1 NOV VIC
Victoria records zero new coronavirus cases and no new deaths
<< ANOTHER DONUT DAY FOR VICTORIA - WELL DONE ! >>
Face mask mandate in Victoria could soon be lifted
1 NOV SA
South Australia's coronavirus hotel quarantine system 'close to capacity', says state coordinator
1 NOV NSW
New COVID-19 infection linked to Hoxton Park cluster in south-west Sydney, health authorities say
Australia marks virus fight milestone
1 NOV FEDERAL
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/zero-new-cases-australia-wide-for-the-first-time-in-five-months/ar-BB1aA2k7?ocid=msedgdhp
Victoria records zero new coronavirus cases and no new deaths
<< ANOTHER DONUT DAY FOR VICTORIA - WELL DONE ! >>
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/victoria-records-zero-new-coronavirus-cases-and-no-new-deaths/ar-BB1azFub?ocid=msedgdhpVictoria has recorded zero new coronavirus cases for five days in a row after finally freeing itself from four months of lockdown.
Melbourne's beleaguered residents are even being told to 'go out and enjoy yourselves', a stark turnaround from the fearmongering of past weeks.
'I cannot tell people what to feel. I will say we deserve to enjoy ourselves now,' Sutton said at a briefing on the virus situation in the state as it emerges from long months of lockdown,' Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
'We got to this incredible point where case numbers are very low and we have days of literally no true cases.
'So we should go out, with all the precautions we talked about, but we need to enjoy our lives after three months of really constrained activity.'
He advised Victorians to proceed with caution, wear a face mask and avoid interacting with people who appear unwell.
There are 71 active cases, which is down from 80 on Friday.
There is one mystery case without a known source in Melbourne and the city's average daily case count for the fortnight up to Saturday was 2.2.
No more Victorians died on Sunday, keeping the state's Covid-19 death toll at 819, and 907 for the nation.
Authorities have already turned their attention to Tuesday's Melbourne Cup public holiday and are urging people to celebrate in accordance with ongoing warnings.
'The great majority of Melburnians know what do to,' Mr Sutton said.
'There will be a few who may be a bit liberal in their behaviour. The key things are not being out when unwell, and obviously wearing masks.'
Some Melbourne office workers could be back in place before Christmas as Victoria's numbers remain low.
Mr Sutton said there would still be limits on the number of people allowed in offices, with 'concerning elements' of public transport and elevator use yet to be considered.
'If the numbers remain low then those risks become much less in the office space as well,' he said.
'Clearly there's an economic activity by virtue of return-to-work, especially here in the CBD, and that should be a consideration.'
For some Victorians, 'it will be a changed workforce forever', the expert noted, adding that many employers had already started making long-term arrangements.
On Monday, Premier Daniel Andrews posted a picture of himself to social media opening a box with a caramel-iced doughnuts saying 'today's a good day' to celebrate the end of lockdown.
Beneath the post, he uploaded a second photo of a Melbourne-made whisky Starward and two glasses, saying: 'Said I'd go a little higher up the shelf. Here's to you, Victoria.'
Despite a series of comments from residents happy to be free of most restrictions, the post was labelled 'tone deaf' by the families of coronavirus victims.
'There's still 800 Victorians who have died because of Covid — and it's because of him, and this second wave getting out of hand. He's totally responsible for this,' one user wrote.
'Deaths, job losses, business closures, bankruptcies, job losses and untold suffering. Well done,' another added.
Victoria free at last: What are the changes?
From Tuesday 27 October, 11.59pm
All retail, bars and restaurants open with 20 indoors and 50 outdoors
Beauty services and tattoo parlours open
Outdoor contact sport for under 18s back on and non-contact sport for adults
Four reasons to leave home removed
25km travel limit remains in place
Melbourne to regional VIC border remains
Outdoor gatherings up to 10 people
Gatherings can be of more than two households
Weddings increase to 10 attendees, funerals to 20
Church services open with 10 indoors and 20 outdoors
PT, fitness and dance classes can be held outdoors with up to 10 people
Number of people at outdoor pools can increase to 50, subject to density limits
Must work from home if you can
From 8 November
25km travel limit scrapped
Travel to regional VIC allowed
Retail, pubs and restaurants allowed 40 people indoors, 70 outdoors
Funerals allowed indoors with 20 and outdoors with 50
Non-contact sport for U18s allowed indoors
Gyms and indoor fitness will be able to reopen
Holiday accommodation to re-open
Religious gatherings will expand with up 20 people and a faith leader indoors, and 50 outside
Face mask mandate in Victoria could soon be lifted
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/face-masks-in-victoria-could-soon-be-ditched/ar-BB1azZtR?ocid=msedgdhpVictorians could soon ditch their face masks as the state recorded no new Covid-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day.
Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said on Sunday that face masks were only useful if there was community transmission.
'What we shouldn't be complacent about is thinking that if we've got a few days with no cases, that there is never a requirement for masks,' he said.
His comment followed the announcement Victoria had reported no new Covid-19 cases or deaths, marking the fourth 'double doughnut' day of zero new cases.
Mr Sutton would not elaborate how many days the state would need to go without any cases of Covid-19 before face masks were no longer necessary.
'It's not entirely clear,' he said.
'We've got a roadmap where we've talked about the 'Last Step' coming with 14 days of no new cases. That would be a significant achievement.
'It is absolutely not impossible and we're on track for that in November, that would be great. Twenty-eight days of no cases and no active cases, we've talked about as the 'Covid Normal Step'.
'That's also within reach and we'd make decisions about masks for those thresholds as well.'
Mr Sutton noted regional Victoria had gone without any new cases of Covid-19 for a few weeks though mask wearing was still in place over transmission concerns.
'Country Victoria went for a few weeks with zero cases but all the people of Shepparton, I'm sure, were very happy that they were wearing masks at the time that there were three active cases out in the community for over a week before we understood that they were active cases,' he said.
'So masks are important for those potential transmission events when we don't know that there's something out there.
'Clearly we will be transitioning … we will be transitioning from universal mask-wearing to maybe indoors only, to maybe just high-risk settings at the appropriate time.'
Mr Sutton also warned pubs and restaurants to follow Covid-19 safety measures, saying there were a number of venues that weren't following the rules.
'Do the right thing by your customers,' he said.
'As a customer, you should ask and you should question if you're not seeing that happen.
If you can't find the book where you record your name and details, ask for it. If you're seeing a waiter or a waitress without a mask, demand it. It is a case of calling industry up to the standards that we're setting.
'There are a few out there who are not.'
There is one mystery case of coronavirus without a known source in Melbourne and the city's average daily case count for the fortnight up to Saturday was 2.2.
It means the state's Covid-19 death toll remains at 819, and 907 for the nation.
There are just 61 active cases left across the state, down from 70 on Saturday.
Sunday's statistics coincide with Melbourne's gradual emergence from strict lockdown conditions, including a possible return to city offices before Christmas.
Nearly 16,000 tests were taken in the past 24 hours, with Professor Sutton saying it verified Sunday's result was a 'true zero'.
He said metropolitan Melbourne was still on track to ease restrictions on November 8 including the scraping of the 'ring of steel' dividing the city from the regions, along with the 25km travel limit.
'What allowances come on November 8 will absolutely be informed by what this week looks like,' he said.
'Some of the details might change but November 8 will be the date (of) that new refresh of public health directions.'
1 NOV SA
South Australia's coronavirus hotel quarantine system 'close to capacity', says state coordinator
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/south-australia-s-coronavirus-hotel-quarantine-system-close-to-capacity-says-state-coordinator/ar-BB1azWqY?ocid=msedgdhpThe head of South Australia's coronavirus response says the state's hotel quarantine system is "close to capacity", as more positive cases enter the state from overseas.
New cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed six out of the past seven days among international travellers in Adelaide hotel quarantine.
State coordinator and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the medi-hotels system was nearing capacity, and that more people with the coronavirus were likely to come into the state from overseas.
But he was confident the system would continue to keep the South Australians safe.
"We are doing what we can to repatriate Australians, bringing them back to Australia," Commissioner Stevens said.
"It does mean when people are coming from countries throughout Europe now that are having second and third waves of the virus, we will be bringing people back who are carrying COVID-19.
"We probably are close to capacity [but] it fluctuates on a daily basis."
He said no-one would be brought into the state from overseas "unless we can safely manage them in a quarantine environment".
"We are working with the Federal Government in terms of trying to forecast when those flights are arriving so that we don't actually exceed our capacity," Commissioner Stevens said.
All of SA's current active cases are in hotel quarantine
The state now has 14 known active cases of coronavirus in medi-hotels, including four new cases recorded yesterday.
Each of those people is staying in one of six Adelaide hotels, which have 1,200 single beds.
