Life under social isolation or mandatory "stay home orders".

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
12 April Update

Kalbarri 70% of buildings severely damaged , 30% of buildings are write-offs ( unliveable / destroyed ).
Carnarvon's historic One Mile Jetty has been destroyed.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/cyclone-seroja-destroys-124-year-old-jetty-and-popular-tourist-resort/ar-BB1fxddf?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/tropical-cyclone-causes-mass-destruction-in-wa/ar-BB1fxM02?ocid=msedgdhp
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Kalbarri has been decimated by ex-Tropical Cyclone Seroja with authorities estimating damage to about 70 per cent of the town's buildings.

Northampton also bore the brunt of the cyclone which left a trail of destruction in its wake when it slammed into WA's mid-west coast last night.

Homes have been destroyed and more than 20,000 residents were left without power after the cyclone made landfall as a category three storm about 8pm, bringing wind gusts of up to 170 kilometres per hour.

The police station, pub and caravan park all suffered extensive damage.

Homes have been left unlivable after the fast-moving storm tore roofs off houses and sent debris flying all over the town.

70 per cent of Kalbarri damaged
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said about 70 per cent of buildings in Kalbarri had been damaged with 30 per cent of them significantly damaged.

"All the way from houses, the caravan park, the health centre, the police station and I believe the fire station has lost its roof there," he said.

"So there has been significant damage in Kalbarri and certainly our focus there, but also Northampton has been hard hit as well."
Northampton
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https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/ex-tropical-cyclone-seroja-destroys-homes-historic-jetty-and-leaves-thousands-without-power/ar-BB1fxMKk?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/cyclone-tears-off-roofs-and-cuts-power-to-thousands-in-western-australia/ar-BB1fygiV?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/over-25-000-without-power-after-cyclone-seroja-hits-wa-coast/ar-BB1fxCJ6?ocid=msedgdhp
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
12 APRIL MEANWHILE IN SA, TAS, VIC AND NSW

Millions of people had to get out the thick doonas, blankets, winter pjs and winter woolies because 2021's first Antarctic Blast bit with a vengeance overnight leave large areas of Tasmania, Victoria, SA and higher areas of NSW covered in frost and snow.
( We never even noticed here in my home , set the Fujitsu Split rev cycle to 25oC , auto heat/cool and auto fan speed about 9pm ( only change to normal April setting was change from cool to auto heat/cool .)
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/millions-of-australians-to-shiver-through-chilly-night-on-east-coast/ar-BB1fzinX?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/antarctic-blast-bringing-snowfall-to-southern-states-of-australia/vi-BB1fxByG?ocid=msedgdhp

Knew this cold air was coming so made sure to put out a big feast of fresh dead mealworms, bsfl and crickets for the wild resident skinks in my bk yd and fnt yd and under the house yesterday afternoon , all gone so I 'think the skinks, geckos and frogs discovered them and filled up before hunkering down.
I think at least one of water skinks is back inside as I've heard movement behind the lounge.
Inside resident g.dubia geckos have been very churpy today too.

In WA
Power still out in Geraldton , Kalballi , Gregory and nearby towns effected by TC Seroja , towns are still under RED ALERT as it's too dangerous to move about with power lines down and thousands of trees blown down , asbestos roofing and sheeting ( from older now destroyed bldgs ) all over the streets and in people's yards .

At Karratha , a bulk ore carrier has been refused entry to the port because there are crew sick with covid19 onboard. One crewman who was critically sick has been taken off ship and is now in Karratha Regional Hospital under strict quarantine while being treated.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/cargo-ship-hit-by-covid-19-case-off-wa-coast/ar-BB1fyxlv?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/covid-infected-ship-is-banned-from-entering-western-australia/ar-BB1fz1Gg?ocid=msedgdhp

And WA has achieved 70 days local covid transmission free .
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DATA for AU
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In NZ - they are having some difficulties containing covid (B117) in one of their quarantine hotels - staff are becoming infected despite strict infection controls being in place and being enforced and followed rigorously..

Third worker at New Zealand quarantine hotel tests positive to coronavirus
Another New Zealand quarantine worker at the Grand Millennium hotel in Auckland has tested positive to the coronavirus, bringing the number of cases linked to the cluster to three.

The country's Ministry of Health announced on Sunday afternoon the worker was a close contact of a hotel quarantine worker who was reported to have tested positive on Thursday.

"Because the new case has been self-isolating at home since being identified as a close contact late last week, there is considered to be very little additional risk to the community," the Ministry said in a media release.

"They returned an earlier negative test before returning a positive test today.

"This worker and their partner have this afternoon moved to the Auckland quarantine facility."

The Ministry said that genomic testing had confirmed that the worker who tested positive on Thursday was linked to a Grand Millennium cleaner who was previously reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on March 21.

Both of those cases were linked back to a returning traveller who arrived in New Zealand on March 13.

from April 19, allowing people to fly between the countries without having to quarantine.

The Ministry earlier on Sunday reported New Zealand had no new COVID-19 community cases but there were three new border-related cases in managed isolation.

Ms Ardern said on Thursday that "over 80 per cent" of border workers in New Zealand had been vaccinated.

But from Monday, any border worker who had not been vaccinated would "not be able to continue working in high-risk roles", she said, and would be moved to another position.

“We always said there would be a time allocated for people to be vaccinated and those who are not will not be able to remain in a high-risk environment,” Ms Ardern said.

Australia's Department of Home Affairs has been contacted for comment.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/third-worker-at-new-zealand-quarantine-hotel-tests-positive-to-coronavirus/ar-BB1fx4a7?ocid=msedgdhp
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
19 April update.

Big day for Australia and New Zealand - The Trans-Tasman Quarantine Free Travel Bubble is open for two way travel .
Hundreds of passengers have landed in Auckland on an international flight after the travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand opened.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, Australians can enjoy relatively unrestricted international travel and avoid hotel quarantine when they return home.

And for New Zealanders stuck on this side of the Tasman, today marks the start of a return to normal when going home is only a short flight away.

The rules changed at midnight and the first flight headed for Auckland from Sydney airport took off about 7:00am, after an initial delay.

Upon arrival, passengers are set to walk off the plane and out into the community, becoming the first arrivals to bypass New Zealand's hotel quarantine system since the start of the pandemic.

There were people heading to a funeral, some moving countries, and plenty of New Zealanders nervous to see family on the other side at the check-in gate.

Heather Lyberopoulos, 56, an anxious aunty ready to reunite with her sister, said she "had to be" on the first flight out.

"It's some sort of normality for me to be able to go home. I'm grateful," she said.

"I've missed one funeral, one graduation. We had to live stream, but we adapted."

She's booked a one-way flight, ever aware the situation could quickly change.

Isabella Buckney, 26, and Troy Godfrey, 25, were moving to New Zealand today.

Chasing winter, the couple will spend some time with family in Auckland before a move to Queenstown in time for snow season.

"We had our flights booked for May last year … so we've been waiting since then," Ms Buckney said.

Mr Godfrey said today marked a significant day in the pandemic.

"It's a massive point in the whole pandemic in terms of getting to that new stage of adapting to life," he said.

"It marks a new stage and I'm glad it's finally happening."

Ms Buckney said the special position Australia and New Zealand were in made travelling during the pandemic "feel natural".

"If I was flying anywhere else, maybe I wouldn't feel so calm," she said.

Travel bubble opens up opportunities
While some international travel has been possible for some Australians, it's been heavily restricted and not without hefty costs.

The travel bubble means Australians are now free to visit an international destination without applying for permission from the federal government or the burden of hotel quarantine at their destination or when they return home.

The bubble opens up the opportunity for tourism as well as easier, and cheaper, family reunions.

After a Queensland border closure forced her into quarantine in Australia, Ms Lyberpoulos said avoiding that system in New Zealand was essential.

"It was a really terrible experience. Never again, I hope," she said.

For Wilana Rawiri, 29, hotel quarantine was a "deal-breaker".

"We weren't going to go back, but we have a funeral so we're just blessed that it's opened up in time for us to go and pay our respects," she said.

"We're grateful. It's just in time."

From ghost town to a little buzz
After a year of empty departure halls, Australian airports added dozens of flights to departure boards this morning.

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will see more than 30 flights depart.

Perth and Gold Coast airports will also send flights to New Zealand down the runway.

Adelaide can expect to see flights across the Tasman commence in early May, and the airlines have promised flights to New Zealand will also come to Cairns and Hobart in the near future.

Qantas, Jetstar and Air New Zealand have all announced new routes between the two countries, taking advantage of the rare opportunity to move passengers across international borders without the lengthy, and costly, hotel quarantine layover.

The new routes for Qantas include Gold Coast to Auckland, the airline's first-ever international flight from Gold Coast Airport.

Qantas and Jetstar said they will initially operate 122 flights per week across the Tasman.

Air New Zealand will build to 300 flights per week, with plans to be at peak capacity in time for the ski season and July school holidays.

Few conditions, but 'flyer beware'
Since October, New Zealanders have been allowed to travel to Australia on "green zone" flights and avoid hotel quarantine on this end.

From today, Australians can do the same thing in the other direction.

Like New Zealanders coming to Australia, anyone flying into NZ will go through a "green zone" in airports and will be kept separate from other people flying in from around the world.

To fly in the bubble, passengers must have spent the previous 14 days in either Australia or New Zealand and not have returned a positive COVID-19 test within the same period.

Passengers must not have any coronavirus symptoms and they cannot travel while waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test.

The travel bubble was announced by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern two weeks ago, but the message at the time was very much "flyer beware".

While both New Zealand and Australia have contained the community transmission of COVID-19, those travelling in the bubble have been warned the conditions could change at very short notice.

"Those undertaking travel on either side of the ditch will do so under the guidance of flyer beware," Ms Ardern said when announcing the travel bubble.

"People will need to plan for the possibility of travel being disrupted if there is an outbreak."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/travel-bubble-opens-as-australians-take-off-on-quarantine-free-holidays-and-new-zealanders-find-a-way-home/ar-BB1fMZkE?ocid=msedgdhp

Australia-New Zealand travel bubble , familes to reunite after COVID border closures
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Pani Hokianga, with his daughter Maia, is "over the moon" to be heading to New Zealand this afternoon.

Logan man Pani Hokianga is "over the moon" to be hopping on a flight home to New Zealand later today.

Australian travellers are now able to enter New Zealand without mandatory hotel quarantine.

"The announcement was made and basically the family all looked at each other and said, 'Let's book flights'," he said.

He's lived in Australia for 21 years, but before the pandemic he used to fly across the ditch at least once a year.

"I'm just really looking forward to getting back, seeing family and friends," he said.

"We've had a few people that've passed away and I'm really looking forward to seeing my mum actually, because she's not too well.

"With the opening up of the green flights, as they say, without having to quarantine ... just looking forward to being able to fly back pretty much as normal."

His adult daughter Maia will be on the flight too, looking to surprise her grandmother.

Mr Hokianga said not being able to go home had made him feel more isolated.

"Not just Kiwis, but even Aussies who've got family between the two countries — we're so used to being able to just jump on a flight and travel," he said.

"I suppose that isolation too — I've got friends who work in the tourism industry and my heart still goes out to them now, they're still struggling."

Families reunite on Gold Coast
Malina and Rod Moore were two of the first passengers to touch down from New Zealand at Gold Coast Airport this morning.

Ms Moore said it was a special moment after over a year apart from her sister Arna Milan and her niece.

"It's exciting — I didn't expect it to be so emotional," she said.

Mr Moore said the travel bubble announcement had come at a good time.

"It's also our 10-year anniversary," he said.

"A lot of catching up to do, we're super pumped."

Sisters Diane Senior and Lesley Eva burst into tears as they hugged for the first time in two and a half years.

"It's been horrible — never in our lives have we been separated this long," Ms Eva said.

