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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Graham Readfearn (now) Melissa Davey (earlier)

All of Sydney’s eastern beaches to close on Sunday to enforce Covid-19 social distancing – as it happened

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Summary

Closing up our live Australia coverage of coronavirus for the day, but you can keep on top of all the latest developments elsewhere with our global live blog.

But before you go, here’s the main developments from Australia today.

  • The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Australia went above 1000. NSW had 83 new cases, Victoria 51, Queensland 37, South Australia 17 and Western Australia 26. In total, Tasmania has 10 cases, ACT has 9 and NT has 5.
  • Many of Sydney’s most famous beaches will be closed on Sunday. The NSW government announced any beach with more than 500 should be closed. The development followed pictures of a packed Bondi beach. “What happened at Bondi was unacceptable,” federal health minister Greg Hunt said.
  • The Northern Territory announced that from 4pm on Tuesday, all entries to the state would have to go into quarantine for 14 days. There would be some exceptions.
  • There will be fallout from a decision by NSW to allow the Ruby Princess cruise ship to dock and disembark in Sydney on Thursday. New reports have revealed that 158 sick passengers had also disembarked the ship in Sydney on 8 March before it left for a short cruise, and that several had high temperatures.
  • The Victorian government announced a $1.7bn “economic survival and jobs package”.
  • South Australia announced 17 new positive cases of Covid-19, including 10 from one US tour group that was now in isolation at their accommodation in the Barossa Valley. There are 18 in the group. Four have tested negative, and four more are waiting for results. The entire group self-isolated when the first person became sick, the state’s chief public health officer said.

So that’s that. Thanks for staying with us.

Take care of yourself, take care of others, and remember the rules that will protect you and the rest of us.

Writer, broadcaster and Guardian Australia contributor Geoff Lemon has caught coronavirus. He has some advice. Take care of yourself Geoff.

Guardian reporter Ben Smee has more on the docking of the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney.

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has told reporters that in hindsight, he would have waited for coronavirus test results first before letting passengers disembark.

Queensland announces 37 new coronavirus cases

Queensland has released its coronavirus figures for Saturday 21 March, confirming 37 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 221.

There were 16 cases in the city’s north and six in the south.

The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast had five new cases each.

There were four cases in the Darling Downs, west of Brisbane, and one in the Wide Bay area to north, an area that includes the city of Bundaberg.

The 37 new cases announced today is less than the 40 announced yesterday. The biggest single jump the state reported was on 19 March, when 50 cases were reported.

Updated

Sydney's iconic beaches will close on Sunday

All of Sydney’s eastern suburbs beaches will be closed on Sunday, including Bondi, Bronte and Coogee.

Waverley Council and Randwick City Council said Maroubra, Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte, Bondi and Tamarama beaches would all close on Sunday.

The NSW government announced that a 500-person cap would now apply to beaches to restrict the potential spread of Covid-19, after images from social media showed people tightly packed on Bondi beach.

Sunny weather forecast for Sunday would likely see numbers break that 500-person cap, Randwick City Council said in a statement.

Randwick mayor Danny Said, said in a statement:

Throughout this pandemic, our priority has always been public health and safety and we are again prioritising this by taking this proactive decision.

The safest approach for everybody is for us not to open the beaches. For everybody’s own health, I urge people not to come to the beach on Sunday as you are potentially putting your health and the health of others at risk.

Updated

News agency AAP has more on the tour group in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide.

The agency reports there are 18 people in the US tour group. On a day when the state declared 17 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, it was revealed that 10 of the positive tests had come from the tour group.

All 18 were in isolation in their accommodation and chief public health officer Prof Nicola Spurrier said none had needed hospital treatment.

Spurrier said the group had immediately self-isolated as soon as one person became ill.

“I’m actually quite calm about this because I know these people have done the right thing,” Prof Spurrier said.

“There is absolutely no reason for the people in the Barossa to panic.”

Because the group had been on an organised tour, Spurrier told reporters it was easier to track their recent movements using the tour’s itinerary.

Four other people in the group had also returned negative results while the remaining four are waiting for tests to be returned.

Updated

Kenny Rogers has passed away from natural causes at the age of 81.

A statement released by the music legend’s management said:

The family is planning a small private service at this time out of concern for the national COVID-19 emergency.

They look forward to celebrating Kenny’s life publicly with his friends and fans at a later date

Rogers toured Australia seven times, according to a report in Rolling Stone from 2014.

