Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #78

[SouthAussie]

Hopefully the tightened UK restrictions - due to start on Monday - will help ......


The UK, which has suffered Europe's deadliest coronavirus outbreak, has recorded more than 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the third day running for the first time since May.

The Department for Health and Social Services reported a further 3,330 cases on Sunday, taking the three-day tally above 10,000.

Though a ramp up in testing accounts for some of the increase, it's clear that the UK has seen the virus spread in recent weeks. Daily cases are more than double those reported a couple of weeks ago, a change that has stoked concerns of a second wave of the virus.

9NEWS LIVE BLOG: Coronavirus breaking news and updates

 

[SouthAussie]

Western Australia has jailed another person for coronavirus breaches (as well as driving without a license) ....


He was taken into custody and faced court on Friday, where a magistrate sentenced him to two months in jail for the breaches and six months behind bars for driving with a disqualified licence.
The man is among at least five others in the state who have also received jail terms for breaches of WA's strict quarantine requirements.
Man jailed for eight months after two quarantine breaches within days

 

[SouthAussie]

Speaking of the economy, apparently, education is Australia’s fourth largest export, so international students are critical to the worst recession Australia is facing in almost a century. So getting international students back to the country is a major issue right now.

International students returning to Australia — which countries will they come from? – Study International

Also -

Chinese students in Australia head home as coronavirus upends study


With Australia already sliding into its worst recession in almost a century, education leaders expect the disappearance of international students to cost billions of dollars.”

The slowdown in foreign student enrolments mean Australian universities are facing a revenue hit of between A$3.1 billion and A$4.8 billion (£1.7 - £2.6 billion) this year alone, Catriona Jackson, Chief Executive of Universities Australia, told Reuters.

Further darkening the prospects for Australian universities, Beijing recently urged students going overseas to think carefully before choosing Australia, citing a spate of racist incidents targeting Asians during the pandemic.

The warning came after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April told foreign students to go back to their home countries if they were unable to make ends meet during the pandemic, adding they weren’t entitled to any welfare payments.

Unfortunately, we are seen by China as being a puppet of the US, advancing US interests in the region.
And this is affecting China's position in allowing students to come back here. Although 31,000 Chinese students have already returned by quarantining in other countries first - some of them at the cost of the Aussie Unis via grants of up to $7,500.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...on-agents-warn-australia-20200610-p55151.html
Australian schools help Chinese students beat travel ban

 

[tresir2012]

Coronavirus: Melbourne police arrest 74 anti-lockdown protesters

Anti lockdown protests in Melbourne again.

Coronavirus: Melbourne police arrest 74 anti-lockdown protesters
Published
6 hours ago

IMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image captionAbout 250 people attended the illegal protests
More than 70 people have been arrested in Melbourne, Australia, for flouting the state's stay-at-home orders to attend an anti-lockdown protest.
About 250 people went to the illegal protest - the second one this weekend.
Police said "many protestors were aggressive and threatened violence towards officers".
The demonstrations come as the state of Victoria prepares to ease its lockdown restrictions, which have been in place since early July.
Victoria has been the epicentre of Australia's Covid-19 outbreak, accounting for 75% of cases and 90% of deaths.

• Why is Melbourne seeing more cases during lockdown?
• Australia 'anti-lockdown' arrest stirs controversy
• 'I grew up in a war - I'm not dying in a pandemic'

The state has extended a state of disaster for another month, giving the police extra powers to enforce public health orders.
Victoria's State Parliament building has also been forced to close "until further notice" after a security guard tested positive for the virus.
Australia has had a total of 26,600 confirmed cases and more than 800 deaths from the virus.

more at link.

 

[weepingangel]

Algonquin students create online tutoring service
Online/remote learning/more at link
Cynthia Rajeshkanna, a student at Algonquin Regional High School, used to hope that someday all children and teens would have access to free educational assistance. But she thought she had to wait for someone to develop a solution.

“This thinking applied to any issue or problem that I felt passionately about, but rather than waiting for change to happen, I realized that you have to take it upon yourself,” Cynthia said. She added, “The world needs more people that are willing and bold enough to act upon their beliefs and actually carry it out.”

For Cynthia and classmate Melissa Dai, the solution to the lack of free educational assistance is Aptitutor. The free online tutoring service, learning platform and nonprofit was created by the two teens at the end of May. And it’s already providing students with a better education. Subsequently, it’s equipping them with skills that can help them to have a brighter future.

 

[SouthAussie]

Coronavirus: Melbourne police arrest 74 anti-lockdown protesters

Anti lockdown protests in Melbourne again.