"You just can't do it — I just thought I might never get to see them again."

Queensland tries to woo New Zealand visitors back
Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) said there would be 16 flights between Brisbane and New Zealand today.

About 80 per cent of the 1,800 available seats each way had been booked.

BAC chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaff said New Zealand is one of Queensland's most important international markets and the travel bubble is "vitally important".

"Today is an incredible day for the many families and friends who will be able to reunite, but also for the thousands of businesses in Brisbane, the regions and across Queensland who rely on tourism," he said.

"Brisbane Airport will welcome flights from Christchurch and Wellington for the first time since March 28, 2020 — some 387 days, which, for us, it has felt almost as long as the last time the Wallabies won the Bledisloe Cup."

About 650,000 New Zealanders live in Australia and Queensland is home to about 40 per cent of them.

Mr de Graaff said that while the New Zealand travel bubble was important, it was "not enough on its own".

"We have some way to go to safeguard the livelihoods of businesses in Brisbane and across Queensland who rely on tourism.

"To protect the 'bubble' and to make real the possibility of opening to more international markets, we need to get Australia's vaccination rollout back on track and firing on all cylinders. We need all levels of government and the industry to work together to make this happen."

Queensland Airports chief executive officer Chris Mills said he was thrilled to reopen Gold Coast Airport to international travellers after almost 400 days.

Mr Mills said there would be 16 services between New Zealand and the Gold Coast this week, with the majority to and from Auckland and Christchurch.

"We'll be back to about 70 per cent of our pre-COVID levels in Auckland flights alone," he said.

Mr Mills said he hoped other international locations would follow, with Singapore the next in line.

"We want to demonstrate with New Zealand that this works and then expand to other countries," he said.

"Singapore would be great."

Many Kiwis in Queensland have struggled in the wake of the pandemic, as they were ineligible for welfare such as the coronavirus supplement.

The Trans-Tasman bubble is the first opportunity for international tourism for many residents of both countries since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Queensland Government has ramped up tourism marketing in New Zealand in an attempt to attract New Zealand visitors.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/markets/australia-new-zealand-travel-bubble-set-to-open-familes-to-reunite-after-covid-border-closures/ar-BB1fMMJu?ocid=msedgdhp

AUSTRALIA-SINGAPORE TRAVEL BUBBLE
Now ScoMo wants a Singapore - Australia is in travel bubble discussions with Singapore
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Australia is in discussions with Singapore about creating a travel bubble that would allow passengers to fly between the nations without quarantine.

The plan would mirror the bubble with New Zealand which is allowing Aussies to enter from today.

Singapore has escaped the worst of Covid-19 with just 30 deaths and has only been recording between 10 and 40 cases per day over the past two weeks.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the government has been in early discussions with Singaporean counterparts.

'We're in discussions with Singapore. We're having those chats, those initial chats with other countries as well, and as vaccines are rolled out here and elsewhere, these travel bubbles will be created, and it will get us back to some sort of pre-COVID normality,' he told Nine's Today Show on Monday.

Last week Trade Minister Dan Tehan revealed the government will take a 'systematic' approach to opening the borders which will see travels bubbles set up with individual nations.

'Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam have all been mentioned as potentials in that area,' he said, without giving any dates for when bubbles may start.

As the first Australians left for New Zealand on Monday morning, Mr McCormack said the travel bubble was boosting economic activity.

'The activity that's healing at our airports is on the up and up and up. Qantas, Virgin, they want to fly again.

'They want to get people back in their jobs. Planes in the air means jobs on the ground and that's what it's all about,' he said.

'It shows confidence. It shows we're on the pathway out of COVID and back to some sort of normality.

'It's going to benefit both nations. We love New Zealand. New Zealanders love Australia. And it's a good thing.'

Health Minster Greg Hunt said about 5,000 people were expected to fly between Australia and New Zealand on Monday.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce revealed his company has put on an extra 16 return flights to cope with demand.

Mr McCormack also revealed a National Cabinet meeting on Monday will discuss the possibility of home quarantine for vaccinated travellers - instead of hotel quarantine.

But he warned it was only a proposal and would not be implemented anytime soon.

'Let's face it, this is just a proposal. It's just initial talks. This is what you would expect the Prime Minister and the Premiers and the Chief Ministers of the territories to be chatting about, to see where we can get to, to see where they can land,' he said.

'This is what the National Cabinet process has done all the way through, consensus, taking on the best health advice.

'That's what it's been about all the way through.'
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/australia-is-in-travel-bubble-discussions-with-singapore/ar-BB1fN4E8?ocid=msedgdhp

17 APR PNG
WHO ‘very concerned’ as virus numbers climb in Papua New Guinea
China's market regulator investigates Alibaba-Minmetals JV
More Bluey water toys for the bath and pool have dropped “for real life…”

The WHO has expressed concern about a “sharp increase” of COVID-19 cases in Papua New Guinea warning the outbreak was at a critical stage and could fuel a much larger epidemic.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom, speaking at a virtual news conference, said on Friday that although the numbers were relatively small in PNG, the outbreak’s pace was concerning.

“The increase is sharp, and WHO is very concerned about the potential for a much larger epidemic,” Adhanom told media.

With 132,000 AstraZeneca vaccines arriving in the country earlier this week from the COVAX scheme, boosting the 8,000 doses already sent by Australia, there was a vital need for more to be sent to the small Pacific nation, he said.

“Papa New Guinea is a perfect example of why vaccine equity is so important.”

Throughout all of 2020, the impoverished country of more than eight million people recorded just 900 cases, but on Thursday, its total climbed to more than 9,300 with 82 deaths.

But there are fears the real scale of the outbreak is much larger due to low testing rates.

Papua New Guinea’s Health Minister Jelta Wong said the number of health workers infected with the virus continued to grow.

Vaccination efforts have centred on front-line workers in the capital of Port Moresby, with 1,600 people so far receiving the jab.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/who-very-concerned-as-virus-numbers-climb-in-papua-new-guinea/ar-BB1fK4DL?ocid=msedgdhp

FIJI Covid Outbreak.
Fiji is plunged into lockdown after a woman caught Covid-19
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All Fijians have been ordered to stay at home, with public gatherings banned and people only allowed out for essential medical reasons (pictured, the capital Suva)
A 53-year-old woman tested positive to the virus, making her the first person to have caught it in Fiji since April last year.

All Fijians have been ordered to stay at home, with public gatherings banned and people only allowed out for essential medical reasons.

The island nation has had less than 100 cases since the pandemic began, and just two deaths after bringing in strict border controls.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/fiji-is-plunged-into-lockdown-after-a-woman-caught-covid-19/ar-BB1fNAqZ?ocid=msedgdhp


19 APR NSW
NSW reports three new locally acquired COVID-19 cases (Amongst Quarantine Hotel Staff in Sydney)
New South Wales has reported three new locally acquired coronavirus cases after the virus was transmitted inside a hotel quarantine facility.

Authorities have confirmed there is no immediate threat to the community but are urging residents to come forward for testing as a precaution.

The cases were reclassified after evidence was brought forward suggesting the virus had spread between adjacent hotel rooms to three people from the same family.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/nsw-reports-three-new-locally-acquired-covid-19-cases/ar-BB1fN1uy?ocid=msedgdhp

Hotel staff self-isolating and undergoing COVID testing
Investigations are continuing into how coronavirus spread from one family quarantining in a Sydney hotel to another family.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/hotel-staff-self-isolating-and-undergoing-covid-testing/vi-BB1fNdZp?ocid=msedgdhp

19 APR WA
COVID-19 safety (INFECTION CONTROL) breach exposes Perth hospital staff to virus
Three staff members at the Royal Perth Hospital may have been exposed to coronavirus after a safety breach involving a service lift used by a COVID-19 patient.

It has been revealed the lift, used by a ship captain who was treated at the hospital last week, wasn't properly cordoned off, exposing the staff to the potentially deadly virus.

The captain, a man in his 60s, was flown to Perth on Friday night after being evacuated from the cruise ship, the AquaGenie.

Yesterday morning he was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit through the service lift.

A review of hospital CCTV has now revealed three staff members who were not wearing any personal protective equipment unknowingly used that same lift within 15 minutes of the transfer.

WA Health has stressed the risk of transmission is very low, stating two of the staff members were fully vaccinated while the third has had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As a precaution, the three staff members have been placed in self-isolation.

A review will now be undertaken into the hospital's procedures.

The ship's captain remains in the hospital in a dedicated isolation ward.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/covid-19-safety-breach-exposes-perth-hospital-staff-to-virus/ar-BB1fMdab?ocid=msedgdhp

Royal Perth Hospital worker placed into quarantine following second breach involving COVID-positive patient
There has been a second COVID-19 breach at Royal Perth Hospital, prompting a full review of the hospital's policies and procedures.

The second breach involved a staff member removing their surgical mask prematurely as they exited the hospital room of the COVID-positive captain of the bulk-carrier MV AquaGenie on Sunday.

The breach comes after three other RPH staff members were forced into self-quarantine on Saturday after they unknowingly entered a lift just minutes after the same infected patient had been inside.

[Chart: WA coronavirus cases]
The lift was not appropriately cordoned off after it was used to transport the man in his sixties from the Emergency Department to the Intensive Care Unit.

A review of CCTV footage showed the three staff members, who were not wearing PPE, unknowingly entering the lift within 15 minutes of the patient transport, prior to it being cleaned.

Risk 'very low', say authorities
East Metropolitan Health Service Chief Executive Liz MacLeod said any risk of COVID-19 transmission was deemed to be very low.

All three staff had received a COVID-19 vaccination and were being monitored daily for symptoms.

Ms MacLeod said the second breach happened on Sunday.

"It has been established that a staff member removed their surgical mask prematurely as they were exiting the patient's room, which is a breach of the processes followed at RPH," Ms MacLeod said.

"The breach occurred yesterday afternoon, was immediately detected and relevant processes enacted to ensure the safety of other staff, patients and the community.

"In an abundance of caution, this staff member has been placed into self-quarantine and is being monitored daily for symptoms.

"They will be tested in accordance with public health advice."

Ms MacLeod said RPH had cared for more than 40 COVID-positive inpatients since March 2020, and there had been no breaches until now.

"In light of the weekend incidents, a full review of our policies and procedures is being undertaken," she said.

New hotel quarantine public health order
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said there were 25 actives cases of COVID-19 being monitored in WA in either hospital or hotel quarantine.

Of the more than 2,000 people who work in the hotel quarantine system, he said two-thirds had consented to have a vaccine.

Of those who have consented, Mr Cook said 60 per cent had received their first vaccination and just over 30 per cent had received their second dose.

Given the high-risk nature of this work, Mr Cook said a new public health order would be implemented to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for security personnel, cleaners, hotel staff, medical staff, WA Police and ADF personnel working in the hotel quarantine system.

"Hotel quarantine workers who have not been vaccinated will be prevented from entering quarantine facilities," he said.

He expected this would come into effect by May 10.

Mr Cook said the lowest vaccine uptake was among security staff.

"If people are going to be in these high risk environments, it's important that they get themselves vaccinated or exclude themselves from those environments," he said.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/royal-perth-hospital-worker-placed-into-quarantine-following-second-breach-involving-covid-positive-patient/ar-BB1fNM0c?ocid=msedgdhp

19 APR NT
Four more returned Australians test positive for COVID-19 in Howard Springs after arriving from India
Four more people have tested positive for coronavirus after arriving in the Northern Territory on repatriation flights from India.

The group includes an 8-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man who arrived on a flight from New Delhi on Saturday and a 60-year-old man who arrived on the flight from Chennai last Thursday.

Health authorities say all four have mild symptoms and remain in Darwin's Howard Springs quarantine facility.

It brings the total number of positive cases on last week's repatriation flights to 10.

