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| Coronavirus Australia live update: all Victorian AFL teams to be based in Queensland as Victoria reports 238 new Covid-19 cases | Coronavirus Australia live update: all Victorian AFL teams to be based in Queensland as Victoria reports 238 new Covid-19 cases |
| (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. Follow the latest news and updates | 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 |
| Good afternoon and welcome to the ‘up late’ edition of the Guardian’s Covid-19 blog. | |
| If you’ve been following Calla Wahlquist’s excellent coverage today you’ll know where we’re at, but for everyone else let’s do a quick re-cap: | |
| Victoria recored 238 new cases of Covid-19 to 8pm last night. There are currently 105 people in hospital, up 20 from yesterday, and 27 in intensive care, up one from yesterday. A woman in her 90s died last night. | |
| The state’s police have issued some 500 fines for breaches of public health orders since last Wednesday. Deputy police commissioner Rick Nugent told media today that police were ‘finding people in cupboards’ and had fined people eating KFC and playing Pokémon. | |
| The AFL CEO, Gillon McLachlan, announced Victorian AFL teams will be based in Queensland for up to 10 weeks as the league scrambles to continue running in the face of the outbreak. | |
| There were 13 new cases in New South Wales, including 10 cases connected to the Crossroads Hotel, bringing the size of that cluster to 34. Genomic testing has linked that cluster to a man who travelled to the state from Victoria. | |
| The Northern Territory 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. | |
| This is where I leave you for the day, in the trustworthy hands of Michael McGowan. | |
| Stay safe, stay at home if you’re in Melbourne, and try not to hate Queensland too much for stealing the football and pretending they know what cold is. They’re only trying to help. | |
| This is where Victoria’s AFL players, Wags and support staff will be spending the next 10 weeks: | |
| It’s allegedly cold there today. | |
| A reminder that, excepting AFL players and others deemed to be providing an essential service, the penalty for Victorians trying to smuggle into Queensland is $4,003. | |
| There are currently 35 active cases of coronavirus in regional council areas outside of the areas covered under stage 3 restrictions. That is, not including the Mitchell shire. | |
| Of those, seven are in the Greater Geelong local government area. | |
| Some detail on the major outbreaks in Victoria. | |
| First, some 247 people living in public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington have tested positive to the virus. An additional 36 people have tested positive in the Carlton towers. | |
| The tower at 33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne remains under hard lockdown for another four days. | |
| Here are the other major outbreaks: | |
| 150 cases have been linked to Al-Taqwa College | |
| 33 cases have been linked to Somerville Retail Services in Tottenham | |
| 29 cases have been linked to Menarock Life Aged Care Facility in Essendon | |
| 21 cases linked to JBS abattoir in Brooklyn | |
| 12 cases linked to LaManna Supermarket, Essendon | |
| 9 cases linked to Embracia Moonee Valley aged care | |
| 5 cases linked to Steel Mains in Somerton | |
| 4 cases linked to Waste Equipment and Hiab Services, Ardeer | |
| 4 cases linked to TD Cabinets in Dandenong South | |
| 3 cases linked to Bell Collision Repair Centre in Preston | |
| 2 cases linked to St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner | |
| We’ve now got the details on the new Victorian cases. | We’ve now got the details on the new Victorian cases. |
| As reported earlier, Victoria recorded 238 new cases overnight. But due to 14 cases being removed due to duplication, there’s only a net increase of 224. (Still big.) | As reported earlier, Victoria recorded 238 new cases overnight. But due to 14 cases being removed due to duplication, there’s only a net increase of 224. (Still big.) |
| That brings the total number of cases in Victoria since 1 January to 4,448. Of those, 1,931 are currently active. | That brings the total number of cases in Victoria since 1 January to 4,448. Of those, 1,931 are currently active. |
| And 790 cases have been caused by community transmission – that’s up 38 from yesterday. | |
| There are currently 105 people in hospital, up 20 from yesterday, and 27 in intensive care, up one from yesterday. | There are currently 105 people in hospital, up 20 from yesterday, and 27 in intensive care, up one from yesterday. |
| To date, 27 people have died from the virus in Victoria, including a woman in her 90s who died overnight. Some 2,488 people have recovered. | To date, 27 people have died from the virus in Victoria, including a woman in her 90s who died overnight. Some 2,488 people have recovered. |
| The number of coronavirus cases in regional areas has increased by seven overnight. There are now 305 cases recorded in regional areas – although that’s a pandemic-long figure, I’ll bring you the figure on the number of active cases in regional areas shortly. | |
| Back to McLachlan. He says it’s likely some AFL games will be played in far north Queensland, including Cairns and Port Douglas. | Back to McLachlan. He says it’s likely some AFL games will be played in far north Queensland, including Cairns and Port Douglas. |
| He says basing the teams in Queensland also does not rule out games being played in the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Discussions with those governments are still ongoing. | He says basing the teams in Queensland also does not rule out games being played in the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Discussions with those governments are still ongoing. |