NT to enforce strict entry rules from Tuesday

The Northern Territory government says anyone entering the state “by road, rail, air and sea” after 4pm on Tuesday 24 March will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

There will be some exemptions to the quarantine period for health and emergency services, defence and policing, flight crews and freight “with strict guidelines in place to monitor and manage this”.

Chief minister Michael Gunner said any arrivals would have to show they met the essential arrival criteria to be granted an exemption. Exemptions may also be made “on compassionate grounds”.

A formal declaration by the chief health officer under the Public and Environmental Health Act would make the new rules possible.

Gunner said:

The government is announcing these new measures today to give Territorians as much confidence as possible that we are taking every step possible to keep you safe.

This is an unprecedented action for the Northern Territory. But these are unprecedented times. The territory comes first. The health of Territorians always comes first.

He said the delivery of essential goods and services, including food and freight, would not be impacted. He added:

Our supermarkets and stores will be stocked.

These are trying times for Territorians. The measures we are implementing are tough, but their purpose is clear: to save lives, and keep Territorians safe.

That will always be our first priority.

Updated

The Australian newspaper is reporting that the Ruby Princess cruise ship that docked in Sydney on Thursday with four confirmed cases of people with Covid-19 on board had “had previously been sailing with 158 sick passengers on board”.

The newspaper reports those 158 passengers, of which 13 had high temperatures, had disembarked in Sydney on March 8 before the ship left for a short cruise around New Zealand.

Although the government has banned cruise ship arrivals, an exception was made for the Ruby Princess which docked in Sydney on Thursday.

On Friday, the NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, said everyone who had disembarked the ship – about 2700 passengers – should self-isolate for 14 days.

Three of those who disembarked on Thursday were confirmed to have caught the virus. A fourth was a crew member who was being isolated on board the ship.

Updated

South Australia reports 17 new Covid-19 cases

Health authorities in South Australia are reporting an increase of 17 cases of Covid-19 since yesterday, bringing the total in the state to 67.

One tourist group in the Barossa Valley have returned 10 positive tests. More to come on this.

Updated

Afternoon. Graham Readfearn here, grabbing the blog duties from Melissa Davey for the rest of the day.

My colleague Miles Martignoni has been in touch after looking at what mobile phone providers have been up to as people socially-isolate and start working away from offices.

Many have announced changes to their plans, so you might find you have more data to play with.

Most require you to register to receive the extra data, so check with your provider to see if you’re eligible.

Updated

Thanks for following the latest Australian Covid-19 news with me, Melissa Davey. I’m handing over to my excellent colleague Graham Readfearn now, who will bring you all the news here throughout the evening. Contact him on Twitter here.

Still at the NSW press conference and health minister Brad Hazzard has handed it back over to NSW Health’s Dr Vicky Sheppeard to face the tough questions from reporters about why passengers were allowed to disembark the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

She said the department followed the national procedure for assessing cruise ships for Covid-19. Because the ship had only travelled between Sydney and New Zealand, it was deemed a low risk of people carrying the virus. People were allowed to disembark, but four people from the ship later tested positive for Covid-19, leaving NSW Health scrambling to alert the other 2,700 passengers onboard.

Sheppeard said the ship did not have Covid-19 testing capacity onboard but did have flu testing. Before the ship docked, 13 passengers were swabbed for flu, she said.

We decided even though we thought it was a low risk of Covid-19, we thought we’d bring those [flu] swabs to the lab and test them for Covid-19.

That’s how the cases were identified. NSW had followed national guidelines in allowing passengers to disembark after performing the national risk assessment, she said.

Updated

NSW Health’s Dr Vicky Sheppeard is holding a press conference, speaking about the 436 confirmed cases in the state.

Each day we are getting increased numbers of confirmed cases but the vast majority of those are people returning from overseas, particularly the United States and Europe ... There has been minimal exposure in the community. The other large number of cases are close contacts of confirmed cases.

The health minister, Brad Hazzard is speaking about the large number of people still congregating at Bondi Beach despite social-distancing rules that prevent mass outdoor gatherings. Hazzard appears to be blaming much of that on young people, saying:

I was bitterly disappointed when I was told there were large groups down at Bondi, that mecca for so many foreign tourists and also Australians to go to. Today there has been no real heeding of that [social distancing] message. The government has taken the steps needed to make sure people know this is [not acceptable]. Young people may feel this isn’t going to hurt me so why worry. It can hurt you and it can hurt your family and friends. Have a look overseas and see what’s happening in other countries.