Six people returned positive tests on the weekend after arriving on a repatriation flight from Chennai on Thursday.

Of that group, five cases were asymptomatic and a 40-year-old man was described as carrying mild symptoms.

Last week, a 22-year-old US Marine was taken to the Howard Springs centre after testing positive at the Bladin Village south of Darwin, where this year's contingent of marines are quarantining as they arrive in the Top End.

The new cases bring the total number of coronavirus cases in the NT to 124.

Authorities say all cases have been related to international or interstate travel, with no cases of community transmission.

Since repatriation flights began last October, 6,668 international arrivals have quarantined at the Howard Springs facility, with 83 positive cases recorded.

Slow movement on NT government takeover of Howard Springs
Almost a month after the NT government announced plans to take full responsibility for international quarantine operations at the Howard Springs quarantine facility, the NT Health Minister has revealed only a fraction of the necessary workforce has been recruited to do the job.

The international quarantine program at Howard Springs is currently run federally by the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.

At a press conference this morning, NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles did not specify when the transfer of control to the NT government would be complete and said the territory government would only take control when it was clinically safe to do so.

Ms Fyles said only 70 of the necessary 400 staff needed to operate the remodelled international quarantine facility at Howard Springs had so far been recruited to do the job.

Last month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced the Howard Springs facility would expand to accept 2,000 returned Australians a fortnight, up from 850.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/four-more-returned-australians-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-howard-springs-after-arriving-from-india/ar-BB1fNwuW?ocid=msedgdhp

19 APR QLD
FNQ hotel rooms full as interstate visitors burst the bubble over Easter school holiday period
Queensland's tourism sector says the industry appears to be bouncing back, after a bumper Easter school holiday period.

More than 70,000 people flew into the tourism-reliant city of Cairns for the Easter weekend and hotel occupancy rates in nearby Port Douglas have been sitting at 90 per cent over the school holiday period.

It is in stark contrast to the same time last year, when flights to the region all but stopped, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said he was expecting domestic demand for the Cairns region to remain high, heading into the peak tourism season.

"Almost 73,000 passengers travelled through Cairns airport in the week commencing April 5, bringing capacity back to 90 per cent of what it was for the same period in 2019," Mr Olsen said.

"The half-price flights are further stimulating bookings with airlines using larger aircraft and adding more flights to scheduled routes to cater to demand."

Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree chief executive Tara Bennett said hotels in the Port Douglas region had been almost at capacity over the school holidays, mainly with visitors from Melbourne and Sydney.

It is in vast contrast to the same time last year, as hotels emptied and restaurants closed, in a holiday town normally favoured by United States presidents and celebrities.

"We averaged around 90 per cent for the whole region and we're actually holding those figures going forward," Ms Bennett said.

"That's actually better than the same time in 2019.

"Even though the school holidays are finishing, we are still sitting around 80 per cent which is just fantastic."

Ms Bennett said it appeared that interstate visitors were becoming more confident about travelling to Queensland, following several border closures over the past year.

"Not only are they coming up but they are getting out and doing so many experiences, they are wanting to make the most of their time," she said.

Hospitality-worker shortage
Far North Queensland's tourism industry has always relied heavily on international workers.

Ms Bennett said with international borders closed, hospitality workers were desperately needed, particularly for hotel cleaning.

"We definitely need more hospitality staff, we are really feeling the pinch for not having working holidaymakers in Australia," she said.

"We have our year-round workers but we always needed that influx of backpackers.

"We are really hoping Australians might consider coming up and working through the winter here."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/fnq-hotel-rooms-full-as-interstate-visitors-burst-the-bubble-over-easter-school-holiday-period/ar-BB1fMNLq?ocid=msedgdhp

19 APR FEDERAL COVID CABINET
National Cabinet to discuss building an Australian MRNA vaccine facility
Reconfiguration of Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the possible construction of an MRNA vaccine facility will be top of the agenda today when National Cabinet convenes for the first of its twice-weekly meetings.
The country's leaders will discuss changes to state and national strategies after receiving updated advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine and additional supplies of the Pfizer jab.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has hosed down suggestions the rollout will soon ramp up with mass inoculation hubs.

He says GPs will remain the preferred way to deliver jabs until doses arrive in greater quantities at the end of the year.

It comes as the Morrison government looks into building an MRNA vaccine facility to produce the Pfizer and Moderna jabs on home soil.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/national-cabinet-to-discuss-building-an-australian-mrna-vaccine-facility/ar-BB1fMWOP?ocid=msedgdhp

Vaccination program heading for 'reset'
Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program is expected to undergo a "big reset" with details to be announced on Thursday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with state and territory leaders on Monday for national cabinet, with a further meeting scheduled for Thursday.
In a statement issued following the meeting, Mr Morrison said the leaders had agreed in-principle to a series of changes to the vaccination strategy to be considered at the next meeting.

"(That will include) options to bring forward the commencement of vaccinations for over 50 year olds under the priority group 2a, and the readiness of more state and territory-operated vaccination sites including mass vaccination sites, as vaccine supplies increase," he said.

The national cabinet backed GPs continuing to be the primary model of rolling out vaccinations for over-50s, with states and territories to consider options to supplement rollout through expanded state vaccination centres.

"The commonwealth will continue to finalise the vaccination of residential aged care facility residents with Pfizer using an in-reach model," he said.

Emerging from the meeting, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters in Brisbane there had been a "good discussion" about the vaccine rollout.

"It's a big reset on the vaccine rollout," she said, adding that "firm decisions" would be announced later in the week.

"Everyone went into that room with the right attitude."

The national strategy's priority will remain vaccinating people in the 1a and 1b groups, with all states to prioritise the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for over-50s.

Asked about a proposal floated to allow Australians returning from overseas to undertake home quarantine, Ms Palaszczuk said no formal proposal was put.

"Our hotel quarantine has worked incredibly well to date."

Tasmania has flagged a specific role in the reset, offering to vaccinate aged care and disability workers which were to be covered by the federal program.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier said everyone should be "far less rigid" in the approach to the vaccine rollout.

"Given we know that there's no issue with anyone over 50 having the AstraZeneca and there is considerable supply in Australia at the moment, that we need to really crack on with it," she said.

"We have got the capacity for the mass vaccination hubs."

Mr Morrison said ahead of the meeting there were strong arguments to bring forward the date of vaccinating those over 50.

Under the vaccination plan designed by the federal government last year, there are five stages.

Phase 1a and 1b, currently underway across the country, include aged care, disability, quarantine and health care workers, as well as aged care residents.

Anyone with an underlying medical condition, significant disability, or aged over 70 - over 55 for Indigenous Australians - are also eligible to receive a jab.

However, medical advice updated earlier this month recommended AstraZeneca - the "workhorse" of the rollout - be scrapped as the preference for people under 50, due to the risk of a rare blood clot disorder.

That has left many states with spare doses.

Federal Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said there were serious issues with the flow of vaccine supplies, which needed fixing.

"I have talked to a number of providers, big GP clinics, state clinics - they are set up to do very big numbers of vaccinations," he said.

"Some are getting 50 or 100 doses per week. That is nowhere near enough."

Victoria on Wednesday will resume its rollout of the AstraZeneca shot to eligible people under 50, after it was paused on April 9 due to the blood clot issue.

Three mass vaccination sites offering the AstraZeneca vaccine will also open their doors on Wednesday to Victorians in phase 1a and 1b.

Australia has administered 1.59 million jabs so far.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/vaccination-program-heading-for-reset/ar-BB1fMLTj?ocid=msedgdhp

National Cabinet considering extending COVID-19 vaccine rollout to anyone over 50s
Australians over the age of 50 could soon receive the AstraZeneca vaccine earlier than expected after the states and territories agreed to bring the COVID-19 vaccine timetable forward.

National Cabinet on Monday discussed resetting the vaccine rollout on the back of updated medical advice recommending Australians under the age of 50 receive the Pfizer vaccine over AstraZeneca amid concerns about rare blood clots.

Doctors are now reporting patients are missing their appointments for the AstraZeneca vaccine over safety concerns, with thousands of doses sitting idle in fridges across the country.

The nation's leaders agreed "in principle" to a series of changes to the vaccine strategy, including bringing forward the rollout to allow Australians over the age of 50 to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The changes will be formally put forward for approval at the next meeting on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of National Cabinet, Mr Morrison said he did not want AstraZeneca doses to go to waste and would discuss offering Australians aged 50-69 the AstraZeneca vaccine when he met state and territory leaders today.

"We don't want to see one vaccine that's rolling off the line and going through the approval processes and the batch testing sitting in a fridge," he said.

"If there's someone over 50 who's there and wants to take that vaccine we'll be looking at how that can be achieved today.

"There are strong, strong arguments for the bring forward of over 50s with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is a safe and effective vaccine for those aged over 50 and particularly important for those aged over 70 who are already in that priority group."

RECAP: Look back on the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australians aged between 50-69 are currently in the so-called Phase 2a of the rollout, which has not begun yet.

The age group includes almost 6 million Australians, but so far just 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed across the country.

According to the Department of Health, as at April 14, approximately 2.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been produced locally and 714,000 received from overseas.

Breakdowns of how many people have been given which vaccine are not provided by the government or health authorities.

The nation's leaders also discussed setting up mass vaccination hubs, as vaccine supplies increased.

Mr Morrison also said he hoped to get millions of Australians under 50 in the last three months of the year, with the help of mass vaccination hubs.

"There's a lot of work to be done given that would be effectively, if we wished, a 12-week sprint," he said.

"There'd need to be plenty of planning to achieve that."

The nation's leaders today agreed the use of the centres should supplement the work of GPs in the rollout.

However, Mr Morrison said the mass vaccination clinics would hinge on vaccine stock, as the government is unlikely to receive millions of doses of the Pfizer and yet-to-be-approved Novavax vaccines until after October.

Vulnerable Australians must come first, Labor says
National Cabinet agreed that vaccinating the most vulnerable remains the top priority.

It was a sentiment shared by Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler ahead of the meeting.

"Scott Morrison promised aged care residents and disability facility residents, the most vulnerable members of our community, would be fully vaccinated by Easter, but still more than three-quarters of aged-care facilities have not had their residents fully vaccinated," he said.

"This is simply not good enough; Australia needs to speed up this crucial vaccine rollout.

"I'd like to see a new plan with clear timelines and targets.

"The last one which had targets like 4 million Australians by end of March, the job done by October, is clearly in tatters, we need a new plan with revised timelines and targets."

Mr Butler also said the capacity to manufacture mRNA vaccines on a large scale in Australia was urgently needed.

While protein-based vaccines like AstraZeneca have been widely used for viruses including the flu, mRNA vaccines like Pfizer have not been broadly distributed in Australia before and only a few countries can make them.

These vaccines effectively carry molecular instructions to make the SARS CoV-2 spike protein— so a person's body can produce it and mount an immune response.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Sunday said the government was talking widely with manufacturers to start producing the vaccine on a wide scale in Australia but said it could take the best part of a year to get off the ground.

But Mr Butler said the technology was a crucial part of a fight against COVID-19, which was needed "urgently".

"Other countries, Germany for example, decided they wanted to manufacture their own mRNA vaccines in country, to be assured of supplies of these state of the art vaccines, and they built a factory in about six months," he said.

"We've seen for months now, talk from the government and no action."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/national-cabinet-considering-extending-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-to-anyone-over-50/ar-BB1fNJVf?ocid=msedgdhp
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
24 APRIL UPDATE .

Greater Perth entered a snap circuit breaker HARD LOCKDOWN at midnight 23Apr
Perth lockdown for three days will see Anzac Day services cancelled, residents urged to stay indoors
Perth and the Peel region have been plunged into a three-day lockdown after several people ( returnees from India and staff) contracted COVID-19 while staying in hotel quarantine.
The lockdown will begin at midnight tonight. Masks will be mandatory from 6pm, although Premier Mark McGowan recommended people wear them immediately.

