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Coronavirus live news: cases climb in Victoria, Australia, amid record infections globally Coronavirus live news: cases climb in Victoria, Australia, amid record infections globally
(32 minutes later)
Record wave of infections globally with 284,196 new cases; France discourages travel to Catalonia region; South Africa shuts schools for a monthRecord wave of infections globally with 284,196 new cases; France discourages travel to Catalonia region; South Africa shuts schools for a month
Greg Hunt says there are 28 ADF teams on the ground in Melbourne assisting with contact tracing following up where health officials have not been able to contact someone who has tested positive.
The Australian health minister, Greg Hunt, held a press conference around the same time as the Victorian press conference (because that is what usually ends up happening).
In Australia, there are now 13,950 confirmed cases and 145 deaths.
He says there is a “global acceleration” in the pandemic.
He said in Victoria it is stable, but there are significant numbers.
He says there needs to be a week of sustained lowering of numbers before success can be declared.
Brett Sutton says even though the mask requirements allow for people to not wear a mask when they’re running, he says if you can manage it you should.
He says he does know people who can run marathons wearing a mask, but the exemption is there for people who can’t manage it.
That’s the end of the presser.
Daniel Andrews says he is confident that authorities will put a stop to scams where people are calling up claiming to be contact tracers and demanding payment for tests.
“I think that anytime people behave in that sort of completely immoral, unconscionable way, that is a challenge. I am confident that between health department, Consumer Affairs Victoria and potentially Victoria police, if that is appropriate, we can deal with that.
“No member of the contact tracing team is going to be asking for your credit card or your bank details.”
Andrews says those refusing to wear masks are making selfish choices.
“They are not even in the interests of the people themselves, because it will just mean these rules and this sort of conflict, which is completely unnecessary, by the way, but these rules will be in place longer if people continue to behave that way.”
There was a well-publicised case yesterday of a coronavirus conspiracy theorist getting past a roadblock to get out of Melbourne to regional Victoria. She posted the video online, and Andrews said she could be fined if the police find her.
“Victoria police have that matter in hand ... They are working hard to find that person. And that person will either have a lawful reason to be in regional Victoria or that person won’t, and if they don’t, then Victoria police, I am confident, will fine them.”
Daniel Andrews is asked whether, given the ADF infection, people can be confident the ADF won’t be spreading coronavirus as they go door to door.
Andrews says the main reason ADF officers will be knocking on your door is if you test positive for the virus and you haven’t answered a call from health officials, but says the healthcare worker infection rate shows just how infectious coronavirus is and all precautions were being taken.
“Even with the full PPE, layer upon layer, no PPE can reduce the risk to zero. But ADF are playing a really important part, and we are very grateful to them.”
Brett Sutton says health authorities are continuing to watch the situation in regional Victoria carefully, where the lockdown is not currently applied, but there isn’t the kind of community transmission that has been seen in Melbourne. Most of the transmission has been within families.
Brett Sutton says the current numbers are “pretty stubborn to shift” but we need to see the impact of universal mask usage in the next few weeks.Brett Sutton says the current numbers are “pretty stubborn to shift” but we need to see the impact of universal mask usage in the next few weeks.
He says a harder lockdown wouldn’t necessarily reduce numbers because the cases where outbreaks are occurring are the places that would remain open in a stage 4 - aged care, food distribution and production facilities and healthcare facilities. He says a harder lockdown wouldn’t necessarily reduce numbers because the cases where outbreaks are occurring are the places that would remain open in a stage-four scenario aged care, food distribution and production facilities and healthcare facilities.
He says it’s unlikely we will be opening up in the next two weeks, and cases won’t go to zero because the outbreaks are really difficult to manage.He says it’s unlikely we will be opening up in the next two weeks, and cases won’t go to zero because the outbreaks are really difficult to manage.
“This will have quite a tail, even if we see numbers start to drop in the next week or two.”“This will have quite a tail, even if we see numbers start to drop in the next week or two.”
Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton has outlined the known clusters and outbreaks:Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton has outlined the known clusters and outbreaks:
183 cases linked to Al Taqwa College.183 cases linked to Al Taqwa College.
74 cases linked to St Basil’s home for the aged in Fawkner74 cases linked to St Basil’s home for the aged in Fawkner
71 cases linked to Estia Health in Ardeer71 cases linked to Estia Health in Ardeer
60 cases linked to Menarock life aged care in Essendon60 cases linked to Menarock life aged care in Essendon
40 cases linked to SDR health in Heidelberg40 cases linked to SDR health in Heidelberg
49 cases linked to Glendale aged care in Werribee49 cases linked to Glendale aged care in Werribee
23 cases linked to Baptcare Wyndham Lodge in Werribee23 cases linked to Baptcare Wyndham Lodge in Werribee
22 cases linked to Regis Aged Care in Brighton22 cases linked to Regis Aged Care in Brighton
80 cases linked to Somerville retail services in Tottenham80 cases linked to Somerville retail services in Tottenham
45 cases now linked to the Australian lamb company in Colac.45 cases now linked to the Australian lamb company in Colac.
21 cases linked to the Woolworth distribution centre in Mulgrave21 cases linked to the Woolworth distribution centre in Mulgrave
10 cases linked to Star Track parcel distribution in Laverton10 cases linked to Star Track parcel distribution in Laverton
Seven cases linked to Bingo Recycling in West MelbourneSeven cases linked to Bingo Recycling in West Melbourne
Five cases linked to staff at a KFC in TruganinaFive cases linked to staff at a KFC in Truganina
Five cases have been linked to Probe Group in Melbourne’s CBDFive cases have been linked to Probe Group in Melbourne’s CBD
Two cases linked to D’orsonga Meats in Mechelen.Two cases linked to D’orsonga Meats in Mechelen.
Two cases that are associated with Alfred Health Grand Chancellor hotel in MelbourneTwo cases that are associated with Alfred Health Grand Chancellor hotel in Melbourne
One ADF officer who has tested positive who was supporting the Craigieburn testingOne ADF officer who has tested positive who was supporting the Craigieburn testing
Daniel Andrews says he is proud to see how many Victorians are wearing masks, now that it is mandatory.Daniel Andrews says he is proud to see how many Victorians are wearing masks, now that it is mandatory.
He said the mask edict was essentially stage-four restrictions.He said the mask edict was essentially stage-four restrictions.
“I cannot tell you how proud I was to travel in here this morning and see literally every single person on my journey into the office from the middle-ring suburbs in the south-east, wearing a mask,” he said. “It is just a fantastic thing.”“I cannot tell you how proud I was to travel in here this morning and see literally every single person on my journey into the office from the middle-ring suburbs in the south-east, wearing a mask,” he said. “It is just a fantastic thing.”
As foreshadowed yesterday, the Commonwealth government, with the Victorian government is acting to ensure casual staff in Aged care facilities aren’t working at more than one facility, Daniel Andrews announces.As foreshadowed yesterday, the Commonwealth government, with the Victorian government is acting to ensure casual staff in Aged care facilities aren’t working at more than one facility, Daniel Andrews announces.
The federal government is going to provide support for those workers who will be disadvantaged by the new policy.The federal government is going to provide support for those workers who will be disadvantaged by the new policy.
Andrews says all workers are now required to wear personal protective equipment, too.Andrews says all workers are now required to wear personal protective equipment, too.
There are currently 3,995 active cases across Victoria, including 313 healthcare workers and 538 in aged care settings.
The premier, Daniel Andrews, has announced 357 new cases of coronavirus have been detected in the past 24 hours.
37 are connected to known and contained outbreaks
320 are under investigation.
There have been five more deaths, bringing the total to 61 deaths in Victoria
Of those who died, there was a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 70s, a woman in her 80s, a woman in her 90s and a man in his 80s.
There are 229 Victorians in hospital and 42 of those are receiving intensive care.
A total of 20,313 tests came back on Friday.
There is a total of 7,744 cases in Victoria.
This is just slightly higher than the 300 cases reported on Friday, but lower than the 484 we saw on Wednesday.
