Australia & New Zealand - COVID-19 Coronavirus

[suspicious]

We are now going to have the longest lockdown in the world.

 

[they'll get you]

Regional Victoria could see restrictions start to ease as early as "next week", Premier Daniel Andrews has said, as case numbers continue to plummet.

Victoria reported 51 new cases overnight, with just 72 active infections remaining in the state’s regional areas.
Seven new coronavirus cases in NSW

 

[they'll get you]

Herd Immunity




South Australia Police
@SAPoliceNews
A man (Ram) named Shorn applied for his family to cross the border as ‘Cross Border Commewenity Members’ yesterday afternoon, but left police counting sheep as the entire group hoofed it at once!


9NEWS LIVE BLOG: Coronavirus breaking news and updates

 

[SouthAussie]

Well done Victoria. Zero covid deaths yesterday. And the average daily case count is approaching 50.
Easing of Stage Four lockdown is on track.

Victoria records zero coronavirus deaths for first time in over two months

 

[Clair Louise]

Well done Victoria. Zero covid deaths yesterday. And the average daily case count is approaching 50.
Easing of Stage Four lockdown is on track.

Victoria records zero coronavirus deaths for first time in over two months

Yes and all the naysayers can pull their heads in. And the Daily Mail with it's shock value headlines calling the premier 'Dictator Dan', 'Chairman Dan' and other childish names.

 

[tresir2012]

Australian experts warn against the use of sedatives to contain Covid spread in aged care

This is about a month old but I had not read it before.

A BBC article about Australian care homes.

Coronavirus: How an aged care crisis seized 'ill-prepared' Australia

"When the coronavirus reached Australia in January, my family assumed that my grandparents - both of whom live in aged care homes - were in the safest place possible.
Five months on, the sector has seen scores of outbreaks and 156 of Australia's 247 virus deaths. This includes 12 of the 15 announced on Wednesday - Australia's deadliest day yet.
In a deepening crisis, some providers have been accused of failing to protect society's most vulnerable members. State and federal governments are also facing questions."

Continued at above link.

Below is a link to the current aged care statistics total of 637 death, out of a total of 854 deaths as of 22 Sep 2020.

COVID-19 cases in aged care services – residential care

 

[they'll get you]

First flights from New Zealand to arrive in Sydney within hours as trans-Tasman travel bubble gets underway
Hundreds of New Zealanders will soon land in Sydney as a [URL='https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/australia-and-new-zealand-agree-to-travel-bubble/ckfrvmvr0003x0hprvkn8ia98']trans-Tasman travel bubblegets underway.
But the agreement remains one-sided, with Australians unable to cross the ditch.
The first flights out of Auckland are due to arrive in Sydney within the next few hours and those on board will not have to quarantine before going about their business.

[/URL]
First flights from New Zealand to arrive in Sydney within hours as trans-Tasman travel bubble gets underway

 

[they'll get you]

Hotel California is playing in my head here.
"Relax", said the night man
"We are programmed to receive
You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave"


Up to 300 passengers are due to make the journey, with the flight leaving New Zealand at around 8.40am AEDT.
Air New Zealand says around 90 per cent of all tickets sold are one-way.
New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister said the current one-way agreement won't be expanded until "when we know it is safe to".
"It is very complicated," Mr Peters told Today

First flights from New Zealand to arrive in Sydney within hours as trans-Tasman travel bubble gets underway

 

[SouthAussie]

First flights from New Zealand to arrive in Sydney within hours as trans-Tasman travel bubble gets underway
Hundreds of New Zealanders will soon land in Sydney as a trans-Tasman travel bubblegets underway.
But the agreement remains one-sided, with Australians unable to cross the ditch.
The first flights out of Auckland are due to arrive in Sydney within the next few hours and those on board will not have to quarantine before going about their business.


First flights from New Zealand to arrive in Sydney within hours as trans-Tasman travel bubble gets underway

Our first step into the unknown. At least it is with a safe country.

I am so hoping that we start using fast tests at the airports, and other measures, when we open up to other countries.

 

[they'll get you]

Qantas confirm eight flights already planned to help bring home stranded Aussies

Qantas has confirmed it is working with the Federal Government to help bring home up to 1315 Australians currently stuck overseas.