Anzac Day services around the Perth and Peel regions have been cancelled, with Mr McGowan urging people to take part in driveway dawn services instead.

It comes after a Victorian man this morning tested positive in Melbourne after completing 14 days of quarantine at a WA hotel.

Man spent up to five days in community while infectious
Mr McGowan confirmed a close contact of the man in Perth — a woman with two children who he stayed with in Kardinya in Perth's south after completing 14 days mandatory guarded quarantine with tests returning -ve — has NOW also tested positive after having a rapid COVID test.

The 54-year-old man left hotel quarantine on April 17 but did not return to Melbourne until April 21.

Mr McGowan said that meant he spent up to five days in the community infectious.

The WA Health Department is updating the list of affected sites progressively as contact tracers try to track all of his movements.

His movements include going to a Malaysian restaurant with the friend he was staying with.

On April 18, the man visited a swimming pool in the southern suburbs, had coffee in the suburb of Leeming, dinner in Northbridge and then stayed the night at St Catherine's College at the University of Western Australia.

The next day, he went to a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, went to Northbridge again and again stayed at St Catherine's College.

On April 20, he visited Kings Park and Northbridge.

On April 21, he had breakfast in the common area at St Catherine's College before being driven by his friend to the airport.

There he caught QF 778 at 1.05pm to Melbourne, with 257 passengers on board.

Those passengers are self-isolating and being tested in Victoria.

Contact tracing teams have been sent to all the WA locations where the COVID-positive man went.

Exemptions for leaving home
People cannot leave the lockdown zones without an exemption.

There are four reasons why people can leave their home during this period.

For work, because they cannot work from home or remotely.
To shop for essentials, like groceries, medicines and necessary supplies.
For medical and healthcare needs, including compassionate requirements and looking after the vulnerable.
For one hour of exercise, with up to four people and with masks, unless it is vigorous exercise.
'We need to stay the course together'
The Premier told people to get tested if they felt unwell.

"I want to remind everyone that if you are unwell, more than ever, stay home and get tested if you are symptomatic," Mr McGowan said.

"We need to go back to what we know best. We need to keep ourselves safe. We have all done this before and it has kept us safe. It is crucial we are calmly and sensibly keeping the community safe.

"I know for many Western Australians this will be disruptive. My thanks go to everyone for their patience and understanding.

"We need to stay the course together. Take care of your loved ones and be respectful of others."

Mr McGowan said children under 12 did not have to wear a mask, but for all others it was mandatory, with some exceptions.

"Over the short three-day lockdown you must wear a mask unless you are in your home, in your car with the people you live with or doing vigorous exercise.

Weddings, funerals to go ahead
Pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants will close except for takeaway food.

Weddings and funerals can go ahead, but with a limit of 100 people, not including staff, and masks will have to be worn.

These will be the only exceptions for restaurants and other event locations.

Gyms and indoor sporting venues will shut and there will be no community sport allowed.

Playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor recreational facilities will close, as will cinemas, entertainment venues and casinos.

Large religious gatherings and places of worship, libraries and cultural institutions will close.

People can only enter the Perth and Peel regions only to access or deliver essential health and emergency services and other essential requirements or returning residents.

No visitors will be allowed to hospitals, residential aged care or disability facilities unless for exceptional circumstances.

Shoppers in Perth and Peel have been flocking to supermarkets and other shops, with queues forming before the Premier made his announcement.

Man stayed in room next to mother and child
The man who tested positive in Victoria had been on the same floor of the Mercure Hotel as a pregnant woman and her four-year-old daughter from the UK who also tested positive after their stay.

They contracted the virus from an infected couple who had returned from India and were staying in a room opposite them.

Mr McGowan said 16 other people who had been quarantining on the same floor had now left.

He said so far 13 of them had returned negative COVID-19 results and the rest of the tests were due soon.

The infected man had been in a room next to the mother and child from the UK and opposite and one down from the couple returned from India.

Dockers to play at empty stadium
Mr McGowan has asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison to halve WA's international arrival cap from 1,025 to 512 a week for the next month.

"It's important we have a pause on the number of cases coming into our quarantine facilities," Mr McGowan said.

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson urged anyone leaving Perth for the long weekend not to rush.

"Do not rush around. We accept this is highly disruptive and it is, though, based on the public health advice," Commissioner Dawson said.

He confirmed the AFL game on Saturday between the Fremantle Dockers and North Melbourne in Perth would go ahead but with no fans.

The Perth Wildcats basketball and Western Force rugby games will go ahead tonight with crowds, but people will have to wear masks.

NZ travel bubble suspended
Travel between New Zealand and Western Australia is on hold.

The New Zealand government said health officials were in contact with their Australian counterparts and were completing a risk assessment.

It said a flight due to leave Perth for New Zealand later tonight would not be taking off, and it would be providing an update on Saturday.

Fresh hotel review as testing ramped up
Mr McGowan defended his Government's handling of hotel quarantine, despite the April 16 report from the Chief Health Officer warning about the high risk hotels like the Mercure presented.

He said the report stated ventilation issues were manageable if certain precautions were put in place.

"We've been putting those precautions in place," he said.

"But the hotels were not built for this purpose.

"We're trying to improve it whilst we have these people actually in the hotels."

CCTV is being installed to replace security guards and HEPA filters are being introduced to improve air quality.

Mr McGowan said there would be a review of which hotels would continue to be used in light of the outbreak at the Mercure Hotel and the request to halve international arrivals.

"Obviously, it's quite difficult now to continue to use them for returning Australians,' he said.

"Perhaps they can be used for seasonal workers."

He confirmed that would be the case for the Mercure, which would house quarantining seasonal workers from Tonga and Vanuatu, considered "extremely low risk" countries.

COVID testing will be ramped up over the next three days and the government will decide on Monday whether or not to extend the lockdown.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/melbourne/perth-lockdown-for-three-days-will-see-anzac-day-services-cancelled-residents-urged-to-stay-indoors/ar-BB1fXtXY?ocid=msedgdhp

24 April Perth Q/tine leakage cluster update
Perth records positive community-transmitted coronavirus case on day one of lockdown
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The new positive case was confirmed on Saturday afternoon.

The WA Health Department has confirmed a positive COVID test result has been returned from a person within the community on day one of Perth's snap lockdown.

The man in his 40s presented for a COVID-19 test yesterday as he had gone to one of the locations visited by the COVID-positive Victorian case.

Perth is in a three-day lockdown after a traveller spent five days in the community while infectious.

"The person is now working closely with the Department's contact tracing team to determine public exposure sites," a WA Health Department statement said.

"Even if you have not visited one of the locations, if you have symptoms, get tested and self-isolate until you get your result.

"Do not be complacent. It is imperative you always follow the public health instructions."

The lockdown was announced on Friday after a 54-year-old Victorian man tested positive for the virus after completing 14 days of hotel quarantine in Perth.

A woman who the man stayed with while in Perth also returned a rapid testing positive result for the virus.

One other case was recorded earlier on Saturday, a returned overseas traveller who is in hotel quarantine.

Restaurants 'higher risk'
WA Health said the new positive case had attended the Kitchen Inn in Kardinya, but that all restaurants where cases had dined were "higher risk".

Anyone who went to any of the five restaurants listed on the Healthy WA website must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days from the date of their exposure.

The restaurants deemed "higher risk" are:

Northbridge: City China Garden, April 20, 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Northbridge: Good Fortune Roast Duck House, April 19, 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Northbridge: Fortune Five Chinese Restaurant, April 18, 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Kardinya: Kitchen Inn, 19/17-23 South Street, April 18, 12:00pm – 2:00pm

East Victoria Park: Anything La Corner, U5-6/910 Albany Highway, April 17, 5:30pm – 8:00pm

DETAILED WA Covid hotspots: list of Perth and Western Australia locations and exposure sites visited by coronavirus cases
Perth and the Peel region will be in lockdown from 12.01am Saturday 24 April until 11.59pm Monday 26 April.

List of public exposure sites in Western Australia
If you have visited any of the below sites at the times specified you must get tested and isolate until you get a negative result. After that you must monitor for any symptoms for 14 days:

Crawley: St Catherine’s College, UWA 17/04/2021 – 21/04/2021
Qantas domestic terminal (T3 - T4) 21/04/2021 11am – 1pm
Crawley: St Catherine’s College, UWA – Dining Hall 21/04/2021 7am – 9am
Northbridge: City China Garden 20/04/2021 5pm – 8pm
Northbridge: Good Fortune Roast Duck House 19/04/2021 5pm – 8pm
Subiaco: Fortune Acupuncture Chinese Medical Clinic 19/04/2021 1.30pm – 3pm
Kardinya: Kitchen Inn (takeaway) 19/04/2021 midday – 1.00pm
Crawley: St Catherine’s College, UWA – Dining Hall 19/04/2021 7am – 9am
Kardinya: Kitchen Inn 18/04/2021 midday – 2pm
Mount Pleasant: Brentwood Deli 18/04/2021 8.30am – 9.30am
East Victoria Park: Bananabro 17/04/2021 5.30pm – 8pm
All passengers on QF778 from Perth to Melbourne on Wednesday 21 April are being contacted by Victorian health authorities, and will be required to isolate for 14 days.

Anyone who attended Terminal One at Melbourne Airport between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Wednesday 21 April is required to isolate until they receive a negative result.

Health authorities said contact tracing is underway and more locations may be added. For more information, please visit the WA Department of Health website.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/wa-covid-hotspots-list-of-perth-and-western-australia-locations-and-exposure-sites-visited-by-coronavirus-cases/ar-BB1fXKAq?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/perth-records-positive-community-transmitted-coronavirus-case-on-day-one-of-lockdown/ar-BB1fZRfZ?ocid=msedgdhp

Spread to Melbourne
23 APR VIC
Melbourne man tests positive after WA quarantine
A Victorian man has tested positive for COVID-19 after completing 14 days of quarantine at a West Australian hotel at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak. The man travelled from Perth to Melbourne and everyone on his flight is being told to self-isolate.

Victoria shock new Covid case after Perth hotel quarantine spread
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A shock new coronavirus case has been discovered in Melbourne after a man from the city's east flew home from an infected Perth quarantine hotel.

The man contracted the virus from a positive case who was staying on the same floor of his hotel, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said.

He was told by Western Australia health officials on arrival into Melbourne on April 21 he was a close contact of a confirmed case and has been in self-isolation since.

Contact tracers are now racing to find other passengers who shared Qantas flight QF778 with him from Perth to Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon.

All passengers on that flight must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.
Mr Foley said the man wore a mask while in the airport and followed the correct procedure after he was told he was a close contact.

The traveller is believed to have undergone hotel quarantine in the room next door to the confirmed case.

His positive test result at 2am on Friday morning marks the first community case of Covid-19 in Victoria in 55 days.

The man is asymptomatic and has three household contacts - his partner and two children.

He has decided to move to a quarantine hotel while he completes his new mandatory self-isolation.

Health authorities said all three of his family must also get tested and isolate for two weeks.

'This is an important and timely reminder this global pandemic is not over,' Mr Foley said.

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a person holding luggage: MailOnline logo© Provided by Daily Mail MailOnline logo
A shock new coronavirus case has been discovered in Melbourne after a man from the city's east flew home from an infected Perth quarantine hotel.

The man contracted the virus from a positive case who was staying on the same floor of his hotel, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said.

He was told by Western Australia health officials on arrival into Melbourne on April 21 he was a close contact of a confirmed case and has been in self-isolation since.

Contact tracers are now racing to find other passengers who shared Qantas flight QF778 with him from Perth to Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon.

