgin, who in total are owed some $2bn, for access to a sale agreement the administrators, partners at accounting firm Deloitte, have struck with US private equity group Bain Capital.
The bondholders wanted to use the documents in a takeovers panel proceeding — which they have since dropped — and to help them prepare an alternative offer for Virgin Australia to be put before creditors at a meeting next month.
In written reasons handed down today, Middleton said creditors should be told about the Bain Capital proposal in a report that they are to be given before the meeting.
He said:
Gunner also told reporters that the ban on people travelling to the NT from Sydney would be reviewed in four weeks, but he will not make any promises on lifting it at that stage. It will depend on the NSW numbers.
Back to the Northern Territory briefly, where the chief minister, Michael Gunner was asked if he’s stressed out by all this.
“I’ve been stressed all the way through this,” says Gunner. “There is no exit plan... there is no manual for this. We don’t know if or when there will be a vaccine so we’re having to adjust ourselves to that reality. For me the stress has been constant and it’s going to stay constant. The best way I can serve you as your chief minister is to be stressed every day and worry about these things every day.”
He laughs a little. “I will maintain a high level of anxiety all the way through this.”
He says the excision of some areas gives him “some degree of comfort” but what is causing the most anxiety is the possibility of people getting complacent.Gunner said hard borders “only reduce the risk”.
“I have got a permanent concern that it’s not if but when coronavirus gets here.”
He says what stops it becoming a superspreader is how Territorians behave with hygiene, social distancing, and sticking “in your bubble”.
“We’ve got to maintain this level of excellence for a very long time”.
A few more details on those fines issued by Victoria Police to people allegedly breaching Melbourne’s stage three stay-at-home orders.
Police say that 63 fines were issued in the past 24 hours, 21 of which were issued at vehicle checkpoints.
Since the restrictions were introduced at midnight last Wednesday, police have issued 546 fines, of which 151 were issued at vehicle checkpoints. They’ve checked 85,886 vehicles at main arterial roads out of Melbourne, and 16,046 spot checks in peoples homes within greater Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire.
Fines issued last night include:
Ten people who were drinking while sitting on stoles around a gas fire, set up in the driveway and across the footpath. They reportedly told police that they thought if they remained 1.5m apart it would be ok.
Four people who lived in different suburbs — including Cranbourne, Collingwood, and Cranbourne North — who were found at a home in Alphington, and told police they were all their to charge their phone.
Six people attending a party in Collingwood.
Five people who gathered at a home in Box Hill to celebrate a friend’s graduation.
The Northern Territory has announced it will keep its borders closed to all of Sydney, as well as to Victoria, when it allows domestic travel to resume on Friday.
Borders are due to lift to other states on Friday.
But the NT’s chief minister, Michael Gunner, told reporters in Darwin a short time ago that anyone entering the Territory from Victoria or greater Sydney — all 30 local governments in the broad metro area — will still have to complete a full 14-days of quarantine.
Gunner said the hard borders would remain in place “indefinitely” and other hotspots would be declared when necessary.
Police will direct people to quarantine if they are from hotspot areas, Gunner said.
Here is some more detail on that potential shift of AFL clubs to Queensland:
Final few comments from Victoria.
Sutton said the most important thing people could do to minimise their risk was to minimise face-to-face interactions with other people.
He was asked about people needing to support a family member in palliative care, and said that palliative care had always been an exemption to the lockdown rule. It’s a risk, but the risks have to be weighed.