Coronavirus: Melbourne police arrest 74 anti-lockdown protesters
Published
6 hours ago

IMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image captionAbout 250 people attended the illegal protests
More than 70 people have been arrested in Melbourne, Australia, for flouting the state's stay-at-home orders to attend an anti-lockdown protest.
About 250 people went to the illegal protest - the second one this weekend.
Police said "many protestors were aggressive and threatened violence towards officers".
The demonstrations come as the state of Victoria prepares to ease its lockdown restrictions, which have been in place since early July.
Victoria has been the epicentre of Australia's Covid-19 outbreak, accounting for 75% of cases and 90% of deaths.

• Why is Melbourne seeing more cases during lockdown?
• Australia 'anti-lockdown' arrest stirs controversy
• 'I grew up in a war - I'm not dying in a pandemic'

The state has extended a state of disaster for another month, giving the police extra powers to enforce public health orders.
Victoria's State Parliament building has also been forced to close "until further notice" after a security guard tested positive for the virus.
Australia has had a total of 26,600 confirmed cases and more than 800 deaths from the virus.

more at link.

Poor protesters. Have nothing better to do. They are only going to end up extending the Melbourne lockdown if they spread the virus.
It is said the stage four lockdown will only end if "the daily average number of cases are between 30 and 50 by 28 September, the city will enter stage three of restrictions."

IMO

Ms Capp said the protests were "confronting" and left some business owners at the market in tears.

"It was very confronting to see the way that the protestors completely disrupted and intimidated people at the market," she said.
9NEWS LIVE BLOG: Coronavirus breaking news and updates

Coronavirus: Melbourne lockdown extended by two weeks

 

[KALI]

I can hardly describe Covid-19 compounded with fire and suffocating smoke from these fires.
It is hell.
On earth.
Adding to this enjoyment is every tax agency coming down hard on our 60 seat restaurant with serious threats to take away our liquor licence by the 28th of this month.
Killer virus be damned.
Pay our taxes.

 

[tresir2012]

Poor protesters. Have nothing better to do. They are only going to end up extending the Melbourne lockdown if they spread the virus.
It is said the stage four lockdown will only end if "the daily average number of cases are between 30 and 50 by 28 September, the city will enter stage three of restrictions."

IMO

Ms Capp said the protests were "confronting" and left some business owners at the market in tears.

"It was very confronting to see the way that the protestors completely disrupted and intimidated people at the market," she said.
9NEWS LIVE BLOG: Coronavirus breaking news and updates

Coronavirus: Melbourne lockdown extended by two weeks

Are these new cases?

From your link -

ACTIVE AGED CARE OUTBREAKS WITH THE HIGHEST CUMULATIVE CASE NUMBERS:
247 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee

219 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping

213 cases have been linked to St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner

166 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer

139 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth

129 cases have been linked to BlueCross Ruckers Hill Aged Care Facility in Northcote

127 cases have been linked to Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir

124 cases have been linked to Cumberland Manor Aged Care Facility in Sunshine North

120 cases have been linked to Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility in Sunbury

119 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg


I make that approx 1600 cases.

This link has some more data.

Coronavirus aged care toll reaches 580, as chairman of worst-hit home St Basil's resigns

National snapshot: COVID-19
outbreaks in aged care homes

• Active outbreaks 83
• Active resident cases 454
• Active staff cases 166
• Deaths 580
• Total residential of outbreaks 213
• Number of services resolved 130
• Number of services with only one case of COVID-19 98
• Total resident cases 1,967
• Resolved resident cases 925
• Total staff cases 2,082
• Resolved staff cases 1,916

Source: Australian Government Department of Health

"The national snapshot shows there have been 580 aged care residents in Australia who have died with COVID-19 and 2,082 cases among staff.

All but 29 deaths were in Victorian aged care homes."


So 580 (84%) out of 727 deaths in Victoria were from care homes.

From wikipedia

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia - Wikipedia

 

[tresir2012]

Yeah? How about deaths in the UK? How many? How many over 800?

Well not 84% or that would be 32k out of 41k. The real point is that is how the UK situation began. I am wondering if Australia returned elderly to care homes like the US and UK did.

Indiana has a similar population so would be a better comparison.


Source: The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity


Gregg Girvan & Avik Roy • As of July 13, 2020


Indiana: 229 Deaths per 10,000 LTC Residents
Long-term care facility COVID-19 deaths: 1,220
Total LTC facility residents: 53,185
Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,567
LTC deaths as % of U.S. COVID-19 fatalities: 47.5%
Date reported: 11-Jul


The reason I ask if they are new cases is because of this article published in June quoting low numbers.

