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NationalCoronavirus pandemic

This was published 6 years ago

Coronavirus updates LIVE: Ruby Princess passengers test positive for COVID-19 in NSW, Scott Morrison announces further mass gathering restrictions

If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

Matt Bungard, Mary Ward and Latika Bourke
Updated ,first published

Summary

  • The Australian death toll has climbed to seven, following the death of an 81-year-old woman on Thursday night. There were 876 cases nationwide as at 4.10pm today. NSW has recorded 75 more cases since 11am yesterday, bringing the total to 382.
  • 2700 cruise ship passengers were allowed off the virus-infected Ruby Princess to walk around Sydney.
  • Australians trying to fly home from Bali have been left stranded as the ban on all foreign travellers entering the country came into force at 9pm on Friday.
  • The federal budget, which was due to be delivered in May, has been postponed until October because of the pandemic.
  • The government will consider locking down particular suburbs that are “more susceptible because of quite localised outbreaks”.

We are closing the blog for the evening

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Thanks for following along today. Here's what you need to know:

We'll be continuing our live coverage throughout the night and into Saturday in a new blog, which you can read here.

For those of you who prefer a concise update to sifting through rolling coverage, we'll summarise the information you really need to know and deliver it to your inbox each evening.

Sign up to the SMH newsletter here and The Age’s here.

'We are facing extinction': Tourism, hotel sector calls for $900m in relief

By Carolyn Cummins

Hotels across Sydney and Melbourne are facing closure with the sector calling on the federal government for a $900 million relief package to help save over 300,000 jobs as the coronavirus epidemic shuts down tourism.

In a statement to be sent to the Morrison government, signed by industry chief executives, it says hotels are operating at 10 per cent and below in occupancy rates and need reforms to the Fair Work Act to protect jobs.

The federal government is expected to build on the assistance it announced in its initial stimulus package for the tourism and hotel sector but it will be much broader because of the threat to the overall economy.

Read the full story here

'Where's all the toilet paper?': Answering kids' coronavirus questions

By Miki Perkins

What is the coronavirus? Can I have play dates and birthday parties? Can we help?

The coronavirus.Jude, age 6

The kids have questions! So we have gathered them up and answered them in a way the young ones will understand.

We even got them to illustrate the story.

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Despite official advice, parents debate whether to pull children out of school

By Julie Power

Louise Gough's seven-year-old son Magnus didn't need prompting when asked why he was going to school when many classmates had been withdrawn by parents fearing the coronavirus.

Louise Gough with her son Magnus outside Annandale Public School believes her son is better off at school now than at home. James Alcock

"I like education," he said after school pick-up at Annandale Public School on Friday afternoon.

Ms Gough said the family had been tracking the advice given by the Prime Minister and the Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy to keep children at school. She also wanted Magnus to enjoy school, its social life and a semblance of normality for as long as possible.

Read the full story here

South-east Asia wrap: Indonesia could have 600,000-700,000 cases eventually

By James Massola

Indonesia has reported 60 new cases to take its country-wide total to 369 people. The number of people who have died rose sharply again to 32 people, an increase of seven.

The death toll in Indonesia is now the largest in south-east Asia. Health Department official Achmad Yurianto suggested during his daily briefing that the country could eventually see 600,000-700,000 cases in Indonesia - a high number, but in a country of 270 million people, perhaps optimistic.

For context, California's governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday (local time) that 25 million of the state's 40 million residents could contract the disease over just the next eight weeks.

Achmad said the country is now rolling out mass, rapid testing to try to stop the spread of the disease. Rapid test kits are now being imported, as are more masks and rubber gloves.

NSW Budget to be deferred

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Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has announced that the 2020-21 NSW Budget will be deferred from June until later in the year, aligning with other states and territories as well as the federal government.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet,James Brickwood

"Our No.1 focus at present is to deploy our state’s financial strength to safeguard the health and sustain the livelihoods of our people," a statement from Mr Perrottet's office read on Friday night.

"We will seek NSW Parliament’s support to ensure that necessary funds are available to continue the delivery of Government services and projects, until the full Budget is handed down."

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Government urges Netflix to drop quality of streaming services

By Zoe Samios and Fergus Hunter

Subscription streaming services and online gaming companies may be required to reduce the quality of their streams to help manage high demand on the national broadband network caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Netflix is experiencing a sharp uptick in usage as people stay home. Bloomberg

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has sent a letter to Australia’s streaming companies including global giant Netflix, asking them to "work collaboratively" with NBN Co to manage the high consumer demand of the network, as more people started working from home.

"In countries where the spread of the virus is advanced we have seen significant increases in data use and traffic over telecommunications networks," Mr Fletcher wrote.

"COVID-19 is a global challenge but we each need to play our part in the response.

'Unprecedent emergency': City of Sydney unveils crisis relief package for businesses

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The City of Sydney will provide rent relief, refunds for venue fees and advertising bookings, and cover the cost of closed facilities so casuals are paid in the first phase of a plan to support the city's businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

'The health and wellbeing of our communities is paramount': Lord Mayor Clover Moore.Janie Barrett

On Friday evening, the City of Sydney signed off on the 'Business, Arts and Creative Support package', allocating $25 million to support various measures.

"This is an unprecedented health emergency," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

"We stand ready to support our residents, businesses, cultural and vulnerable communities through this challenging time."

Read the full story here

Despite social distancing instructions, Bondi Beach still packed

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Sometimes a picture says a thousand words.

Here's New York's Times Square on Thursday, and Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday afternoon.

New York's Times Square on Thursday, left, and Bondi Beach on Friday afternoon.Bloomberg/Tom Steinfort via Nine

Earlier this week, Australians were told to stop shaking hands and to stay 1.5 metres away from each other at all times under tough new rules from the federal government to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The expanded "social-distancing" guidelines to handle the pandemic are in addition to a legally enforced ban on mass gatherings.

On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that gatherings with under 100 people needed to ensure that there were four square metres of space per person.

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Two staff at Sydney high-security hospital diagnosed with COVID-19

By Pallavi Singhal

Two staff members at a high-security mental health facility in Sydney's south have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and dozens of staff and patients have been placed into isolation.

The Forensic Hospital at Malabar, which is a facility for high-risk civil patients and patients who have been in contact with the criminal justice system, is now being partially staffed by nurses from other areas.

"Contact tracing has been completed with staff and patients, and those identified as close contacts have been tested and are in isolation," a spokeswoman for Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network said.

"All patient families and carers have been notified."

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