| The Australian Capital Territory has recorded no new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours. It still has five active cases. | The Australian Capital Territory has recorded no new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours. It still has five active cases. |
| McLachlan says if teams can return to Victoria before the end of 10 weeks, they will, but that will depend on the level of the virus in that state. | McLachlan says if teams can return to Victoria before the end of 10 weeks, they will, but that will depend on the level of the virus in that state. |
| He says basing everyone in Queensland will give the AFL more flexibility around setting up fixtures. | He says basing everyone in Queensland will give the AFL more flexibility around setting up fixtures. |
| He says there will be some criteria around who can go up with players as part of the families and partners. It sounds similar to the rules around bringing plus ones to a wedding. | He says there will be some criteria around who can go up with players as part of the families and partners. It sounds similar to the rules around bringing plus ones to a wedding. |
| McLachlan: | McLachlan: |
| He says he has not made a decision on where the AFL grand final will be held. This arrangement is just for the home and away season. | He says he has not made a decision on where the AFL grand final will be held. This arrangement is just for the home and away season. |
| The AFL CEO, Gillon McLachlan, says Victorian AFL teams will be based in Queensland for up to 10 weeks. | The AFL CEO, Gillon McLachlan, says Victorian AFL teams will be based in Queensland for up to 10 weeks. |
| This decision was foreshadowed by the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, earlier today. | This decision was foreshadowed by the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, earlier today. |
| McLachlan says the AFL will try to get the majority of the season finished in that 10 weeks, with the fixtures still being worked out. | McLachlan says the AFL will try to get the majority of the season finished in that 10 weeks, with the fixtures still being worked out. |
| He says teams based in Queensland will be able to travel interstate – obviously not to Victoria – to play and then travel back. | He says teams based in Queensland will be able to travel interstate – obviously not to Victoria – to play and then travel back. |
| Melbourne (the team), which is currently based in Sydney, will also be moved up to Queensland. | Melbourne (the team), which is currently based in Sydney, will also be moved up to Queensland. |
| McLachlan says they will set up a transition hub in Queensland for players who did not take the full playing list, and families who didn’t initially go up. All players, staff and family members will have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. | McLachlan says they will set up a transition hub in Queensland for players who did not take the full playing list, and families who didn’t initially go up. All players, staff and family members will have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. |
| He added: | He added: |
| Australia cannot afford to abandon the trading relationship with China but exporters are trying to “manage the reverberations” of current tensions and are looking to other markets, the Export Council of Australia (ECA) has told a parliamentary inquiry. | Australia cannot afford to abandon the trading relationship with China but exporters are trying to “manage the reverberations” of current tensions and are looking to other markets, the Export Council of Australia (ECA) has told a parliamentary inquiry. |
| Arnold Jorge, the executive director of an initiative known as ECA Edge, told the committee looking into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile he understood why observers had called for greater diversity, but noted that China’s economic size and growth meant it was “a market we cannot ignore”. | Arnold Jorge, the executive director of an initiative known as ECA Edge, told the committee looking into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile he understood why observers had called for greater diversity, but noted that China’s economic size and growth meant it was “a market we cannot ignore”. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Asked about the impacts of current international tensions on exporter members, Jorge said exporters trying to do business in Asia had reported that it was “very difficult to do business in this kind of environment”. | Asked about the impacts of current international tensions on exporter members, Jorge said exporters trying to do business in Asia had reported that it was “very difficult to do business in this kind of environment”. |
| Jorge suggested that in order to diversify and grow Australian exports, the government should focus on helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which may be “more flexible” and “agile” in shifting to new export markets. | Jorge suggested that in order to diversify and grow Australian exports, the government should focus on helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which may be “more flexible” and “agile” in shifting to new export markets. |
| Before we hear from the CEO of one football league, let’s quickly look at another. | Before we hear from the CEO of one football league, let’s quickly look at another. |
| The Football Federation of Australia says it still plans to play out its 2019-20 season in NSW, despite the coronavirus outbreak in Sydney’s south-western suburbs. | The Football Federation of Australia says it still plans to play out its 2019-20 season in NSW, despite the coronavirus outbreak in Sydney’s south-western suburbs. |