Australia's COVID-19 successes shine a light on Canada's troubled long-term care sector https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/australia-covid-19-long-term-care-1.5591912

"More than 6,000 Canadians have died from COVID-19 in long-term homes, compared to 29 in Australia. CBC’s Terence McKenna shows how the differences between the two systems prevented a crisis in Australia.10:17

When it comes to the death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the comparison between Canada and Australia is shocking. Australia has suffered four deaths per million residents compared to more than 212 in Canada.

Canadians have watched in horror as the COVID-19 death toll climbed in Canada's long-term care facilities, now more than 6,000, according to a CBC News tally. In Australia, that number is just 29, according to Australian public health data. "

So my question is did Australia's LTC deaths jump by 2,000 percent in only two months from 29 deaths to 580 or is one of these reports incorrect?

I am posting this wiki link which can help us compare countries.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term care facilities - Wikipedia

 

[CSIDreamer]

Well not 84% or that would be 32k out of 41k. The real point is that is how the UK situation began. I am wondering if Australia returned elderly to care homes like the US and UK did.

Indiana has a similar population so would be a better comparison.


Source: The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity


Gregg Girvan & Avik Roy • As of July 13, 2020


Indiana: 229 Deaths per 10,000 LTC Residents
Long-term care facility COVID-19 deaths: 1,220
Total LTC facility residents: 53,185
Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,567
LTC deaths as % of U.S. COVID-19 fatalities: 47.5%
Date reported: 11-Jul


The reason I ask if they are new cases is because of this article published in June quoting low numbers.

Australia's COVID-19 successes shine a light on Canada's troubled long-term care sector https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/australia-covid-19-long-term-care-1.5591912

"More than 6,000 Canadians have died from COVID-19 in long-term homes, compared to 29 in Australia. CBC’s Terence McKenna shows how the differences between the two systems prevented a crisis in Australia.10:17

When it comes to the death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the comparison between Canada and Australia is shocking. Australia has suffered four deaths per million residents compared to more than 212 in Canada.

Canadians have watched in horror as the COVID-19 death toll climbed in Canada's long-term care facilities, now more than 6,000, according to a CBC News tally. In Australia, that number is just 29, according to Australian public health data. "

So my question is did Australia's LTC deaths jump by 2,000 percent in only two months from 29 deaths to 580 or is one of these reports incorrect?

I am posting this wiki link which can help us compare countries.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term care facilities - Wikipedia

We've definitely got a high % of LTC care deaths in my state. There's a reason I carry on about shielding and protecting those residents the world over. I've seen it here.

 

[mickey2942]

Jewish high holidays are coming up,
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur.

The Israeli government is doing another shutdown, due to their escalating covid rates. People are furious about this.

Israel insists on two-week coronavirus quarantine, but experts say it's unnecessary

Here, in the United States, temples are ready to stream services.
Temple Shalom to hold High Holy Days celebrations virtually due to COVID-19

 

[nhmemorymaker]

You cannot have a singular coordinated effort, for 5o different states, all with wildly different circumstances.

The Governors are in the best position to know what their state needs and they can individually consult with the CDC and their Health departments.

New York and South Dakota do not need to read and follow the same instruction pamphlets.

The reason the US has struggled is that it it huge, vast , highly populated and has many very different circumstances and demographics.

We could not close down our states the way many countries were able to shut down their own borders.

Very few countries had to outfit 368 million citizens with PPE and tests for the virus.

It is no wonder that it has been a struggle. Some states have done pretty well. Others have not. But a pamphlet handed out by the CDC was not going to make an impact, in my opinion.

It was correct to have individual states make their own plans for reopening. How would ONE entity try and devise a plan for 50 very different states without causing dissension and misunderstandings?

I feel your assessment is "an after the fact" description. Our country is capable of so much more than what we have had to experience.

The CDC has always been an organization providing leadership and guidance and diminishing them to "a pamphlet" is very sad to me.

Of course, states must take on individual responsibility for the particulars of their constituencies, but in the beginning, I was truly envisioning our governors working together with the strength of the CDC so we could really beat this thing "together"...

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Speaking of the economy, apparently, education is Australia’s fourth largest export, so international students are critical to the worst recession Australia is facing in almost a century. So getting international students back to the country is a major issue right now.

International students returning to Australia — which countries will they come from? – Study International

Also -

Chinese students in Australia head home as coronavirus upends study


With Australia already sliding into its worst recession in almost a century, education leaders expect the disappearance of international students to cost billions of dollars.”

