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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records nine deaths and 295 new cases with 19 in NSW – latest news | Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records nine deaths and 295 new cases with 19 in NSW – latest news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Schools and aged care homes closed after two women who returned to Brisbane from Melbourne test positive. Almost 20% of aged care facilities in Victoria affected as crisis deepens. Follow live | Schools and aged care homes closed after two women who returned to Brisbane from Melbourne test positive. Almost 20% of aged care facilities in Victoria affected as crisis deepens. Follow live |
| Some good news for NDIS participants that was announced by the minister, Stuart Robert, today. | |
| While much attention has rightly been paid to the 419 aged care staff in Victoria with Covid-19, it is important to note there are now 502 health care workers in the state, including doctors and nurses who have active cases of infection. That’s 81 more health workers than Tuesday. | |
| It comes at a time when residents from aged care are urgently being moved into the state’s private and public hospitals. | |
| The state government has been providing data on which aged care homes are affected including the number of residents and aged care staff with the virus. I have asked the office of the premier, health minister and the department of health for the same data relating to hospitals for weeks. They have not provided it. Health workers themselves want the data so they can better understand how the infections are occurring, and where. While some hospitals provide daily updates to staff, in other hospitals this information only goes to the executives. | |
| I just spoke to the president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Julian Rait, who is also struggling to get a hold of the data to keep his members informed. The Association represents registered medical practitioners and medical students of Australia. Rait told me: | |
| If you’re a health care worker in Victoria with information, feel free to contact me melissa.davey@theguardian.com. | |
| The Australian government says it will work with the US to help countries across the Indo-Pacific region respond to infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. | |
| While a lot of the initial media reporting of yesterday’s Ausmin talks in Washington focused on defence cooperation and policies towards China, the meeting also resulted in an agreement on health security. | |
| The Ausmin Global Health Security Statement says there “has never been a more vital time to strengthen global health security” because Covid-19 “is just one example of the rising trend of diseases caused by viruses that have jumped from animal hosts into the human population”: | |
| The allies want to strengthen public health emergency operations centres and conduct simulation exercises in countries including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. They are also planning to virtually co-convene a second Southeast Asia Health Security Donor Coordination Meeting later this year. | |
| They will explore ways “to collaboratively build Indo-Pacific partner capacity in biosecurity, biosafety, and bio-surveillance to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks caused by especially dangerous pathogens, through laboratory placements for participants from the Greater Mekong Subregion in Australian research institutions, as well as joint biosafety training”. | |
| In a press release issued this afternoon, Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said the allies would also “work with countries in the region to improve hygiene conditions, and mitigate zoonotic disease and pandemic risks associated with wildlife wet markets”. | |
| Nick Kyrgios is not letting this issue go. | |
| In case you don’t know what this is all about, see here: | |
| Hello to you all. A mighty thanks to Calla for her efforts today. | Hello to you all. A mighty thanks to Calla for her efforts today. |
| I’ll be with you into the evening. If you want to get in touch (either with a news tip, a thought, or because you’ve created some sort of Brett Sutton-related ephemera), send me an email at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or a note on Twitter @lukehgomes. | I’ll be with you into the evening. If you want to get in touch (either with a news tip, a thought, or because you’ve created some sort of Brett Sutton-related ephemera), send me an email at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or a note on Twitter @lukehgomes. |
| On that note I will leave you in the hands of Luke Henriques-Gomes who will take you through the afternoon. | On that note I will leave you in the hands of Luke Henriques-Gomes who will take you through the afternoon. |
| I’m torn between encouraging Melburnians in lockdown to channel their energy into making art, and advising against freaking out the Victorian chief health officer by buying a face mask featuring a (admittedly very good and locally drawn) illustration of his face. So just stay safe and try not to alarm any public health professionals. | I’m torn between encouraging Melburnians in lockdown to channel their energy into making art, and advising against freaking out the Victorian chief health officer by buying a face mask featuring a (admittedly very good and locally drawn) illustration of his face. So just stay safe and try not to alarm any public health professionals. |
| Victoria has recorded 1,431 cases of Covid-19 in the past seven days, according to the state’s department of health and human services. | Victoria has recorded 1,431 cases of Covid-19 in the past seven days, according to the state’s department of health and human services. |
| DHHS sent out the full list of cases so I want to run through some of the most significant numbers. | DHHS sent out the full list of cases so I want to run through some of the most significant numbers. |
| Firstly, as of today there are 4,839 active cases of Covid-19 in Victoria – that’s 1,431 more than last Wednesday, 22 July. | Firstly, as of today there are 4,839 active cases of Covid-19 in Victoria – that’s 1,431 more than last Wednesday, 22 July. |
| Forty-eight people have died in Victoria the past week after testing positive to Covid-19. Victoria has now recorded 92 deaths in people positive to Covid-19 since 1 January. | Forty-eight people have died in Victoria the past week after testing positive to Covid-19. Victoria has now recorded 92 deaths in people positive to Covid-19 since 1 January. |
