Latest updates
Have you recently tested positive for coronavirus?
Have you recently tested positive for coronavirus? Share your experience below.
Scientists urge WHO to consider possibility of airborne spread
More than 200 scientists from more than 30 countries are urging the World Health Organisation to take more seriously the possibility of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus as case numbers rise around the world.
In a forthcoming paper titled "It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19," 239 signatories attempt to raise awareness about what they say is growing evidence that the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, can spread indoors through aerosols that linger in the air and can be infectious even in smaller quantities than previously thought.
Until recently, most public health guidelines have focused on social distancing measures, regular hand-washing and precautions to avoid droplets. But the signatories to the paper say the full potential of the virus to spread via airborne transmission has not been fully appreciated even by public health institutions such as the WHO.
The paper, which was shared with the Washington Post ahead of publication this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, comes as the WHO faces criticism over its coronavirus response, calls for reform and a US threat to cut funding and withdraw completely.
The fact that scientists resorted to a paper to pressure the WHO is unusual, analysts said, and is likely to renew questions about the WHO's messaging.
The Washington Post
People in towers have not done anything wrong: Deputy CMO
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd has stressed people in tower blocks placed in lockdown in Melbourne on the weekend have not done anything wrong, saying the towers present a unique situation where there is a high risk of transmission.
"Many of the people in the towers, of course, have been doing exactly the right thing – as people have right across Australia – but the environment that they're living in is such that these measures are needed," he told Sunrise this morning.
Professor Kidd said the AHPPC was "very, very concerned" about the spread of the virus in the towers, given many of the residents are vulnerable people, and hoped it would remind all Australians that the virus is still a threat.
"I think that what's happening in Melbourne at the moment has come as a bit of a jolt to most people across the country," he said.
He said he was unable to comment on the likelihood of further lockdowns as they would be a matter for the Premier, but the strategy of mass testing and contact tracing is in place to prevent that from occurring.
Public housing residents told lockdown could last longer than five days
By Craig Butt
Residents in nine public housing towers in Melbourne fear they will be in lockdown for longer than the five days originally stated by Victoria's Premier, after receiving a health department document stating the measures may be in place for a fortnight.
About 3000 residents at nine tower blocks in Melbourne's inner-north cannot leave their homes, as Victoria's health department tries to stop a cluster of 27 coronavirus infections in the buildings from spreading.
A resident looks out their window while under lockdown in a North Melbourne housing tower on Sunday.Credit:Darrian Traynor
The restrictions are the strictest imposed in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic and residents cannot currently leave their homes, with police stationed in the buildings enforcing the lockdowns.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday that restrictions would be in place for "at least" five days, but a health department document handed out to residents has led to uncertainty the measures may be in place for a fortnight.
The "detention directions" document signed by the state's Deputy Health Officer lays out the lockdown measures and states residents will be detained for an initial detention period of 14 days and that anyone who refuses to be tested for coronavirus will be held for a further 10 days.
But the document notes that health authorities will review whether the measures are necessary once a day.
Pressure on states to reopen compromising COVID response: AMA President
A "competitive tension" between states to reopen their economies has compromised Australia's coronavirus recovery, Australian Medical Association President Tony Bartone has said.
"Anxiety to get back to pre-COVID normal behaviour has seen things like we saw on the weekend, [at] Queensland nightclubs when social distancing went right out the window," Dr Bartone said on ABC television this morning.
Dr Bartone said measures such as hand washing, keeping distance and staying home when feeling unwell were falling out of fashion.
"If we forget that and become complacent we will see what happened in Victoria happen in other parts of the country," he said, adding that he believes this is an "appropriate point" to stop easing restrictions and look at how the hotspot outbreaks are brought under control.
"We can't be in lockdown forever, absolutely not," he admitted. "But let's not have to go back in reverse and then absolutely run the risk of a second wave and all the unnecessary harm and damage it will do to the society as a whole here in Australia."
NSW Labor calls for border closure
NSW opposition leader Jodi McKay has called for the state's border with Victoria to be closed in light of an increase in coronavirus cases.
At present, NSW has instituted a travel ban on people from locked down Victorian postcodes, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she does not plan to extend this to a statewide ban.
"I am calling for [the Premier] to be prudent and take this step," Ms McKay tweeted this morning. "While we have confidence in the actions of the interstate authorities, our priority must always be the public health of NSW."
US cases soar in July
In the first four days of July alone, 15 US states have reported record increases in new cases of COVID-19, which has infected nearly 3 million Americans and killed as many as 130,000.
Florida's cases have risen by over 10,000 for three out of the last four days, including climbing by 10,059 on Sunday alone, surpassing the highest daily tally reported by any European country during the height of the outbreak there, Reuters reports.
Cases are also soaring in Arizona, California and Texas and trending upwards in Midwest states that once had infections declining, including Iowa, Ohio and Michigan.
In Texas alone, the number of COVID-19 patients currently hospitalised rose to a record 7890 on Saturday compared with 3247 just two weeks ago. The Democratic mayor of Austin, Texas warned during an interview with CNN that his city's hospitals could reach capacity in two weeks and run out of intensive care unit beds in 10 days.
'Very scared': Guest, workers raise alarm over Melbourne airport quarantine
By Chloe Booker and Paul Sakkal
Staff, a healthcare worker and a guest at a quarantine hotel at Melbourne's airport have raised concerns that some guards and staff are continuing to flout hygiene protocols.
The three, who were not aware of each other's complaints, raised similar concerns about the Holiday Inn, which is continuing to take bookings from members of the public.
The Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport.
Returned traveller Megan Clement, a journalist who had been living in France, said she had seen security guards and hotel staff without masks or gloves.
She said guards did not dispose of personal protection equipment correctly, raising an instance in which she said she was asked by an unmasked supervisor to put used equipment into a guard's hands rather than an infectious-waste bin.
Premier Daniel Andrews has ordered an inquiry into the bungled practices of private guards at quarantine hotels in May and early June, saying a significant number of the outbreaks in Melbourne’s north could be traced back to hotels.
Today's front pages
Now that you're caught up on the weekend, here is what is making news on the front pages of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age this morning.
We will be bringing you live updates throughout the day on the situation in Victoria, across the country and abroad. Stay with us.
Get our Morning & Evening Edition newsletters
What you missed on the weekend
Good morning, this is Mary Ward starting up our coronavirus live blog coverage this morning. It was quite a busy weekend as cases continued to be recorded in Victoria. These stories will bring you up to date:
Most Viewed in National
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMingFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zbWguY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWF1c3RyYWxpYS11cGRhdGVzLWxpdmUtZ2xvYmFsLWNvdmlkLTE5LWNhc2VzLXN1cnBhc3MtMTEtMy1taWxsaW9uLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1kZWF0aC10b2xsLWF0LTEwNC0yMDIwMDcwNi1wNTU5YTIuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5
2020-07-05 23:15:00Z
52780899588900
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Coronavirus updates LIVE: North Melbourne, Flemington public housing tower lockdown sparks backlash from residents as Victoria expects rise in COVID-19 cases - The Sydney Morning Herald"
Post a Comment