The slowdown in foreign student enrolments mean Australian universities are facing a revenue hit of between A$3.1 billion and A$4.8 billion (£1.7 - £2.6 billion) this year alone, Catriona Jackson, Chief Executive of Universities Australia, told Reuters.

Further darkening the prospects for Australian universities, Beijing recently urged students going overseas to think carefully before choosing Australia, citing a spate of racist incidents targeting Asians during the pandemic.

The warning came after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April told foreign students to go back to their home countries if they were unable to make ends meet during the pandemic, adding they weren’t entitled to any welfare payments.

wow..thanks for this article. This is what I love about this forum--learning things that I never would have been finding out on my own. Never knew this about the international education.........

 

[SA55]

wow..thanks for this article. This is what I love about this forum--learning things that I never would have been finding out on my own. Never knew this about the international education.........

I totally agree, I find myself going on some extended research encounters thanks to links and opinions posted here. this has been such an eye opening year, not only in terms of the pandemic but worldwide practices that I never was aware of previously

 

[Sundog]

Jewish high holidays are coming up,
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur.

The Israeli government is doing another shutdown, due to their escalating covid rates. People are furious about this.

Israel insists on two-week coronavirus quarantine, but experts say it's unnecessary

Here, in the United States, temples are ready to stream services.
Temple Shalom to hold High Holy Days celebrations virtually due to COVID-19

No streamed services for Orthodox Jews in cities like Atlanta, New York, Cleveland, and many other cities for the High Holidays, as Orthodox Jews do not use electronics on Shabbat or holidays, so they will be holding in-person services at most Orthodox synagogues across the country. Many are implementing shorter services, practicing social distancing, moving part of the service outside, and other measures noted in this article.

But in some Hasidic communities, like the Borough Park and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, synagogues are expected to hold in-person services as they have for months. Some synagogues have operated with few, if any, restrictions.

How US Orthodox communities are preparing for a pandemic High Holiday season

Across the country, Orthodox communities are preparing to come together for live services during the High Holidays, even as most non-Orthodox synagogues have committed to holding services online. That’s because Orthodox Jews do not use electronics on Shabbat or holidays, leaving live-streamed options off the table.

Holding in-person services amid a pandemic means adjusting the pacing, spacing and other practices to maximize safety, and accepting the likelihood that many people will choose not to attend services at all. Even those who are optimistic about being able to safely hold services are reckoning with the fact that the most powerful days of the Jewish year will bear little resemblance to how they have been observed in the past.

Rabbi Adam Starr’s task: how to accommodate hundreds of people for in-person services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur during a pandemic. To keep congregants safe, he’s dramatically shortening the services, which can run for most of the day under normal circumstances, to limit the duration of potential virus exposure that any worshiper might encounter.

 

[SouthAussie]

Well not 84% or that would be 32k out of 41k. The real point is that is how the UK situation began. I am wondering if Australia returned elderly to care homes like the US and UK did.

I have tried to explain quite a few times that the issue in Victoria is said to be due to staff working in multiple aged care facilities and spreading the virus. Maybe those posts were missed among the many posts in these threads.


It came as four coronavirus outbreaks in Victoria were traced to aged care staff working at multiple facilities
The Victorian aged care sector is trying to stop casuals from working at a number of different residential homes because, in some cases, staff who were unwell had inadvertently brought the virus into aged care facilities.
However, many workers say they'll be unable to make ends meet with the restrictions, and the Health Workers Union (HWU) is threatening to lodge legal action over the directive if providers don't back down.
Aged care home evacuated after two residents die, cluster grows

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said there was still "a lot of travel between facilities" in Victoria's aged care sector, a week after the government announced support to help providers restrict each worker to one centre to reduce the risk of COVID-19 being transferred.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...lities-as-outbreaks-grow-20200726-p55fl9.html

COVID-19 has exposed the issues of employees working across multiple aged care facilities during a pandemic after a few aged care workers carried the coronavirus between different nursing homes in Victoria.
Since identifying cross-site transmission as an issue, the Federal Government's Department of Health is providing guidance and support to Victorian aged care providers in transitioning to single site operations for their workforce.
Victorian aged care facilities transitioning to single site operations

 

[Sundog]

Are these new cases?

From your link -

ACTIVE AGED CARE OUTBREAKS WITH THE HIGHEST CUMULATIVE CASE NUMBERS:
247 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee

219 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping

213 cases have been linked to St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner

166 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer

139 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth

129 cases have been linked to BlueCross Ruckers Hill Aged Care Facility in Northcote

127 cases have been linked to Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir

124 cases have been linked to Cumberland Manor Aged Care Facility in Sunshine North

120 cases have been linked to Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility in Sunbury

119 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg


I make that approx 1600 cases.