Today marks six months since Australia recorded its first Covid-19 case.
Here is how the Guardian first reported those cases on 25 January.
Sorry, in case there is confusion around the four from New South Wales identified from the church services that weren’t included in the 15 total, it’s because they were identified this morning, and the NSW figures only go to 8pm last night.
Reuters reports South Korea reported 113 cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, the largest one-day increase since March, bring the country’s total to 14,092.
Of the new cases, 86 were imported and 27 were domestic infections.
South Korean health authorities on Friday said novel coronavirus infections among people arriving from abroad could drive the number of new cases on Friday to more than 100.
There are 15 new cases of coronavirus diagnosed in New South Wales as of 8pm on Friday night.
There were 30,535 tests in the period.
Of the 15 new cases:
Eight are associated with the Thai Rock restaurant cluster.
One case is under investigation.
Six are returned travellers in hotel quarantine
There are four more cases linked to a series of funeral gatherings and a church service attended by a Fairfield woman in her 40s.
The additional cases are a couple in their 60s from the North Coast, and a couple in their 50s and 60s from South Western Sydney.
Those who attended the following are urged to self-isolate immediately and get tested regardless of symptoms:
16 July St Brendan’s Catholic Church Bankstown for one hour from 6.30pm
17 July Ausia Funeral Services at Fairfield East between 1pm and 8pm
18 July Funeral service at St Brendan’s Catholic Church Bankstown for one hour from 10am
18 July Burial service at St John of God Lawn at Rookwood between 11.30-1pm
19 July Our Lady of Mt Carmel at Mt Pritchard for one hour from 7.30am
Here’s the latest from Saturday so far:
The United States recorded over 1,000 deaths for the fourth day in a row. It is the first four-day streak since early June.
Mexico reports 7,573 new cases. There were also 737 deaths, as the government warns the real number of infections is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases
The WHO reported the greatest single-day increase in global cases yet seen, with the total rising by 284,196 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report.
Spain have warned that a “second wave” of coronavirus may already be happening in the country. The health ministry is tracking more than 280 active outbreaks across the country. On Friday, it logged 922 new Covid-19 cases – slightly down from 971 over the previous 24 hours. María José Sierra, the deputy head of Spain’s centre for health emergencies, said: “It could already be a second wave”.
France is advising citizens not to travel to Catalonia amid rising coronavirus cases. Jean Castex, the French prime minister, also said the government would strengthen controls at the country’s borders to better control the pandemic. Nearly half of the 16,410 cases detected in Spain in the past fortnight were diagnosed in the north-eastern region.
Norway will reimpose a 10-day quarantine requirement for people arriving on Spain. As part of the new measures, effective from tomorrow, the government will also ease restrictions on people entering the country from Sweden.
Schools in South Africa have been closed for a month in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement came a day after researchers revealed that excess mortality data suggested South Africa’s Covid outbreak had contributed to substantially more deaths over a 10-week period from early May than official figures suggested.
A 103-year-old man has recovered from Covid-19 in a makeshift hospital in Pakistan. Aziz Abdul Alim, a resident of a village in the mountainous northern district of Chitral, was released last week from an emergency response centre after testing positive in early July.
Portugal has said the UK’s decision to persist with a quarantine regime for travellers from the country is not “backed by the facts”. Augusto Santos Silva, the foreign minister, made the comments after it was left off an updated list of countries exempt from the measures by the UK foreign office on Friday.
Mexico’s health ministry on Friday reported 7,573 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 737 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 378,285 cases and 42,645 total deaths, Reuters reports.
The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.
Reuters reports the US recorded over 1,000 deaths from Covid-19 for the fourth day in a row, for the first time since early June.
The New South Wales police also say two house parties with more than 20 people were given fines for breaching Covid-19 restrictions, and a 22-year-old woman with no fixed place of abode was arrested and refused bail for breaching Covid directions from the Victorian border.
There was also an event organised in Thredbo national park where a DJ was present, and up to 100 people, and those people will be fined, too.