All passengers on that flight must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.

a person in a car: (© Provided by Daily Mail (
Mr Foley said the man wore a mask while in the airport and followed the correct procedure after he was told he was a close contact.

The traveller is believed to have undergone hotel quarantine in the room next door to the confirmed case.

His positive test result at 2am on Friday morning marks the first community case of Covid-19 in Victoria in 55 days.

The man is asymptomatic and has three household contacts - his partner and two children.

He has decided to move to a quarantine hotel while he completes his new mandatory self-isolation.

Health authorities said all three of his family must also get tested and isolate for two weeks.

'This is an important and timely reminder this global pandemic is not over,' Mr Foley said.

a person standing next to a bag of luggage: (© Provided by Daily Mail (
'Victorians have been down this path. We know the drill. We will do the right thing to keep this to one case, at the moment.'

Mr Foley said authorities did not yet know the number of passengers on board the Qantas flight.

'We will be examining the gentleman’s movements, particularly for the airport where he did wear a mask, as he did on the flight, as he did on his journey home having been contacted by public health officials as he arrived at the airport,' he said.

The alert comes as Victorians who may have been exposed to the South African strain B1350 of Covid-19 in a Sydney hotel were forced into isolation for 14 days.
Six Victorians exposed to South Africa strain of Covid told to isolate
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Six Victorians who may have been exposed to the South African strain of Covid-19 in a Sydney hotel have been forced into isolation for 14 days.

The interstate travellers have been identified as close contacts of three Covid-19 positive people who were staying at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney.

The three positive cases, including two who are related, returned from overseas and were placed in adjacent rooms on the 10th floor of the hotel to quarantine on April 3.

They later returned positive results for the South African strain of Covid-19 and fears were raised the virus could spread after it was revealed dozens of travellers who stayed at the hotel had already travelled interstate.

The Department of Health said the Victorian travellers were contacted and tested on Thursday.

The six who had been in Sydney had been staying at the Mercure Hotel where two other residents contracted the UK variant of the strain from a third traveller.

They are among 40 returned travellers who stayed at the busy Mercure hotel in Sydney anytime between April 7 and 12 being urgently tracked by NSW Health.

Officials have successfully contacted 36 hotel guests but are still desperately trying to reach four remaining people.

They are all being directed to get tested and self-isolate until 14 days after they left quarantine.

The three infected returned travellers, including two who are related, touched down in Australia on April 3.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant on Thursday said they all travelled on the same plane and were seated in the same section of the aircraft.

But as they all tested negative during their first Covid swab on day two of their hotel stay, it appears they were not infectious while in transit.

What we are concerned about is there could have been transmission,' Dr Chant said.

'If that transmission event occurred in the hotel, the question is, could other people have been exposed?'

The hotel quests tested positive to the virus on day seven, 10 and 12 of their stay.

Dr Chant said officials are taking a 'precautionary' approach with their latest health advice as they do not have a 'definitive conclusion' on how the three people contracted the virus.

There were about 40 people staying on the same hotel floor as the Covid-positive travellers, before they were moved to a health hotel.

'We have managed to contact 36 of those individuals, a number have gone into other states and territories and those states and territories have been alerted,' Dr Chant said.

Health authorities are 'urgently escalating' contact with the remaining four hotel guests.

Meanwhile, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the state's first mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush will be open for business by mid-May.

'We're expecting this hub to be able to dispense around 30,000 vaccines every single week,' she said.

'This has not been done ever, to my knowledge, in NSW,' Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

GPs will remain the first port of call for those receiving the AstraZeneca jab, but those who want to be vaccinated in a state facility or don't have a GP will be able to get vaccinated at the hub.

Those with underlying health issues are particularly encouraged to go through their GPs.

The Homebush hub will predominantly administer Pfizer vaccines, which are trickier to store and distribute because they have to be stored at extremely low temperatures.

Some other vaccine sites across the state that have been distributing AstraZeneca jabs will be converted to allow them to dispense the Pfizer vaccine.

More than 180,000 COVID vaccinations have already been administered by NSW Health.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/six-victorians-exposed-to-south-africa-strain-of-covid-told-to-isolate/ar-BB1fXaSi?ocid=msedgdhp

The interstate travellers have been identified as close contacts of three Covid-19 positive people who were staying at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney.
The three positive cases, including two who are related, returned from overseas and were placed in adjacent rooms on the 10th floor of the hotel to quarantine on April 3.

They later returned positive results for the South African strain of Covid-19 and fears were raised the virus could spread after it was revealed dozens of travellers who stayed at the hotel had already travelled interstate.

The Department of Health said the Victorian travellers were contacted and tested on Thursday.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/victoria-shock-new-covid-case-after-perth-hotel-quarantine-spread/ar-BB1fXg5P?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/melbourne-man-tests-positive-after-wa-quarantine/vi-BB1fXeqe?ocid=msedgdhp

Melbourne Airport declared Covid exposure site after Perth arrival
There are fears Melbourne could be facing another snap lockdown after the city's major airport was declared a exposure site due to an infected traveller arriving from Perth.

A man arrived at the airport in Tullamarine on Wednesday evening on Qantas flight QF778 after being in close contact with a man who was infected with coronavirus in Perth.

He acquired the virus after serving hotel quarantine in Perth's Mercure Hotel, in an adjacent room to someone who was positive.

On Friday the Victoria Department of Health declare both the flight and the airport's Terminal 1 public exposure sites.

Anyone on the flight must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days, while anyone at the airport terminal must get tested and isolate until receiving a negative result.

The infected traveller has been placed in hotel quarantine and is currently asymptomatic.

VICTORIAN EXPOSURE SITES
SITE: Qantas flight QF778 - Perth to Melbourne

EXPOSURE DATE: 21 April 2021

ADVICE: Tier 1 - Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure

SITE: Melbourne Airport- Terminal 1

DATE: 21 April 2021 7:00pm-7:30pm

ADVICE: Tier 2 - Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result

The man becomes the second person to acquire coronavirus from another serving hotel quarantine after a Perth man caught the virus from a person at the same hotel then infected his friend.

Those two cases have sent Perth into a snap three-day lockdown.

He arrived on Qantas flight QF778 and was in Terminal One between 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

The Victorian Department of Health are requesting anyone who was aboard the flight to immediately get tested and self isolate for 14 days unless told otherwise by government officials.

A man arrived at the airport in Tullamarine on Wednesday evening on Qantas flight QF778 after being in close contact with a man who was infected with coronavirus in Perth.

He acquired the virus after serving hotel quarantine in Perth's Mercure Hotel, in an adjacent room to someone who was positive.

On Friday the Victoria Department of Health declare both the flight and the airport's Terminal 1 public exposure sites.

Anyone on the flight must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days, while anyone at the airport terminal must get tested and isolate until receiving a negative result.

a man holding a sign: (© Provided by Daily Mail (
a large passenger jet flying through a cloudy blue sky: (© Provided by Daily Mail (
The infected traveller has been placed in hotel quarantine and is currently asymptomatic.


VICTORIAN EXPOSURE SITES
SITE: Qantas flight QF778 - Perth to Melbourne

EXPOSURE DATE: 21 April 2021

ADVICE: Tier 1 - Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure

SITE: Melbourne Airport- Terminal 1

DATE: 21 April 2021 7:00pm-7:30pm

ADVICE: Tier 2 - Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result

The man becomes the second person to acquire coronavirus from another serving hotel quarantine after a Perth man caught the virus from a person at the same hotel then infected his friend.

Those two cases have sent Perth into a snap three-day lockdown.

He arrived on Qantas flight QF778 and was in Terminal One between 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

The Victorian Department of Health are requesting anyone who was aboard the flight to immediately get tested and self isolate for 14 days unless told otherwise by government officials.


'If you were on this flight, you must isolate, get tested and remain isolated for 14 days – unless otherwise formally advised by the Department of Health,' a health department statement read.

'The Department is contacting over 250 individuals on this flight using information obtained from comprehensive flight manifest data, and border permits.

'While the individual returned directly to his home in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, he did pass through the airport.'

Victoria Health are investigation other potential sites they could add to a high-risk designation.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/melbourne-airport-declared-covid-exposure-site-after-perth-arrival/ar-BB1fYbix?ocid=msedgdhp

23 APR VANUATU
COVID-19-positive sailors in limbo at sea after Vanuatu government fails to provide treatment
There are concerns about the wellbeing of 12 sailors on board a large gas tanker that left Vanuatu, initially heading for the Solomon Islands, with all but one infected with COVID-19.

The UK-flagged Inge Kosan was due to travel to the Solomon Islands three days after arriving in Vanuatu on April 7, but it is now sailing in open waters without a clear indication of where it will dock next after crew members were not given treatment by the Vanuatu government.

Vanuatu said the risk of COVID-19 transmission was too great to offer treatment onshore.

Vanuatu Health Minister Silas Bule told the ABC the country's health system would not be able to cope with an outbreak.

"The risk of letting them onto our shore is a very great risk for the country with limited resources and limited facilities," he said.

"We could not take the risk. We believe that maybe they will be treated [at] the next destination."

Bekir Ustaoglu, head of the International Maritime Organization's Asia Pacific section, told the ABC the case highlighted the level of risk sailors were facing during the pandemic.

"This is very sad indeed. However, I would also like to recognise the difficulties faced by small island states like Vanuatu," he said.

"They are extremely cautious and understandably concerned about their capacity and the contamination from this virus.

"I know for a fact that some other countries in the region were not even amenable to accept their own people."

Mr Bule said the pandemic was an unprecedented global event and he did not believe Vanuatu had breached human rights obligations.

The tanker was due to deliver gas to the Solomon Islands, but Solomon Islands' maritime authorities told the ABC that the voyage would not continue as planned.

A representative of the shipping company, BW Epic Kosan, told the ABC those on board with the virus did not have symptoms, and the company was continuing to monitor their status.

The sailor who tested negative for coronavirus will remain in isolation on the vessel.

Adding to the saga, the body of one of the ship's crew members was found washed up on a Vanuatu beach earlier this month and tested positive for COVID-19.

The Filipino man in his 40s was found at Pango village, just outside the capital, Port Vila, on April 11 — the cause of death is still under investigation.

The positive result led to a localised three-day travel lockdown for Vanuatu's main island of Efate, which has now been lifted.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman told a press conference on Wednesday that the country's Health Ministry had done "all the necessary work to rule out any possible exposure of COVID-19 to any primary contacts related to the positive case".

"Everyone who had contact with the body and went into quarantine, their results came back negative," he said.

"The [Vanuatu] government … has made arrangements for the ship to send the dead body back to his family in his country."

Ship also stopped in Sydney
The ship stopped at Botany Bay for 24 hours between March 31 and April 1 but none of the crew disembarked.

Fifteen Port Botany workers boarded the vessel and have since been tested for the virus, with 13 returning negative results so far.

New South Wales Health is investigating whether two more port workers also boarded the ship.

The head of the International Transport Workers' Federation, Ian Bray, said crews should be routinely tested for COVID-19 when they docked in Australia.

"Ultimately, under the current system it has been left to some kind of arrangement where the master or the ship's captain has to self-declare whether everybody on board [is] safe and illness-free, and that's fundamentally flawed," he told the ABC.

To mitigate the health risks of spreading COVID-19, Mr Ustaoglu said seafarers should be prioritised in vaccination programs in their originating countries.

"We need to make sure that the services [of global shipping is] maintained. But unfortunately, the recent incident in Vanuatu is not unique," he said.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/covid-19-positive-sailors-in-limbo-at-sea-after-vanuatu-government-fails-to-provide-treatment/ar-BB1fXD8s?ocid=msedgdhp

24 APR NSW
Sydney port workers test negative to COVID-19 as virus fragments found in sewage plants
All port workers who boarded a docked ship that had COVID-positive crew members on board have tested negative for the virus.