This link has some more data.

Coronavirus aged care toll reaches 580, as chairman of worst-hit home St Basil's resigns

National snapshot: COVID-19
outbreaks in aged care homes

• Active outbreaks 83
• Active resident cases 454
• Active staff cases 166
• Deaths 580
• Total residential of outbreaks 213
• Number of services resolved 130
• Number of services with only one case of COVID-19 98
• Total resident cases 1,967
• Resolved resident cases 925
• Total staff cases 2,082
• Resolved staff cases 1,916

Source: Australian Government Department of Health

"The national snapshot shows there have been 580 aged care residents in Australia who have died with COVID-19 and 2,082 cases among staff.

All but 29 deaths were in Victorian aged care homes."


So 580 (84%) out of 727 deaths in Victoria were from care homes.

From wikipedia

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia - Wikipedia

Tim Hicks is the chief advocate of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA National), and his organization would be a good source for informaton on aged care issues in Australia. Here is a good article on some of his concerns. Sounds like he is from a "watchdog" agency for aged care in Australia?

LASA on Federal aged care support – “Government must come to the table” - The Weekly SOURCE


Hicks says many providers have had requests for PPE denied because they don’t have current outbreaks, while others have reported unacceptable delays.

Staffing is also an issue, as providers scramble to comply to new measures to limit the amount of staff working across multiple services.

“The Government has promised support to deal with the financial cost of ensuring no workers is worse off, and filling any staffing gaps, but we have not yet seen any detail on what those measures will actually involve, causing immense confusion and distress among providers and staff,” Mr Hicks says.

“I know of one provider who has 38 shifts over a fortnight to fill – where are these staff going to come from?”

Mr Hicks says the sector is also pushing hard for positive cases to be transferred to hospital, or locations where they can be better cared for.

 

[Sundog]

wow..thanks for this article. This is what I love about this forum--learning things that I never would have been finding out on my own. Never knew this about the international education.........

It's what I love about this forum, too!

 

[SouthAussie]

Tim Hicks is the chief advocate of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA National), and his organization would be a good source for informaton on aged care issues in Australia. Here is a good article on some of his concerns. Sounds like he is from a "watchdog" agency for aged care in Australia?

LASA on Federal aged care support – “Government must come to the table” - The Weekly SOURCE


Hicks says many providers have had requests for PPE denied because they don’t have current outbreaks, while others have reported unacceptable delays.

Staffing is also an issue, as providers scramble to comply to new measures to limit the amount of staff working across multiple services.

“The Government has promised support to deal with the financial cost of ensuring no workers is worse off, and filling any staffing gaps, but we have not yet seen any detail on what those measures will actually involve, causing immense confusion and distress among providers and staff,” Mr Hicks says.

“I know of one provider who has 38 shifts over a fortnight to fill – where are these staff going to come from?”

Mr Hicks says the sector is also pushing hard for positive cases to be transferred to hospital, or locations where they can be better cared for.

That article is a month and a half old.

Here is a much newer one, as there seems to be great interest. Fortunately, Victoria is but one state in Australia - the only state that really suffered this winter .... and it isn't doing so badly, comparatively - on a world scale.


Coronavirus (COVID-19) current situation and case numbers

The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre continues to provide the robust response effort required to protect our most vulnerable senior Australians living in aged care from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• In a significant milestone in the stabilisation of aged care facilities in Victoria, there have been no facilities categorised as high risk for more than a week now.
• There were 13 facilities in the Response Centre’s ‘high risk’ category in early August when the Centre first began operating.
• The work of the Response Centre has also seen the number of facilities with outbreaks continue to fall.
• There are now fewer than 90 facilities with outbreaks.
• There are 82 facilities with current outbreaks.
• The total number of aged care outbreaks since 1 January 2020 is 169.

Operational update – Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (11 September 2020 at 6pm)

 

[tresir2012]

I feel your assessment is "an after the fact" description. Our country is capable of so much more than what we have had to experience.

The CDC has always been an organization providing leadership and guidance and diminishing them to "a pamphlet" is very sad to me.

Of course, states must take on individual responsibility for the particulars of their constituencies, but in the beginning, I was truly envisioning our governors working together with the strength of the CDC so we could really beat this thing "together"...

Any assessment must be "after the fact" otherwise it is an estimate of how things will be done. There has been plenty of guidance for governors and nations such as UK, Canada, Australia etc. We have all had the advantage of watching NY and NJ also, as well as Europe and Asia.
MOO.