It’s very, very bad overseas and if not for the work here we would have the same problem. But the problem is just over the horizon. Save yourself and save your family. No one wants to see enforcement, we want to see compliance. Just do it.

Updated

Victorian police have conducted a number of spot checks to ensure people are self-isolating. In a statement, police said the checks were being done is response to requests from the Department of Health. Police said:

For operational reasons, we will not disclose how these checks are being undertaken or how many have been conducted so far. At this stage, no one has been charged with refusing or failing to comply with direction.

Updated

The mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, has been speaking at Bondi and she said they would clear “the whole of the water”, including of surfers. Surf lifesavers were headed out to disperse across the beach to deliver the news to everyone.

I asked if it would apply to Bondi Icebergs pool, which is at the south end of the beach, and the mayor said it was a private club but that they would be “Asking all our organisations to comply as much as possible”.

There were some disgruntled locals listening on; one complained about infringement of civil liberties, and said the beach was “sacred”. There are still people at the beach despite the closure.

Masselos said:

On behalf of everyone at Waverley Council, I strongly urge the public to observe health advice about social distancing when visiting our area, including our beaches.

The public must at all times keep a minimum safe distance from each other in public places and if you don’t need to be out in public, please consider staying at home.

Updated

Afternoon update: Australians urged to take social distancing seriously

The number of coronavirus cases in Australia has exceeded 1,000, as states updated their figures today.

  • In New South Wales, the health department announced 83 new cases, the largest daily increase for the state so far. NSW now has 436 cases, and the state’s health minister, Brad Hazzard, is due to give an update at 3.30pm. The state has closed Bondi Beach temporarily after thousands of people ignored social distancing measures and flocked to the beach on Friday. Once it reopens, if lifesavers see more than 500 people on the beach at any one time, it will be closed.
  • Meanwhile in Victoria, 51 new cases were reported overnight, bringing the state’s total to 229. It is just ahead of Queensland, which has 221 cases.
  • A Northern Territory couple have tested positive to coronavirus, bringing cases in that state to five, and both were passengers aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship which docked in Sydney.
  • The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, today defended Australia’s testing regime, saying about 115,000 tests had been carried out, a higher rate per person than in the US. But Victoria’s health minister, Brett Sutton, said he would like to see more testing done.
  • The shadow foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has urged the government to do more to help Australians stranded overseas as flights are cancelled and borders close.
  • This morning the Victorian government has announced what it described as a $1.7bn “economic survival and jobs package”.

Earlier, Hunt said Australians must start taking social distancing measures seriously:

If you are breaking those rules you are putting, not just yourself, but you’re putting other Australians at risk. What happened in Bondi was unacceptable and the local council must take steps to stop that occurring.

We need to be our best selves and our most responsible selves, and the vast majority are doing the right thing. To those small few who are doing the wrong thing, think of others; and to those who have local responsibility, discharge those responsibilities.

Updated

As my colleague Ben Doherty just posted, Australians have been stranded overseas as countries close their borders and people flock to book flights home. In a press conference earlier today, health minister Greg Hunt was asked what Australia was doing to support those who were stranded. He said:

Around the world, Foreign Affairs and Trade is reaching out, doing surveys, finding who is out there.

I do say this: the prime minister gave ample warning that there was the risk that flights and the capacity to return would not be possible – that’s been occurring over the course of the last month. But nevertheless Foreign Affairs is reaching out, we’re continuing to work with Qantas, and Qantas is continuing to fly from major hubs to Australia and we thank them for that.

But shadow foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said that while she commended the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s consular team, Australians were not able to access timely and comprehensive advice and assistance. She said in a statement:

In Peru, which is in lockdown, Australians are being forced to fundraise to cover the costs of charter flights reported to be as high as $15,000 per person. And Australians stranded on cruise ships are unclear about what assistance is being provided for their ships to dock, and for them to disembark and return home once docked.

We call on the Morrison government to work with Qantas, Virgin or other providers to help Australians return home and ensure the costs of returning home are not exorbitant or a barrier to travel; expedite the processing of visas for immediate family members of Australian citizens who are rushing to return home; properly resource our consular teams to meet the unprecedented demands to assist Australians overseas; and provide comprehensive timely information to Australians.

The government needs to communicate a plan to help bring Australians home.