The 15 workers at Port Botany boarded the Inge Kosan between March 31 and April 1.

The bulk liquids ship had travelled from Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea before leaving Sydney to go to Vanuatu.

New South Wales health has today confirmed that all of the workers have tested negative for COVID-19.

One crew member had and his body had washed up on a beach near Port Vila on April 11. The cause of his death is yet to be confirmed.

The shipping company has said that it "continues to provide support to the family member of our deceased colleague".

"We have requested a copy of the autopsy report to understand what the cause of death is [which may bring some closure to the bereaved] but we have yet to receive the report".

Virus fragments found in sewage
The news comes as authorities raise concerns that there may be undetected COVID-19 cases in the community after the virus was detected in sewerage systems across Sydney.

Positive results may indicate the presence of people who have recently recovered from the virus, NSW Health said.

The virus was found at the following treatment plants:

Allambie Heights, which serves people in the Northern Head catchment, and includes the suburbs of Allambie Heights, Balgowlah, Curl Curl, North Curl Curl, North Manly, Freshwater, Collaroy, Collaroy Plateau, Narrabeen, Wheeler Heights, Oxford Falls, Dee Why, Cromer, Beacon Hill, Narraweena, Brookvale, Frenchs Forest
Merimbula, which serves about 15,000 people on the South Coast
Residents in these areas have been urged to be alert for any cold-like symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever or headache.

Meanwhile, NSW has recorded just one new case of COVID-19 acquired overseas and detected in hotel quarantine as at 8pm last night.

An investigation into the transmission of the virus who arrived in hotel quarantine in Sydney’s CBD on April 3 is ongoing.

No further transmission has been identified.

In response to Western Australia's snap lockdown, anyone entering New South Wales from today is required to complete a declaration form.

People who have arrived in NSW since 12:01am this morning have been told they need to comply with the same stay-at-home restrictions that apply to the Perth and Peel regions.

However, health officials have urged travellers who have visited any of the close contact venues listed on the WA Health website not to enter NSW.

Those recently returned from Melbourne are also asked to check the list of exposure sites and to follow the relevant health advice.

Two US marines are among the 10 new COVID cases recorded in the Northern Territory today and are in quarantine at Howard Springs.

In the 24 hours to 8pm last night, 8,568 tests were undertaken and 2,933 vaccines were administered.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/sydney-port-workers-test-negative-to-covid-19-as-virus-fragments-found-in-sewage-plants/ar-BB1fZGSP?ocid=msedgdhp

BRIEF SITUATION DATA
screenshot-195.png

screenshot-194.png
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
25 April Update .

No new cases of LOCAL covid transmission detected overnight.

ANZAC Dawn Services went ahead as per NORMAL CUSTOM in all states other than WA ( where people observing the dawn services were required to do so in their own homes and driveways and green strips ).

WA Premier has imposed tight cutbacks on the number of returnees WA will take into mandatory guarded hotel quarantine to 1/4 the number per weeks they were prepared to take prior to 23 April.
This has created a big barny between the Federal and WA state governments ( nothing new ).

WA wants all states to move to a NT Howard Springs model and the for ScoMo to accept full responsibility for returnees and quarantine ( International border control ARE the mandates of Border Force & the ADF ).

There have covid fragments detected in sewerage locally ( Newcastle ) and residents of the Newcastle City area and the surrounding suburbs of
Dudley,
Charlestown,
Jesmond,
Lambton,
New Lambton,
Mayfield,
Elermore Vale,
Wallsend,
Kotara,
Garden Suburb,
Adamstown Heights,
Kahibah,
Highfields,
Merewether,
Waratah West,
Georgetown and Carrington.

NSW Health say it is likely the fragments come from people who have previously had COVID-19, who are shedding the virus weeks after their recovery.

However, NSW health say it is equally as likely that the fragments could indicate “undetected cases in the community”.
These will be first local cases in Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Port Stephens area for > 9 months.

Gov't website back up after being down for 2 days.
Updated data :

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25-apr-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-qld.png

25-apr-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-wa.png

25-apr-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-sa.png

25-apr-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-nt.png


25-apr-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-AU.png

25-apr-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-nsw.png

25-apr-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-qld.png

25-apr-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-wa.png

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25-apr-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-nt.png


25-apr-days-since-last-local-infection.png
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
26 April UPDATE
Greater Perth & Peel Region Hard Lockdown to end at Midnight ( in 2 hours ) .

Perth lockdown to end midnight Monday as no new COVID community cases recorded
The lockdown of the Perth and Peel region will end at midnight tonight after Western Australia recorded no new community spread of coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.

But Premier Mark McGowan said while people were free to leave their homes and return to work and schools would be open as usual, some interim restrictions would remain for the next four days, including the mandatory wearing of face masks in public.

Masks will not be mandatory for primary school students, but secondary school students will need to wear them.

Staff at primary and secondary schools will need to wear masks.

Masks will remain compulsory until at least 12.01am on Saturday, when the interim restrictions are reviewed.

Indoor fitness venues, nightclubs and the casino must stay closed, but all other venues including restaurants, pubs and cafes can reopen.

But the four-square-metre capacity rule will apply, with a limit of 20 patrons not including staff.

Private indoor and outdoor gatherings are also limited to crowds of 20, while people are free to travel beyond the Perth and Peel area.

Lockdown has 'done the job': Premier
Mr McGowan said the absence of any new cases was a "fantastic result" in the wake of the snap lockdown announced on Friday.

"The short three-day lockdown has done the job it was designed to do. It was the circuit-breaker we needed to limit community spread," he said.

"Western Australians have done their bit to keep our community safe."

Two people had been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 via community transmission after the infection of a Victorian man while he was in Perth hotel quarantine.

The outbreak from the Mercure Hotel was today confirmed to have originated from a man who was in quarantine after travelling to India to get married.

More than 13,000 coronavirus tests were conducted in WA yesterday, bringing the total tests conducted to 29,963 since Friday.

The Premier said following emergency meetings this morning with the state's Chief Health Officer and Police Commissioner, a step-down approach would be put in place for easing restrictions

“We need to be cautious as we come out of lockdown as the virus could still be out there,” he said.

Other interim restrictions in place
Under the interim rules, masks are mandatory both indoors and outdoors, but in addition to primary school children, they will not be required for anybody vigorously exercising or for those who are exempt.

[Chart: WA coronavirus cases]
Visits to hospitals, aged care and disability care facilities are restricted to compassionate grounds only, while community sport can proceed, but without spectators and with capacity limits for indoor venues.

Universities will be open for online learning only.

While all public venues including hospitality and entertainment spots can open other than the casino, nightclubs and indoor fitness venues, Mr McGowan acknowledged they would still be impacted by the four-square-metre capacity rule and limit on patrons.

"I know this makes it tough for many businesses," he said.

"But it's important we are cautious and ease off restrictions in line with health advice."

The Premier said he understood there would be confusion about the interim restrictions.

"Coming out of lockdown is no easy task, it's about balancing things out and coming to a point that's in the best interests of all the community," he said.

"This lockdown has been disruptive. I'm very sorry that it had to happen."

Many businesses will stay shut, says AHA
Australian Hotels Association of WA chief executive Bradley Woods said continued COVID restrictions means many businesses would not open.

For the next four days, the hospitality industry must comply with a four square metre rule and a 20 patron limit for every closed off area, for seated service only.

Mr Woods said while the health advice must be followed, it would mean tens of thousands of people would be out of work this week.

"With the extreme limitations on capacity and service within those venues, we suspect that many hospitality venues simply won't open because the conditions are so onerous," he said.

"Clearly the hospitality industry is bearing the major brunt of the lockdowns and the shutdowns, as is the entertainment sector and it's only fair that the state government looks at reasonable compensation measures for the businesses and the staff working within them."

Mr Woods said the sector had just missed out on one of its biggest weekends of the year before winter hits.

"We estimate across the board around up to a hundred million would've been lost as a result of these closures," he said.

"And over the forthcoming week, you can pretty much well double that through to Saturday morning."

The hospitality industry is hoping it will be able to go back to 75 per cent or even 100 per cent capacity after the restriction period ends.

Elective surgery restricted
Health Minister Roger Cook said there would be a focus on category one and urgent category two elective surgery over the next four days.

All other elective surgery would be rescheduled, along with any non-urgent outpatient and community health visits that could not be completed via telehealth.

"We understand the disruption this causes for everyone, but we hope it's only a temporary measure and we seek your understanding and patience," Mr Cook said.

The minister also said the recent lockdown reiterated the importance of using the SafeWA app.

"The threat of COVID-19 is not going away. There is no room for complacency," he said.

Premier threatens to cut overseas intake
As the row over hotel quarantine continued, Mr McGowan said if the federal government did not help WA with quarantining overseas arrivals, the number of people the state accepted would need to be dropped.

WA's international arrivals are set to be capped to 512 per week from this Thursday until May 30, but the Premier said he would be reluctant to return to the full 1,025 per week cap.

"The Commonwealth has facilities that were built for these sorts of reasons," he said.

"I know the Commonwealth doesn't want to do it … but if they're not prepared to do it, we'll just have to drop the number of people returning to Australia."

He said they also needed to crack down on people leaving and then returning to Australia.

"We need to make sure Australians, or people living in Australia, can only go overseas for the most extreme and extraordinary of reasons," he said.

"We can't have people leaving this country for whatever purpose and then coming back COVID positive.

"We're in a pandemic – millions of people are dying. If you can't go to a funeral, or you can't go to a wedding, or you can't go and run in an athletics meet, so be it."

Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said hotels were an "ongoing issue" when it came to high-risk cases.

"Public hotels are not designed for quarantine," he said.

"We’ve had to put in measures to work with hotels that are not fit for purpose."

Doctors call for quarantine camp
The Australian Medical Association's WA President Andrew Miller said the organisation and doctors welcomed the easing of restrictions, but urged people to stay vigilant and get tested if they felt unwell.

"Now we enter a really important phase where we have more freedoms, but potentially positive people in the community," he said.

"We do need to take this really seriously, and we do need to remember there are countries descending into chaos."

Dr Miller said he was unhappy to see elective surgery cancellations, but that the number one priority at the moment was fixing quarantine arrangements.

He suggested a "mining-style" camp would work better for isolating returned overseas travellers.

"We know they can be manufactured and stood up very quickly," he said.

"I'm not at all happy that this happened. It's predictable, it was predicted, and it was entirely preventable," he said.

"I don't care whether [the Premier] wants to blame the feds or they want to blame him, they're all on the National Cabinet."

Locals split over hotel quarantine
There were mixed feelings about the hotel quarantine system among people enjoying their permitted exercise at Perth's Cottesloe Beach this morning.

Kerry Satchwell said the state government should have learned a lesson from the last case of transmission in WA's hotel quarantine system in January.

"First time something happens, it's a mistake, and the second time you can't really say it's a mistake. You should have learned from the mistake," she said.

"I understand we want to keep people safe, but people are disadvantaged and suffering for something that was probably quite preventable."

It was a view shared by fellow beach-goer Geneveive Miller.

"It being able to go through the vents is a bit of a safety concern for all the other hotels that we have lots of people quarantining in," she said.

But Vik Bang, who was also out exercising on the beachfront, said the state government was doing the best it could.

"I believe this is something everyone has to learn from as it goes … and get better at it," he said.

"I think [with] the hotel quarantine, what the government is doing is pretty good so far."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/melbourne/perth-lockdown-to-end-midnight-monday-as-no-new-covid-community-cases-recorded/ar-BB1g36QN?ocid=msedgdhp

Pressure building to have more "Howard Springs Quarantine Facility" clones established ( outside large cities ) in all states .

Further restrictions in returnee numbers are on the table ( ie NO one in subcontinent , south America or Africa to be allowed back without proof they are covid negative ) .