The national airline will operate eight flights, including three from London, four from New Delhi and one from Johannesburg over the next six weeks with more flights to be announced
Australia's breaking news: Follow live updates, reaction and analysis here

 

[SouthAussie]

Qantas confirm eight flights already planned to help bring home stranded Aussies

Qantas has confirmed it is working with the Federal Government to help bring home up to 1315 Australians currently stuck overseas.

The national airline will operate eight flights, including three from London, four from New Delhi and one from Johannesburg over the next six weeks with more flights to be announced
Australia's breaking news: Follow live updates, reaction and analysis here

So we now have brought about 398,000 Aussies home.

And the flights and quarantining in NT are above and beyond the capped limits.
I think the quarantining in NT is even better than the hotels ... little units all to themselves, and they will be allowed to exercise outdoors.


The repatriation flights are excluded from the international arrivals cap, so the deal adds to about 5500 people arriving every week at the major cities and going into hotel quarantine.
About 4100 have returned over the past month, one quarter of them classed as "vulnerable" on financial or health grounds.

"When we can get ... Melbourne back online, that will make a big difference and we look forward to that happening as soon as that can," the Prime Minister said.
"I've obviously raised that with the Premier some weeks ago but there remain challenges there at this point in time, but we look forward to being able to pick that up again."

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...eline-in-quarantine-deal-20201016-p565ue.html

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...e-via-nt-quarantine-camp-20201015-p565ep.html

 

[they'll get you]

'Major' coronavirus outbreak in NZ quarantine hotel

Eleven international fisherman who flew into New Zealand have tested positive for coronavirus, in a development described as a "major outbreak".
Stuff has previously reported about 440 fishermen from Russia and Ukraine were due to arrive in NZ on two flights chartered by Kiwi fishing companies.
More than 200 of the foreign workers landed late last week and have been quarantining in a hotel in Christchurch, the location of the outbreak.


'Major' coronavirus outbreak in NZ quarantine hotel

 

[ZoriahNZ]

It's interesting because supposedly they all isolated for two weeks and also tested negative before coming here. Was someone fibbing?

 

[they'll get you]

A container ship off Qld’s coast could be carrying a new, unknown strain of COVID-19
A crew member on a ship anchored off Queensland tested positive to a coronavirus strain not believed to have been seen before in Australia.
There are fears crew on a container ship anchored off Queensland could be carrying a strain of COVID-19 never seen before in Australia.

The Sofrana Surville was prevented from docking in Brisbane, and was instead anchored off the coast of Mooloolaba on Thursday.

All 19 crew members will be tested by Queensland Health on Wednesday after an engineer, who worked on-board, tested positive in New Zealand on Saturday.
Fears ship docked off Qld’s coast carrying new strain of coronavirus




It’s believed he caught the virus while working on the Sofrana Surville off Auckland on October 12 and 13.

 

[musicaljoke]

It's interesting because supposedly they all isolated for two weeks and also tested negative before coming here. Was someone fibbing?

Possibly fibbing. Or there is a breach somewhere. It's so good that they are quarantining where they can be properly sheltered until they are well again. I am sending all good wishes for everyone involved.

 

[they'll get you]

An international airline crew that flew into Sydney earlier this month has been fined by NSW Police for breaching self-isolation orders.

A source told 7.30 that a group of airline staff were caught out and about at a variety of different venues in Mascot when they should have been self-isolating in their hotel rooms.

An initial complaint was made about one staff member leaving the hotel, which was not under police guard, and that after officers investigated the breach they found another 12 airline crew had also left their accommodation.

In a statement, NSW Police confirmed that 13 people were issued $1,000 penalty infringement notices.


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-18/airline-crew-fined-by-police-for-breaching-covid-self-isolation/12997524

 

[LadyL]

Sydney Outbreak Tied to Delta Variant Grows

 

[ZoriahNZ]

Oh no! This is not good. I hope they can get it contained.

 

[LadyL]

Why the Delta Variant Could End Australia’s Pursuit of ‘Covid Zero’

 

[TootsieFootsie]

In my country town, for the first time we have to wear masks even if you're just walking down the street. Before it was just if you were going into certain businesses and wasn't compulsory.

So far no cases locally, since April last year but this Delta varient is pretty scary.