Updated

Meanwhile in AFL news, a Collingwood staff member who was recently overseas has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The club said in a statement:

In accordance with government protocols, the staff member has been in isolation since returning to Australia. He is recovering at home and being monitored by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Due to quarantine requirements, the staff member has at no point been in any contact with players or staff members at Collingwood since returning and has therefore presented no transmission risk to the club.

Updated

Australians remain stranded in locked-down South American countries such as Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and are scrambling to find ways home.

A handful of commercial charter flights are available but for many the costs are unaffordable. Others, outside of major cities, are struggling to get official approval to take buses to airports.

Ecuador’s shutdown was sudden and extreme, and a complete shutdown of the capital Quito is being enforced by police, at times violently. Hotels have been ordered closed, shops are running low on food, and other essential services cancelled.

Sydney couple Anne and Craig Dorrington have found accommodation at a Quito hostel called Secret Garden, whose owner has negotiated with the government to be able to stay open.

Many of those staying there are backpackers and they have been able to negotiate lower rates in exchange for working at the hostel, helping with repairs and minor renovations.

Guests are also trying to keep costs down by using cold rather than hot water.

The Dorringtons have put out a call encouraging any Australian tourists evicted from shuttered hotels in Quito to seek accommodation at the Secret Garden.

They have established a WhatsApp group for Australians stranded in Ecuador to co-ordinate repatriation efforts and support each other. Anne Dorrington is a mental health practitioner and has been running a mental care program in the hostel including yoga and meditation. She wrote:

We need urgent help getting out of Ecuador as this country is in lockdown and it is not a safe place to be.

The hotel has been told that they need to close down, so then we will have nowhere to go. There is nobody in the streets, the military are pushing people back in their homes. Shops are closed, there is no food, no street access.

The Dorringtons’ son John told the Guardian his parents had been frustrated by efforts to contact the Australian government and had not been able to register with the consulate or get assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.

He said that given the severity of the Covid-19 crisis, the Australian government needed to mobilise flights to repatriate their citizens.

My parents are doing their best, but everyone is pretty down. This was a big trip for my parents, now they just can’t get home and can’t see a window to get home. They feel they are being completely ignored by the Australian government.

Updated

A Northern Territory couple have tested positive to coronavirus, bringing cases in that state to five. The couple were passengers on the Ruby Princess cruise ship that docked in Sydney. After disembarking, the couple flew to Darwin.

It’s getting harder and harder to keep an up-to-date tally of the virus in Australia as the day unfolds.

Updated

Australian cases surpass 1,000

The latest case numbers announced from the states and territories throughout the day means 1,049 cases of Covid-19 have now been confirmed in Australia, including seven deaths.

Bondi Beach will close if more than 500 people gather

NSW police minister David Elliot has announced the closure of Sydney’s Bondi Beach. He said:

This is not something we are doing because we are the fun police. This is about saving lives.

If the community does not comply with the regulations and the health warnings, well then this is going to become the new norm. We will be closing down the type of iconic activities that unfortunately we’ve come ... to love and adore about our lifestyle.

I’ve spoken to the police commissioner today and in consultation with the police and surf lifesaving, we will now be seeing beaches across the state that fail to comply with public gathering regulations [prohibiting gatherings of more than 500 people in an outdoor space] are closed.

Elliot said surf lifesavers would conduct head counts and, if they found more than 500 people, would close the beach and order people to move on. If people did not comply, police would be called.

Of course with the social distancing regulations we are relying on the laws of common sense. The photos we saw this morning were a clear breach of faith when it comes to the implementation of these laws, and quite frankly they were a breach of public safety.

In the event there is under 500 people ... then people can remain on the beach.

What cost public safety? What cost the lives of the people of New South Wales?

Updated

There are now 90 confirmed cases in Western Australia. From Tuesday, all category 3 elective surgeries will be cancelled. Category 3 surgery is considered non-urgent surgery for conditions causing pain, dysfunction or disability but that are unlikely to deteriorate quickly and do not have the potential to become an emergency.

The health minister said:

Now is the time to have all guns blazing on the Covid-19 virus.

Updated

Travel restrictions for Lord Howe Island have been put in place, effective immediately. NSW health minister Brad Hazzard today made an order under the Public Health Act for access restrictions to and from the island, as well as quarantine requirements. Located 600km off the NSW coast, the island’s geographic isolation placed it in a unique position in the pandemic, the island’s tourism body said in a statement. It read:

Lord Howe Island currently does not have any confirmed cases of Covid-19. The island has limited capacity to provide specialist medical care to patients with severe Covid-19 infections. In addition, the island has a number of vulnerable residents and would expect to welcome a significant number of older visitors over the coming months.