Federal Govt to be forced to accept their constitional responsibility for quarantine and international border control by state premiers despite ScoMo's denials and resistance to accepting the responsibility and risks. Time for ScoMo to stop passing the buck.

ScoMo has announced Grp2a are now eligible fot AZ jab …. yeh good luck getting a GP clinic appointment anytime in the next 2 months , my wife asked on Friday when she needed a script renewal .
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
6 May - Greater Sydney in "L2 Restrictions" for 3 days after another quarantine hotel covid leakage , CovidNORMAL in Greater Sydney , is suspended til Monday at the earliest.
No changes for regional NSW ( including Lake Macqarie & Hunter Valley at this time ).

6-MAY-SYDNEY-OUTBREAK.png

Sydney's new COVID-19 restrictions mean masks are in, dancing is out
COVID-19 restrictions will be re-introduced across Greater Sydney in response to an eastern suburbs couple in their 50s testing positive to the virus.

The added restrictions will be in place for at least three days while the state is on high alert and contact tracing continues.

Although "disease detectives" know the man contracted the virus from a returning traveller at the Park Royal Q-HOTEL at Darling Harbour, there was no direct contact between that man and the traveller so there is still a missing link.
<< returnee traveller was moved to hospital nearly a month ago , and contracted covid in the USA

When do the restrictions begin?
The restrictions were legally enforceable from 5.00pm on Thursday but Premier Gladys Berejiklian asked people to abide by the new rules as soon as they heard about them.

At this stage, they lift at 12.01am Monday morning.

The measures will be in effect for the Greater Sydney region, which includes Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains.

What are the restrictions?
Household visitors have been cut to a maximum of 20 guests, including children.

Masks are again compulsory on public transport.

They're also compulsory in all indoor public venues, like retail outlets, theatres, hospitals, aged care facilities and for front-of-house hospitality staff.

Visitors to aged care facilities will be limited to two people.

What about venues?
When eating or drinking at a hospitality venue, you're allowed to remove your mask.

But you can no longer stand and drink in an indoor venue.

Dancing at indoor venues is also banned again except if you're at a wedding where it's strongly recommended that no more than 20 people are on the dance floor at any one time.

Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship is also not allowed.

What about my Mother's Day plans?
Ms Berejiklian has made it clear she still wants people to celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday and said there was no need to cancel plans to go out.

"We've been very careful not to impact unnecessarily businesses and others who might have already made arrangements over the weekend," she said.

"But we do ask citizens and workers to be extra cautious and adopt that compulsory mask wearing."

She also stressed the hygiene protocols we've all become accustomed to must be followed.

"We also want to make sure people are just sensible," she said.

"Make sure you maintain your good social distancing, make sure you avoid large events if you're vulnerable and make sure you exhibit good hygiene."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/sydney-s-new-covid-19-restrictions-mean-masks-are-in-dancing-is-out/ar-BB1gpb12?ocid=msedgdhp

Meanwhile on the other side : 6 MAY WA
Perth and Peel COVID-19 rules relaxed: 'Do I need to wear a mask' and other questions answered
COVID-19 rules in the Perth and Peel regions will change from this Saturday, with masks no longer needed at work, school and at the gym.

But life still won't be totally back to normal.

So, what is and isn't allowed?

When do I need to wear a mask?
From 12:01am Saturday May 8, masks are no longer mandatory at school, work and at the gym.

But they will be required on public transport and at events with more than 1,000 people.

"On public transport of course people are often crammed together and you don't know who you're near, so it's a very safe precaution," WA Premier Mark McGowan said.

"Obviously, masks can be annoying but they do help protect us."

You will also need to wear a mask if you're visiting a hospital or a disability or aged care facility.

For people in other WA regions who have been in the Perth or Peel area, the same mask-wearing rules apply.

Casino, nightclubs, stadiums and home gatherings
Nightclubs and the casino will be able to reopen, but the 2-square-metre rule will apply.

Perth Stadium, as well as other sporting arenas, will allow crowds, but masks must be worn.

Crowd capacity will be capped at 75 per cent.

Up to 100 visitors will be allowed at homes under the new rules — that's up from 30 people.

Can I visit a hospital or aged care home?
Yes, each hospital patient or aged care and disability care resident can receive four visitors per day.

But remember, masks must be worn.

How long will the rules last?
Mr McGowan says the restrictions will remain for another seven days, so until 12:01am on Saturday May 15.

But that all depends on health advice at the time.

Why are the rules being relaxed?

The WA government says the rules are based on health advice after four consecutive days of no new community COVID-19 cases.

More than 100 close contacts of the latest community cluster — a security guard at the Pan Pacific quarantine hotel and his two housemates — have tested negative.

All three cases remain in quarantine.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/perth-and-peel-covid-19-rules-relaxed-do-i-need-to-wear-a-mask-and-other-questions-answered/ar-BB1gpAPR?ocid=msedgdhp

And way up north : 6 MAY NT
NT concerns over India FEDERAL GOVT's Emergency India Repats quarantine plan
BB1gp62d.img

This is Howard Springs Quarantine Facility (near Darwin) ,was a FIFO camp for the Darwin Gas Plant Project
The Northern Territory has raised concerns about a potential plan to use the Howard Springs quarantine facility to exclusively house people repatriated from India.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles says any proposal would have to consider the rate of infections among returnees when the travel ban ends.

The NT health system's ability to cope with more COVID-19 infected patients would also need to be reviewed.

"We can care for a small number at Royal Darwin Hospital," she told reporters on Thursday.

"We need to ensure in managing these flights back to Australia make sure we don't create a burden on the health system here in the Territory."

Larger numbers of patients could be transferred to interstate hospitals, Ms Fyles said.

Or, the medical facilities at Howard Springs could be further improved.

"It's a question that's not easy to provide simple answers on," she said.

The Morrison government has indicated it is on track to restart flights from India in mid-May.

Howard Springs is expected to start increasing its capacity to handle about 2000 arrivals per week during June.

About 9000 Australians are stranded amid India's worsening crisis, with 900 of them considered vulnerable due to health and financial difficulties.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has said the federal government is considering using Howard Springs to "holistically" quarantine people from India.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/nt-concerned-over-india-quarantine-plan/ar-BB1goTLi?ocid=msedgdhp

Border movements interstate and in NZ-AU Bubble.
6-MAY-BORDER-CHANGES.png

Update , NZ has suspended quarantine free travel from NSW to NZ.
6 MAY NZ
New Zealand suspends quarantine-free travel from NSW over two Sydney Covid cases ( with unknown source ).
New Zealand will pause quarantine-free travel from New South Wales from midnight Thursday (NZST), after two community Covid cases were detected in Sydney.

The NZ Covid response minister, Chris Hipkins, told reporters the suspension would initially last 48 hours, while the source of infection in the two Sydney cases was investigated.

Hipkins said the pause would be “under constant review”, and if more information came to light that prompted officials to reopen sooner or to extend the pause, then they would do so.
At this stage, it applies only to New South Wales, not all of Australia, and will not affect those flying from New Zealand to NSW – only those coming in the opposite direction.

Hipkins said the government was aware it would cause disruption for travellers, but was erring on the side of caution. “We’ve weighed this up very carefully,” he said.

“I’m confident we’ll know more in the next 24-48 hours,” he said.

A man in Sydney tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. On Thursday, Australian health officials confirmed that his wife had also tested positive.

Genomic testing has linked those cases to a likely case at the INTL Border (Q/tine) – but officials have not yet been able to find a clear chain of transmission.
That has raised concerns that there could be a “missing link” case between the border and the community cases, which has not yet been identified.

A statement from the minister’s office said that anyone in Australia who has been at one of the exposure sites was subject to the requirements of the NSW government and should not travel to New Zealand. It also directed any New Zealanders who had been at one of the hotspots to isolate, and get tested.

On Thursday, the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced new restrictions for gatherings for greater Sydney.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/new-zealand-suspends-quarantine-free-travel-from-nsw-over-two-sydney-covid-cases/ar-BB1gpHk3?ocid=msedgdhp

6 MAY FIJI
Fiji seals off major hospital and quarantines hundreds after Covid death
Fiji has closed its second largest hospital amid fears that a patient who died of Covid-19 may have infected multiple staff members. The 53-year-old man was only the Pacific country’s third Covid-related death since the pandemic began.

More than 400 patients, doctors, nurses and other medical staff were being quarantined at Lautoka hospital as of Wednesday, after a doctor who had treated the man also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Fiji ordered nationwide lockdowns last month after a cluster emerged out of Tavakubu in Lautoka linked to a quarantine facility. Many restrictions remain in place with schools closed, and people are confined to restricted zones though supermarkets, and essential services remain open.

James Fong, the permanent secretary for health and medical services, said the hospital had been locked down to prevent it from “becoming ground-zero for a wider outbreak”, adding that it was now a “tightly-contained, full-time Covid care facility”.

“The Lautoka hospital is closed to the public and all medical services will be re-routed to a network of back-up hospitals in Nadi, Ba, and Sigatoka, as well as the Punjas and Kamikamica health centres in Lautoka,” he said.
Defiant but cornered: Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny's movement is on the ropes
NSW Covid-19 hotspots: list and map of Sydney and regional coronavirus case…

Fiji has closed its second largest hospital amid fears that a patient who died of Covid-19 may have infected multiple staff members. The 53-year-old man was only the Pacific country’s third Covid-related death since the pandemic began.


Fiji ordered nationwide lockdowns last month after a cluster emerged out of Tavakubu in Lautoka linked to a quarantine facility. Many restrictions remain in place with schools closed, and people are confined to restricted zones though supermarkets, and essential services remain open.


James Fong, the permanent secretary for health and medical services, said the hospital had been locked down to prevent it from “becoming ground-zero for a wider outbreak”, adding that it was now a “tightly-contained, full-time Covid care facility”.

“The Lautoka hospital is closed to the public and all medical services will be re-routed to a network of back-up hospitals in Nadi, Ba, and Sigatoka, as well as the Punjas and Kamikamica health centres in Lautoka,” he said.

“Those who are working will operate on high alert, fully equipped in the proper personal protective equipment. They will be screened regularly and tested often. We are going to provide them with any and all support that they need. Food, supplies, bedding, whatever they require, we will provide,” Fong said.

Some wards were being converted into intensive care units housing additional beds and ventilators. The country has 80 ventilators though it has not been confirmed how many are at the Lautoka hospital.

The man who died had been admitted for surgery on 19 April but was later taken to intensive care after developing respiratory symptoms. He was Fiji’s 125th Covid patient and the first to die after contracting the virus locally.

Officials suspect the doctor caught the virus, which has been identified as the Indian variant, from the patient rather than the other way round. It is not clear how the patient became infected.

Lautoka is Fiji’s second city and has a population of around 71,000. The hospital is the second largest in the country and also services people from nearby islands and rural areas in the western division.

Its closure will further stretch staff at the Ministry of Health, who work in quarantine centres, run Covid-19 screening clinics, conduct contact tracing and are carrying out the country’s vaccination programme.

Fiji has been ramping up testing, screening and vaccinations since last month’s outbreak. Over 40,000 people, or 4.5% of the population, have now received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Ministry of Health is aiming to vaccinate 650,000 people over the age of 18.

Fiji’s borders were closed last year, only allowing for the repatriation of locals, and people coming to Fiji for work. Limited flights were allowed out of the country for returning expatriates and locals for urgent medical reasons.

But since the second wave of the virus began, all flights in and out of Fiji have been discontinued, with the exceptions of cargo planes.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/fiji-seals-off-major-hospital-and-quarantines-hundreds-after-covid-death/ar-BB1gpvGK?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/fiji-hospital-in-lockdown-hospital-staff-and-patients-in-quarantine-after-third-covid-19-death/ar-BB1gq4wA?ocid=msedgdhp


Data
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6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-AU.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-NSW.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-VIC.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-QLD.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-WA.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-SA.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-ACT.png

6-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-NT.png


6-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-AU.png

6-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-NSW.png

6-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-QLD.png

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6-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-NT.png
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
19 May Update ,very very brief.