| It released a revised fixture today. All but one of the 27 matches and finals remaining in the season will be played in NSW. | It released a revised fixture today. All but one of the 27 matches and finals remaining in the season will be played in NSW. |
| More here: | More here: |
| Employer association Ai Group says the cost of pursuing an elimination strategy in the fight against the coronavirus would be “far greater than the extra benefits”. | Employer association Ai Group says the cost of pursuing an elimination strategy in the fight against the coronavirus would be “far greater than the extra benefits”. |
| The benefits of a successful elimination strategy – and that’s not a guaranteed outcome, though six Australian states and territories are effectively already there – would be an end to people getting sick and dying from Covid-19. | The benefits of a successful elimination strategy – and that’s not a guaranteed outcome, though six Australian states and territories are effectively already there – would be an end to people getting sick and dying from Covid-19. |
| The Ai Group chief executive, Innes Willox, says businesses will welcome comments from the prime minister, Scott Morrison, today, in which he argued against switching from a suppression strategy to an elimination strategy. | The Ai Group chief executive, Innes Willox, says businesses will welcome comments from the prime minister, Scott Morrison, today, in which he argued against switching from a suppression strategy to an elimination strategy. |
| Willox said in a statement: | Willox said in a statement: |
| The rate of imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the Northern Territory is 43 times the rate for non-Indigenous children. | The rate of imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the Northern Territory is 43 times the rate for non-Indigenous children. |
| Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are imprisoned at 17 times the rate of their non-Indigenous peers. | Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are imprisoned at 17 times the rate of their non-Indigenous peers. |
| The worst ratios are in Western Australia (21 times), South Australia (20 times) and Queensland (23 times), according to new statistics released by the Sentencing Advisory Council of Victoria. | The worst ratios are in Western Australia (21 times), South Australia (20 times) and Queensland (23 times), according to new statistics released by the Sentencing Advisory Council of Victoria. |
| “We have heard reports of Aboriginal children in out of home care as young as 12 years old being issued with fines for breaching social distancing orders,” the Change the Record co-chair, Cheryl Axleby, said. | “We have heard reports of Aboriginal children in out of home care as young as 12 years old being issued with fines for breaching social distancing orders,” the Change the Record co-chair, Cheryl Axleby, said. |
| “This kind of aggressive, punitive ‘tough on crime’ approach to our extremely young children is both absurd and deeply harmful.” | “This kind of aggressive, punitive ‘tough on crime’ approach to our extremely young children is both absurd and deeply harmful.” |
| Change the Record is the Aboriginal-led justice coalition including Amnesty International, the Law Council of Australia, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (Natsils) and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (Naccho), representing hundreds of services across Australia. | Change the Record is the Aboriginal-led justice coalition including Amnesty International, the Law Council of Australia, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (Natsils) and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (Naccho), representing hundreds of services across Australia. |
| “We are calling for every state and territory government to follow the unanimous medical recommendations of organisations like the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and raise the age of criminal responsibility from just 10 years old to at least 14 years old,” Axleby said. | “We are calling for every state and territory government to follow the unanimous medical recommendations of organisations like the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and raise the age of criminal responsibility from just 10 years old to at least 14 years old,” Axleby said. |
| “Australian governments are listening to the medical experts when it comes to Covid-19, they should listen to the experts when it comes to the health and safety of our kids too.” | “Australian governments are listening to the medical experts when it comes to Covid-19, they should listen to the experts when it comes to the health and safety of our kids too.” |
| Still in Queensland, the health minister, Steven Miles, says that 14 of the 18 Queenslanders who were tested for coronavirus after visiting the apparently ever-popular Crossroads hotel in south-west Sydney have now tested negative to the virus. | Still in Queensland, the health minister, Steven Miles, says that 14 of the 18 Queenslanders who were tested for coronavirus after visiting the apparently ever-popular Crossroads hotel in south-west Sydney have now tested negative to the virus. |
| The other four tests are pending. | The other four tests are pending. |
| Miles told AAP he expected that more people in Queensland would come forward as having been at the pub during the period of concern (3 July to 10 July) and he urged them to do so as soon as possible and get tested. | Miles told AAP he expected that more people in Queensland would come forward as having been at the pub during the period of concern (3 July to 10 July) and he urged them to do so as soon as possible and get tested. |
| AFL CEO Gil McLachlan will hold a press conference at 2pm. | AFL CEO Gil McLachlan will hold a press conference at 2pm. |