We appreciate many visitors booked to visit Lord Howe Island in the coming weeks will be disappointed to have their travel plans change. We ask for our visitors’ patience and understanding during these extraordinary times.

March and April are among the best and busiest months to visit World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, when the waters are warm and the temperatures mild. For our small economy, which is based almost entirely on tourism, the operators’ support for this order shows their commitment to the wellbeing of the community for the long term.

We would like to ask visitors to consider rebooking for later in 2020 or 2021 rather than cancelling their bookings all together.

Updated

NSW Health’s Dr Vicky Sheppeard will give an update on cases of Covid-19 in that state at 3.30pm.

Victoria’s chief health officer, Dr Brett Sutton, said he wanted to do significant amounts of testing even though Australia was already doing “10 times more testing than the US” for its population size. He said there had been a significant increase in testing capacity in the past week, and that there was now a wider definition for testing.

There are now 229 cases in Victoria, with 51 confirmed yesterday.

Scott Morrison announced on Friday that, in addition to people who have returned from overseas with symptoms or been in close contact with confirmed cases and have symptoms, people in aged care with respiratory illness could now be tested regardless of travel. People with pneumonia and healthcare workers with symptoms can also get a test.

Sutton said about 3,000 tests were being conducted in the state daily. “I would like to see several thousand that we can do every day.”

Sutton was also asked to comment on the docking of the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney; all passengers are now isolating after four people on board tested positive. He said:

The lesson from Japan [the Diamond Princess cruise ship] was the crew continued to have cases and may well have brought it to others on that ship even though they were isolated. I’m sure NSW have done the right thing. I’m not here to judge NSW public health. They’re acting to the protocols for cruise ships.

Updated

Victoria’s opposition leader Michael O’Brien has responded to the premier’s $1.7bn economic package for small businesses, describing it as “only a start”. He says:

I was hoping to see land tax relief for tenanted residential properties, as tenants and their landlords need support. Questions also remain about exactly what support sole traders and micro businesses under the payroll tax threshold will receive.

Small businesses and their staff are among the most vulnerable to the economic pressure created by the Covid-19 crisis.

This announcement is a start, but it is only a start. More will need to be done to protect small businesses and save jobs.

Updated

Covid-19 news from Australia so far

Hello to all of those just joining our Covid-19 liveblog. If you’re just catching up for the day, there’s a fair bit of news already been announced in Australia. Here’s a breakdown:

  • There are now 969 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths in Australia, and health minister Greg Hunt says about 115,000 tests have been carried out.
  • NSW is set to announce Bondi Beach will close after photos emerged of people defying social distancing rules and gathering in thousands at the beach. That announcement is due at 2pm.
  • Also in NSW, questions are being asked about why passengers were allowed to disembark from the Ruby Princess cruise liner in Sydney. The ship’s 2,700 passengers have been told to self-isolate. Four people on the ship have now tested positive for the virus.
  • Meanwhile, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced a $1.7bn “economic survival and jobs package”, which will provide full payroll tax refunds for the 2019-20 financial year to small and medium-sized businesses with payroll of less than $3m. Payments will start being made next week.
  • A ban on non-citizens and non-residents entering Australia has taken effect.

Victoria’s chief health officer, Dr Brett Sutton, will be holding a press conference shortly.

Updated

For those who have come here from our most recent app alert, we need to clarify that the NSW government has not yet announced the closure of Bondi Beach: it is expected to happen at 2pm today. But if any of our Sydney readers are at Bondi and can let us know if it’s already closed off, feel free to get in contact.

It still looked open about an hour ago, just after noon:

Updated

Following discussions of the Coag Disability Reform Council, the minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Stuart Robert, announced new measures being considered to support NDIS participants, workers and providers. NDIS plans will be extended by up to two years. He said:

We have been consulting with NDIS, disability and health stakeholders to understand what actions we need to take to minimise the impact that Covid-19 may have on people with disability, their families and the network of providers and workers that support them.

We have a concerted and responsive plan of action to ensure that people with disability can continue to receive the support they need, and that providers have what they need to continue delivering their essential services in these extraordinary circumstances.