No local spread for over 2 weeks , mask mandates are back off in NSW , some state borders remain closed to NSW ( must go into mandatory if you've been in an alert area in Sydney ).

Bit of an cuffuffle regards expats in India being denied boarding of the most recent repat flight ( anyone testing positive were turned away by Quantus and BF officials on flight , about 50% in this case ).Did the right thing IMO.

Bloody cricketers have snuck in via the Maldives where they claimed they quarantined after running away from India when the cricket test there was cancelled due to out of control indian strains.
NOT BLOODY AMMUSED !!!
. Lot of people are seriously piss off about celeb cricket players and their hangersoff getting special treatment.

Vax roll out is going VERY SLOW here in AU, most in the over 60s group are only being offered AZ vax and lots are refusing this ( risk of blood clots is too high ) ,whereas the under 50s are being offered Pfizer jabs …. this is stupid …. everyone knows Pfizer is much better than AZ , more effective as well and safer.
Now federalys are getting in a big order Moderna's vax , my understanding is it's similar tech as AZ and has issues with blood clotting too.

We've holding off for now in the hope we can get Pfizer jabs in a few months at the GP or as an inhome vax.

Meanwhile Quantas and Virgin airlines are pissed off that ScoMo has told them to forget about AU's international borders opening up before 2022. He's finally listened to the experts and I think he soiled himself when he was giving the bad news about how covid will be even worse globally before end of year.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
26 May update.

Greater Melbourne B1671 Outbreak.

Yet another quarantine hotel system failure , this time linked back to Adelaide and B1671 ( Indian dble mutated , DANGEROUS variant , same one devasting the Subcontinent ( India and surrounding counties ) , has resulted in a very serious outbreak in Northern Melbourne.

Consequently restrictions are back for Greater Melbourne and a Hard Lockdown is likely in a day or two depending on number cases of local transmission are found in a testing blitz in Melbourne over the next day or two.

Results 25 May
Level 2 restrictions reimposed for all residents in Greater Melbourne and any who are interstate who were at Alert Sites on the dates and times identified by contact tracing or who are contacted by Victorian contact tracers.
25may-vic-greater-melb-restrictions.png


Any Victorians who have entered WA in the stipulated period are required to self quarantine 2 weeks in place and report for testing if they experience even the mildest symptoms.
WA border is now closed to Victorians.

Any Queenslanders who have been in Melbourne (esp the alert sites) , including those who are fully vaxxed are required to home quarantine for 2 weeks.

26 May
NSW under high COVID alert , travel advisories issues NOT to travel to Greater Melbourne unless ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

SA has closed the Vic-SA border to all residents of Greater Melbourne.apart from essential travellers with a permit or returning South Australians.
Those people will need to do a 14-day quarantine.
People who have been in Melbourne since May 20, will need to get tested on days one, five and 13 of being back in South Australia.
They will need to self-isolate pending a negative result.
People who have been in Bendigo will need to get tested, but will not have to do a 14-day quarantine.
SA Health has identified three South Australians who were in the MCG rows of most concern at the Collingwood-Port Adelaide game — including one still in Victoria — along with another 464 who were in the "tier two" exposure category at the stadium.

States and territories REintroduce RESTRICTIONS as Melbourne cluster grows
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/states-and-territories-introduce-new-rules-as-melbourne-cluster-grows/ar-AAKlbLK?ocid=msedgdhp

Data
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26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-AU.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-NSW.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-VIC.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-QLD.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-WA.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-SA.png

26-MAY-DAILY-KNOWN-SOURCE-OF-INFECTION-4-PM-14-DAYS-NT.png


26-may-days-since-last-local-covid-transmission.png


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26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION.png

26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-2-WKS-VIC.png

26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-2-WKS-qld.png

26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION.png

26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-2-WKS-SA.png

26-MAY-DAILY-HOSPITALISATION-2-WKS-NT.png


No covid deaths in over 2 months.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
27 May UPDATE on Greater Melbourne B1617 SA Q/tine Hotel Leakage Outbreak.

All of Victoria in a Hard (Level 3) Circuit Breaker 7 day LOCKDOWN
Victoria's lockdown - what are the restrictions?
The Victorian government has announced new coronavirus restrictions for Victoria to apply from 11.59pm on Thursday until 11.59pm on Thursday, June 3 in response to the latest outbreak.This is a rolling story that will be updated as we get new information so please come back to check on the latest rules.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the rules will apply to people who have been vaccinated.

Socialising
Stay at home orders will apply with people permitted only to leave home for the following reasons: shopping for essentials, caregiving, authorised work, exercise (up to two hours), receive a vaccination or with specific exemptions.

No visitors to your home other than an intimate partner although people who live alone will be allowed to form a ‘bubble' with one other person.

Private and public gatherings will not be permitted.

Mr Merlino said where people are on Thursday night should be the place people spend the duration of the lockdown.

"That should be your place of residence, we don't want people moving around. "We need people staying at home, and only moving around as per those five exceptions that are talked about," he said.

5km limit
Travel outside the home will be limited to 5km from your place or primary residence.

Exceptions to the rule include: accessing necessary goods and services which cannot be obtained within the 5km limit; visiting an intimate partner; visiting your "single bubble" person; authorised workers; and caregiving or compassionate reasons.

Masks
Masks must be carried at all times and must be worn indoors and outdoors except at home (usual exemptions apply)

Work
If you can work from home you must work from home.

The state government won't be reinstituting the permit system from prior lockdowns in Victoria, instead certain workers will be authorised to leave their home for work.

Construction workers will also be allowed to work throughout the lockdown period.

"They don't need a permit as such," Mr Merlino said of Victorians who will be leaving the home to go to work. "We've got the list of authorised workers and workplaces."

Retail
Food retail and hospitality will be limited to take-away only service. Essential retail will be open with a one person per 4 square metre density limit.

"Shops like supermarkets, food stores, bottle shops, banks, petrol stations and pharmacies will also remain open. Cafes and restaurants will be able to offer take-away only," Mr Merlino said.

Other retail will close except for contactless click and collect services.

Hairdressing, beauty and personal care businesses must close.

Education and Childcare
Early learning centres, childcare and family day care centres can open.

Schools will move to remote learning but will be open to vulnerable children and the children of essential workers. The government has recommended schools have a pupil-free day on Friday to prepare for remote learning next week.

Higher education and training will be allowed to only offer remote learning.

Property
Accommodation services must close with limited exceptions. "Hotels and accommodation can only stay open to support guests already staying onsite. No new bookings can be made - unless it's for one a permitted purpose, like authorised work," Mr Merlino said.

Real estate inspections are not permitted and auctions are restricted to online only events.

Healthcare and Aged Care
"In terms of our health settings, aged care facilities, no visitors [will be allowed] except for limited reasons," Mr Merlino said.

"In our hospitals, visitors [will be allowed] only for end of life, to support a partner during birth, or a parent accompanying a child."

General elective surgery will be paused for the next seven days. Emergency surgery will continue.

Entertainment
All entertainment and leisure venues will be closed including: indoor and outdoor fixed seated entertainment; non-seated indoor venues, non-seated outdoor venues, drive-in cinemas, amusement parks, casinos, betting and electronic gaming venues and sexual service businesses.

Play centres, indoor skateparks and indoor trampolining centres will be closed.

Fitness
Indoor physical recreation and sport activities must not operate. Outdoor physical recreation and sport activities are not permitted although playgrounds remain open.

Events
Funerals (indoor and outdoor) will be restricted to no more than 10 people plus those necessary to conduct the funeral. Children under 12 do not count towards this cap.

Weddings (indoor and outdoor) are not permitted unless there are end of life or deportation reasons. Those events will be limited to 5 people including the two people being married, a celebrant and two witnesses.

Religious gatherings are not permitted except online.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/victoria-s-lockdown-what-are-the-restrictions/ar-AAKq4lv?ocid=msedgdhp

This have proven effective at eliminating local wild cov19 and B117 outbreaks in Victoria, NSW, QLD, SA, and WA , and in NZ in the past , and it's hoped this will help bring this new even more virulent and infectious B1617 ( Indian dble mutated strain ) under control and stop it spreading throughout Vic and interstate .

IMO
- ScoMo needs to bring a swift re-stop to repat flights of Australian citisens from the subcontinent starting immediately - the risks of B1617 getting away from Q/tine hotels or even hospitals or spreading in transit from airport to Q/tine are not acceptable.
- NSW Premier must close the NSW border immediately to all residents of Victoria and anyone currently there visiting , on holiday or for business , anyone crossing NSW - Vic border must go into mandatory guarded q/tine for at least 14 days (IMO this should be 28 days as it's been proven with both B117 and B1617 that 14 days is not adequate - been way too many q/tine leaks due to people being q/tined for 14 days and testing neg on day of release only to become infectious up to and beyond a week after and unwittingly spreading the virus locally and while travelling about and socialising).
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
27 May Update Data

27-MAY-DATA.png

B1617 outbreak in Melbourne is now 26 and wildly spread.
27-MAY-map-where-b1617-is.png

27-MAY-FEB-MELB-APORT-QTINE-HOTEL-BRIS-HOSPITAL-AND-BYRON-AND-PERTH-QTINE-HOTEL-CLUSTERS.png


WA
WA closes border to Victoria amid B1617 outbreak.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/wa-closes-border-to-victoria-amid-outbreak/ar-AAKqgqT?ocid=msedgdhp

ACT
People entering ACT from Victoria after midnight are under enforced self-quarantine-at-home-orders for 2 weeks.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/people-entering-act-from-victoria-after-midnight-subject-to-stay-at-home-order/ar-AAKqibu?ocid=msedgdhp

SA
Melbourne residents removed from The Ghan.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/melbourne-passengers-removed-from-the-ghan-more-detail-revealed-on-how-covid-19-spread-in-adelaide-medi-hotel/ar-AAKqyKX?ocid=msedgdhp

Melbourne & Victorian Covid-refugees are risking spreading B1617 interstate via NSW border though their stupidity and selfishness.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/victorian-residents-fleeing-the-state-after-lockdown-announcement/vi-AAKq2UC?ocid=msedgdhp
Fears the Melbourne Case Zero has been a superspreader of B1617 and this outbreak is already out of control ( he was at large while ill for near 2 weeks before being identified ).
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/melbourne/highly-infectious-melbourne-strain-could-become-uncontrollable/ar-AAKq4wD?ocid=msedgdhp

NZ
Declares Melbourne a covid hotspot , is removed from the Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/new-zealand-cancels-quarantine-free-travel-bubble-with-melbourne/ar-AAKqGPx?ocid=msedgdhp
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Melbourne was being made fun of (in a we're scared, it may happen to us sort of way) by the Kiwi media today, so I wondered what was going on. That's too bad. Hopefully they'll get "Fauci Ouchies" into arms quickly and settle this for good.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Original Poster
30 May update

Victoria Outbreak is now 40 cases, includes one mystery case ( no known link to clusters or quarantine leak from Adelaide Hotel Quarantine.

Also a case worker in an Melbourne residential aged care facility has tested positive ( despite having her 1st jab ) , disturbingly about 1/2 the 70 residents are not yet vaxxed , the facility is in lockdown and all staff ordered to home quarantine waiting results of covid testing. Relief aged care workers are now caring for residents.

The epidemiological curve for Victoria is still very steep but has shown a reduction in slope indicating the hard lock down is helping , though there are thousands under home quarantine orders in Melbourne & Victoria.

screenshot-241.png
 

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