| There are now 1,418 cases classified as indicating community transmission in Victoria, up 302 from this time last week. The state’s chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, said earlier that about 50 cases were being added to that list every day. | There are now 1,418 cases classified as indicating community transmission in Victoria, up 302 from this time last week. The state’s chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, said earlier that about 50 cases were being added to that list every day. |
| There are now 307 people with Covid-19 in hospital and 41 in intensive care, an increase of 102 people in hospital from this time last week. Premier Daniel Andrews said part of that increase is due to aged care residents being moved to hospital. | There are now 307 people with Covid-19 in hospital and 41 in intensive care, an increase of 102 people in hospital from this time last week. Premier Daniel Andrews said part of that increase is due to aged care residents being moved to hospital. |
| There are now 804 active cases associated with aged care outbreaks, up 421 from last week. And 315 more healthcare workers have tested positive to Covid-19 in the past week. As of today there are 502 active cases. | There are now 804 active cases associated with aged care outbreaks, up 421 from last week. And 315 more healthcare workers have tested positive to Covid-19 in the past week. As of today there are 502 active cases. |
| And in the past seven days Victoria has performed an additional 168,100 Covid-19 tests. As of today, 1.5m tests have been performed in Victoria since 1 January. | And in the past seven days Victoria has performed an additional 168,100 Covid-19 tests. As of today, 1.5m tests have been performed in Victoria since 1 January. |
| Hunt says that private aged care facilities have higher rates of infection than public, state-run aged care facilities in Victoria because most of the state-run facilities are located in regional Victoria, outside of hotspot areas. | Hunt says that private aged care facilities have higher rates of infection than public, state-run aged care facilities in Victoria because most of the state-run facilities are located in regional Victoria, outside of hotspot areas. |
| He repeated that the outbreaks in aged care in Victoria now are not the same as the outbreaks in Newmarch House in Sydney. | He repeated that the outbreaks in aged care in Victoria now are not the same as the outbreaks in Newmarch House in Sydney. |
| Aged care residents have made up 7% of all new coronavirus cases reported in Victoria since 1 July, and 5% since 1 April, Hunt said. | Aged care residents have made up 7% of all new coronavirus cases reported in Victoria since 1 July, and 5% since 1 April, Hunt said. |
| Again, you’ll recall that yesterday Hunt strongly linked the Victorian aged care crisis back to failures of the hotel quarantine regime, but today there is “no criticism” on offer. | Again, you’ll recall that yesterday Hunt strongly linked the Victorian aged care crisis back to failures of the hotel quarantine regime, but today there is “no criticism” on offer. |
| Asked why aged care wasn’t prepared, Hunt said “aged care around the country has been immensely prepared”. | Asked why aged care wasn’t prepared, Hunt said “aged care around the country has been immensely prepared”. |
| You may recall Hunt said yesterday that the outbreak was foreseeable but not preventable. | You may recall Hunt said yesterday that the outbreak was foreseeable but not preventable. |
| About 500 nurses and other healthcare workers have been pulled in to supplement the aged care workforce so far. McMillan said she was grateful for that work. | About 500 nurses and other healthcare workers have been pulled in to supplement the aged care workforce so far. McMillan said she was grateful for that work. |
| The chief nursing and midwifery officer Alison McMillan, who is the lead health advisor on the aged care response, urged aged care workers to use counselling and support services if needed. | The chief nursing and midwifery officer Alison McMillan, who is the lead health advisor on the aged care response, urged aged care workers to use counselling and support services if needed. |
| Buffone said managing workforce shortfalls was the biggest issue. | Buffone said managing workforce shortfalls was the biggest issue. |
| He added: | He added: |
| Joe Buffone, an emergency management expert who usually works in firefighting, is managing the aged care joint response centre in Melbourne. He says it is an “unprecedented and extremely complex and difficult situation”. | Joe Buffone, an emergency management expert who usually works in firefighting, is managing the aged care joint response centre in Melbourne. He says it is an “unprecedented and extremely complex and difficult situation”. |
| Buffone said the joint centre is looking at and prioritising aged care outbreaks to ensure that “decisions around disease control are directly linked to operational decisions to maintain the functionality of that facility, but still with the focus on the care and safety of those residents”. | Buffone said the joint centre is looking at and prioritising aged care outbreaks to ensure that “decisions around disease control are directly linked to operational decisions to maintain the functionality of that facility, but still with the focus on the care and safety of those residents”. |
| He said the centre is also focused on providing a rapid response”. | He said the centre is also focused on providing a rapid response”. |
| He said the first thing they have agreed is that the hospital system will “outreach into these facilities” – that’s moving hospital nurses in, as Andrews announced yesterday. | He said the first thing they have agreed is that the hospital system will “outreach into these facilities” – that’s moving hospital nurses in, as Andrews announced yesterday. |
| Ausmat teams will be used to “bolster our rapid intervention so that when we have these complex outbreaks that escalate quickly, we have the leadership team, the multidisciplinary team to help stabilise the situation, support the owner and operator of the facility, to make sure that the residents there are looked after”. | Ausmat teams will be used to “bolster our rapid intervention so that when we have these complex outbreaks that escalate quickly, we have the leadership team, the multidisciplinary team to help stabilise the situation, support the owner and operator of the facility, to make sure that the residents there are looked after”. |