We have allowed NDIS plans to be extended by up to 24 months, ensuring continuity of support. Telephone meetings are being offered to all current and potential NDIS participants as a safer way to continue service delivery, including for new plans and plan reviews, during the current phase of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Updated

There are 969 cases of Covid-19 in Australia, with six deaths in NSW and one in WA.

Updated

Bondi Beach to close

The New South Wales government is set to announce it will close Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

The announcement – to be made by NSW and emergency services police minister David Elliott at 2pm AEDT – comes after concerns were raised that large numbers of beachgoers were not abiding by public health advice.

Images from Australia’s most iconic beach in recent days have shown large crowds of people.

Guardian Australia understands the closure will affect Bondi Beach alone at this stage, though the NSW government could extend the restriction to other beaches if they find more than 500 people gathered at any time.

Updated

Queensland saw 37 news cases of the virus overnight. The state now has 221 cases.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young is urging people who are unwell with a confirmed case to stay in isolation.

Once you have the infection, if you get it, then you are in isolation. That is different to quarantine. Isolation means you cannot come into contact with anyone else. In your own home you cannot because you will give it to them. That is the riskiest environment to be, with people sharing a home so you absolutely need to be isolated. You cannot have visitors. You absolutely, under any circumstance, must not leave your home. We have support for you. We will not abandon anyone.

Updated

Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott has responded to the $1.7bn economic survival and jobs package announced by Victorian premier Daniel Andrews earlier today. She says:

We know this extraordinary health event will eventually end and the measures announced today will keep people in jobs, money in people’s pockets and our essential services and major industries going. These are the cogs that keep the economy turning and we need to be in a strong position to drive the economic recovery when these unprecedented events pass.’’

Back overseas briefly and Guardian US reporter Ed Pilkington asks how New York will cope now that it is at the centre of the crisis there. He writes:

Even with his dire warning ringing in their ears, New Yorkers were still stunned when the truth finally hit on Thursday. Within a single day, the number of confirmed cases in the city had more than tripled to 3,954 – almost a third of all coronavirus cases in the nation.

Of those, almost one in five of the sickened individuals have needed hospital care, much higher than is typical, underlining the massive challenge to the city’s health system. At least 26 have died.

“We’re seeing an explosion of cases here in New York City,” Bill de Blasio, the mayor, said.

That’s just the start. “The latest figures reflect only the tip of an iceberg,” said Theodora Hatziioannou, an associate professor in virology at the Rockefeller University in Manhattan.

Read the full story here.

AAP journalist Colin Brinsden reports that criminal law experts are recommending Australian governments release elderly, young and minor offenders from prisons and detention centres to avoid a Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 370 legal experts have signed a letter coordinated by the Australian National University and the University of Technology Sydney, which calls for urgent reforms to protect the prison population from the global health pandemic.

“Australian prisons and detention centres will become epicentres for the transmission of Covid-19 if governments don’t act now,” leader of the ANU criminology program Professor Lorana Bartels said in a statement.

As my colleague Calla Wahlquist reported last week, there is concern Australian prisons could struggle to control an outbreak of coronavirus in a system that is already overcrowded and under-resourced.

Updated

Victoria’s chief health officer, Professor Brett Sutton, will provide an update on coronavirus at 1.30pm AEDT.

The premier of South Australia will provide an update on coronavirus cases later on Saturday, but there have been 50 cases reported in that state to date.

AAP reports that South Australia expects the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic to hit late April or early May, though premier Steven Marshall says the modelling is changing constantly.

He says work to put the extra beds in place will start on Monday but it’s hoped the extra capacity is never needed if other measures are successful in reducing the extent of the outbreak across SA.

“We need to do two critical things. One is to slow the spread of this disease and to reduce the peak, pushing it as far into the future as possible,” Marshall said on Saturday.

“The second is to increase the hospital capacity in South Australia.”

Meanwhile Tasmania has reported its 11th case of the virus, having now closed its borders to non-residents.

Updated

The national total of positive coronavirus cases is 874 at last count, the health minister says. He adds that 115,000 tests have been carried out.

Hunt said that following the prime minister’s calls for people to stop stockpiling, supermarket sales had slowed.

