Summary
- National cabinet will meet today, with border closures, a nationally agreed upon definition of a hotspot, and an agricultural code which will see seasonal workers able to travel across state lines all on the agenda.
- Victoria has recorded 81 new coronavirus cases on Friday. The state's death toll increased by 59, including 50 aged care deaths which occurred in July and August, pushing the national toll to 737.
- Attendees at a Sydney gym have been directed to self-isolate, as NSW recorded nine new community cases on Thursday. After aged care visits in the Sydney area were restricted, an announcement easing the rules before Father's Day is expected to be announced today.
- Victoria's inquiry into hotel quarantine is sitting again today, with a police officer who worked in the system as well as government officials due to give evidence.
- There have now been 26.1 million coronavirus cases worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. The global death toll has passed 864,000.
Latest updates
Australia's death toll passes 700
Australia's death toll has sadly passed 700 cases, with the announcement of 59 new Victorian deaths, 50 of which occurred in July and August.
There have now been 737 deaths from coronavirus in Australia. Australia hit 100 deaths on May 19, and 200 deaths on August 1.
Since then, the figures have climbed, almost exclusively in Victoria (NSW recorded three deaths in August).
There were 300 deaths by August 10, 400 by August 19, 500 by August 22 and 600 at the start of this week.
However, many of the deaths which were reported in Victoria this week did not occur during the daily reporting period, as the federal government and Victorian health authorities work to reconcile their data sets, adding large numbers of aged care deaths previously not included in the Victorian numbers to the state's total.
Border bubble expands to include NSW town for school holidays
By Toby Crockford
The northern NSW town of Moree will be added to the Queensland-NSW border bubble, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.
"We've had some concerns about borders going to Moree and of course we want to make sure that we are putting the best interests of these young people front and centre," she told reporters on Friday.
"And that is why we will be adding Moree to our travel bubble. This is going to be great news for those families to ensure that they can be home for school holidays."
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said she had spoken to NSW health officials and was confident including Moree in the bubble posed no risk to Queenslanders' health.
In addition, the Queensland border town of Mundingi lost its only supermarket in a devastating fire on Tuesday night that also destroyed a butcher shop and clothing shop.
One of the closest alternative supermarkets for the Mundingi community is in Moree, about 120 kilometres south-east, which Dr Young mentioned in her justification for including Moree in the border bubble.
Victoria records 81 new cases, death toll increases by 59
Victoria has recorded 81 new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour reporting period.
The state also added 59 deaths to its toll. However, that figure included 50 people in aged care who passed away during July and August.
These additional death figures have been coming in all week, after the federal government requested data held by the aged care sector and state public health authorities was reconciled.
No new cases in Queensland
By Lydia Lynch
Queensland has detected no new cases of COVID-19 for the first time in 10 days.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the result was “excellent news”.
“Well done Queensland,” she told reporters on Friday.
The zero days comes as a new unit is launched in Queensland on Friday to streamline border exemption requests from New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT.
The team of eight will be staffed by nurses, doctors, paramedics and a social worker and will man a 24 hour hotline.
WATCH: Queensland Premier gives a coronavirus update
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is due to give a coronavirus update at 9am.
Australians want more overseas COVID funding to avoid second wave
By Anthony Galloway
A majority of Australians want the government to increase funding to developing nations to help fight coronavirus and avoid a second deadly wave sweeping the world.
There is growing concern that large outbreaks of COVID-19 in developing nations including Indonesia and the Philippines will hamper the ability of the region to recover from the pandemic.
Australia wants to help Indonesia recover from the pandemic.Credit:Getty Images
A survey of 1056 Australians last month by pollster YouGov shows 61 per cent believe the government should increase its humanitarian and development funding to combat COVID-19, while 82 per cent agree life won't return to normal unless the virus is controlled in all parts of the world. Similar results were recorded in Canada, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Senior sources within the Australian government have confirmed work is under way on an aid proposal focusing on South-East Asia that would include funding to fight coronavirus and recover from the pandemic. The plan, which has not been finalised, follows criticism from some aid groups that the government's Pacific "step-up" has come at the expense of South-East Asia.
Queensland Premier to address the media at 9am
(Oh, and we are also all stranded here)
Just on that last post, it should be noted that yesterday Parliament passed an extension to the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020, the piece of legislation which holds Australia's international travel ban.
The legislation was previously set to expire today. It has now been extended until December 4.
The travel ban was put in place on March 25. While places such as the UK have adopted a restricted list of countries, Australia and is among the only countries in the world to opt for an outright ban, with limited exemptions.
Correction: This post previously said New Zealand was subject to a travel ban. They are actually only "strongly advised" to not travel.
Are you stranded overseas?
We are wanting to hear from people who are still waiting to return to Australia.
Were you unable to come back earlier this year, or have your circumstances changed such that you now have to? Have you had flights cancelled? Do you think the government is doing enough to help people who need to come home do so? Send us a message using the form below.
What's on the agenda at national cabinet today?
State and territory leaders will meet with the Prime Minister today for their fortnightly national cabinet meeting. Here is what's on the agenda:
- Border closures: The Prime Minister announced his intention in Parliament yesterday to again push for states and territories to reopen their borders, particularly to allow for people in regional areas to access health services after a NSW couple lost one of their twins amid confusion about where they could travel.
- A definition of a hotspot: Related to this is the pursuit of a nationally agreed upon definition of a hotspot area, which states can then look to when it comes to closing borders. Some places, such as the ACT, have been banned from travelling to other states despite having no active cases. Word is the definition the AHPPC has agreed upon is a place with more than 30 cases, but that is not confirmed. This will likely be a tricky discussion, given the Queensland and West Australian premiers have said they are unlikely to reopen borders to places with any level of community transmission.
- An agricultural code: This week, the country's agriculture ministers agreed on a code, similar to the freight code, which would allow for agricultural workers and machinery to be exempt from border closures, with precautions in place. This code was rejected by the AHPPC earlier in the week, but Mr Morrison is still backing the proposal – likely with some adjustments – and urging state and territory leaders to do the same.
- International travel caps: These will also be on the agenda, but it seems unlikely changes will be made.
Most Viewed in National
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMi2wFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zbWguY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXVwZGF0ZXMtbGl2ZS12aWN0b3JpYW4tY292aWQtMTktY2FzZXMtY29udGludWUtdG8tZGVjbGluZS1hcy1kYW5pZWwtYW5kcmV3cy1sYWJlbHMtbGVha2VkLWxvY2tkb3duLXJvYWRtYXAtb3V0LW9mLWRhdGUtYXVzdHJhbGlhbi1kZWF0aC10b2xsLXN0YW5kcy1hdC02NzgtMjAyMDA5MDMtcDU1czVnLmh0bWzSAdsBaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuc21oLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy11cGRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdmljdG9yaWFuLWNvdmlkLTE5LWNhc2VzLWNvbnRpbnVlLXRvLWRlY2xpbmUtYXMtZGFuaWVsLWFuZHJld3MtbGFiZWxzLWxlYWtlZC1sb2NrZG93bi1yb2FkbWFwLW91dC1vZi1kYXRlLWF1c3RyYWxpYW4tZGVhdGgtdG9sbC1zdGFuZHMtYXQtNjc4LTIwMjAwOTAzLXA1NXM1Zy5odG1s?oc=5
2020-09-03 23:30:00Z
52781040597314
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Coronavirus updates LIVE: Victoria records 81 new COVID-19 cases with 9 deaths overnight, 50 unreported deaths added to tally; Australian death toll jumps to 737 - The Sydney Morning Herald"
Post a Comment