"It is understandable that people might be concerned about new cases within the medi-hotel environment," Commissioner Stevens said.
"But that's the reason we have these quarantine hotels."
He acknowledged that every returning traveller is taken into hotel quarantine in Adelaide comes into contact with South Australians, bringing an element of risk.
"They're being treated by nurses and doctors, they are received by police officers, we have people transporting them from the airport — every time, there is a level of engagement," Commissioner Stevens said.
"Every time there is an element of engagement, there is an element of risk.
"But we're doing as much as we can to reduce that risk … we have strict protocols in place."
He added that South Australia was making a "substantial contribution" to the repatriation of Australians, relative to the state's size.
1 NOV NSW
New COVID-19 infection linked to Hoxton Park cluster in south-west Sydney, health authorities say
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/sydney/new-covid-19-infection-linked-to-hoxton-park-cluster-in-south-west-sydney-health-authorities-say/ar-BB1azSjQ?ocid=msedgdhpNSW health authorities say a new case of COVID-19 linked to the Hoxton Park cluster in south-west Sydney has been reported since 8:00pm yesterday.
The case will be included in tomorrow's reporting of NSW virus numbers as 8:00pm marks the cut-off time for NSW Health's official reporting period.
There were also four positive tests in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
That brings the total number of infections in NSW to 4,236.
NSW Health said the new case was a child who visited the Flip Out Prestons Indoor Trampoline Park at the same time as another child who had since tested positive for the virus.
The children visited the trampoline park on Sunday, October 25.
NSW Health's Christine Selvey said anyone who visited the trampoline park on that day from 11:00am to 2:00pm is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.
There had been an increase in the number of people coming forward for testing, Dr Selvey added.
"There were 14,751 tests reported to 8:00pm last night, compared with 13,134 the day before," she said.
NSW Health is again calling for anyone, including staff, who visited Jasmins Lebanese Restaurant in Liverpool on Sunday, October 25 between 2:00pm and 3.30pm to get a test immediately.
Contact tracing has been done for a person who went to the restaurant while infectious, but the details of some others who were there at the time have not been found.
NSW Health said anyone who went there on October 25 for at least an hour during that time is considered a close contact who needs to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Anyone who went to Spendless Shoes at Westfield in Liverpool on October 28 between 4:00pm and 4:20pm should also monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop, as they are considered a casual contact.
It comes as Australia recorded no locally caught coronavirus cases country-wide today for the first time in almost five months.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the National Incident Centre advised it was the first time the country had achieved the feat since June 9.
In a tweet about the good news, Mr Hunt praised healthcare workers and the Australian public for reaching the milestone.
Australia marks virus fight milestone
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/australia-marks-virus-fight-milestone/ar-BB1azYCP?ocid=msedgdhpA second child has caught COVID-19 from another child at a Sydney trampoline park.
Officials say it's the sixth case linked to a cluster in Hoxton Park, in the city's south west.
The child was at Flip Out Prestons last Sunday, October 25 at the same time as the infectious child.
Anyone who was at the centre from 11am to 2pm that date is considered a close contact and should have a coronavirus test and isolate for 14 days since the exposure, NSW Health officials said.
However, the new case wasn't found in time for today's reported figures, which was zero local cases. It will be counted tomorrow.
It marked a milestone not seen since June, Health Minister, Greg Hunt said in a tweet.
It's the first day since June 9 there have been no locally caught cases in any part of Australia.
Minister Hunt thanked, "our amazing health and public health workers and above all else the Australian people."
Meanwhile, four Australians returning to the country who are in hotel quarantine have been diagnosed, with almost 15,000 tests done in the past day.
There is one person in intensive care in the state with the virus.
Meanwhile a testing clinic in south-west Sydney has reopened after being closed due to flooding after heavy rain swept across the city.
The drive-through centre at Ash Road Sporting Complex, Prestons, has now resumed testing.
Officials appealed for more people from the area to go for a coronavirus test.
A fresh appeal has also been made for anybody who dined at Jasmins1 Lebanese Restaurant in Liverpool last Saturday, from 2pm to 3.30pm to get tested immediately.
Also anybody who was at Spendless Shoes at Westfield Liverpool on 28 October from 4-4.20pm should be tested if they develop symptoms.
Victoria recorded no new cases or deaths today.
Queensland has two cases in hotel quarantine
1 NOV FEDERAL
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/zero-new-cases-australia-wide-for-the-first-time-in-five-months/ar-BB1aA2k7?ocid=msedgdhp