After it was revealed on Friday that 2,700 passengers who disembarked a cruise ship in Sydney had been told to self-isolate after three people who were onboard tested positive for Covid-19, the health minister Greg Hunt is being pressed on why passengers from the ship were allowed to disembark given bans on foreign cruise shops from docking in Australia. Hunt says:

We made the decision to ban foreign cruise ships. Those returning to Australian ports are returning under strict conditions. We make no apologies for imposing tough restrictions. We have banned foreign cruise ships and we are bringing those home that otherwise would not have a dock. Our ban has meant that what we have allowed is for Australian-based ships to return and allow people to disembark straight into home isolation. We have made clear to New South Wales that the standards that apply in all other states apply in NSW, they are now making sure they apply those rules absolutely.

He is asked how many Australians are stranded on cruise ships and overseas. Hunt doesn’t have a number, saying the government is in the process of finding that out. He says:

The prime minister gave ample warning that there was a risk flights and capacity to return would not be possible. Nevertheless foreign affairs is continuing to reach out and work with Qantas.

As we mentioned in an earlier post, Hunt has also announced a $15.6m package for coronavirus testing and treatment research.

The health minister Greg Hunt is giving a press conference in Victoria and said 99% of Covid-19 tests have come back negative. He’s urged local councils to step in to ensure social isolation measures are being observed in public.

The overwhelming majority of Australians are doing the right thing. If you are breaking those rules you are putting not only yourselves but others at risk. we need to be our best selves and our most responsible selves. To those small few who are doling the wrong thing, think of others.

There are local options that are available and if local authorities are not doing that we will not hesitate either through the Commonwealth or the state to make sure these provisions are enforced.

Dr John Boffa, the chief medical officer at the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and a doctor working in Alice Springs, is concerned about testing availability.

In the ACT, chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman has announced three more confirmed cases of Covid-19 there. The total number of confirmed cases in the ACT is now nine.

In New South Wales shadow health minister Chris Bowen and shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally have held a press conference, with Bowen calling for more testing to be carried out across Australia. Countries have been grappling with a worldwide shortage of the swabs. Bowen says:

I understand the constraints and limitations on testing but we need to do more. Today we say it must be the formal objective of government policy to have people tested if they are in contact with people who have suffered Covid-19 or have symptoms. People across the country are exhibiting symptoms, worryingly going for a test and being denied because they do not meet criteria.

You can read more about Australia’s criteria for testing here, and on Friday the government announced all aged care workers could be tested as well regardless of close contact with a case.

Meanwhile Keneally said people in self-isolation who cannot access home delivery groceries are being directed to food banks, which she described as inappropriate.

And that is an unacceptable way to address this gap. People who can shop at grocery stores should not be directed to food banks. A food bank is there for the most vulnerable in the community. It is a charity, it is a charity that is there to supply people who are most in need, with food. And the demands on food banks are extraordinary at this time. I spoke with senior officers at a food bank in the last 24-hours who told me that not only are their stocks running low but their supply of volunteers is drying up. This is not an appropriate response.

Updated

A lot to take in from that press conference in Victoria with the premier Daniel Andrews and treasurer Tim Pallas. In summary:

  • There are 51 new cases in Victoria taking cases in the state to 229.
  • An economic survival package was announced for the state’s businesses including payroll tax refunds and commercial renting relief, plus support for hospitality and tourism.
  • Crown casino is no longer exempt from social distancing rules.

And finally, on school closures, the premier had this to say:

It remains the advice of both the chief health officer and every other health officer across the country, and the chief medical officer Brendan Murphy, that schools should remain open. That is the health advice. Again, I am in no way criticising parents for being concerned. Being anxious, that is a perfectly natural thing. I again make the point, the consistent and unanimous advice of chief health officers, the experts, is that schools should remain open. We have a week to go until we get to school holidays.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you, to thank both as the premier and on behalf of my family, every teacher, every worker in our schools, they are doing a fantastic job. My kids are at school, the chief health officer’s kids are at school, that is the medical advice, that is the advice of experts, that could change.

If it does, you will be the first to know.

Updated

Crown exemption from coronavirus social distancing rules revoked

It is unclear whether the revocation of its exemption from coronavirus rules means Melbourne’s Crown casino will have to shut its doors today for the first time since it was forced to close for a few days during anti-World Economic Forum protests in 2000.

The casino has been allowed to keep half of its poker machines operating under an exemption from social distancing rules granted by the Victorian chief health officer - a decision that enraged public health officials. Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton may provide more information when he faces the media later today.

Closure would be a devastating blow to employment in Melbourne - the group employs at least 6,000 people at the casino, and some 18,500 people in total.

Victoria’s decision also puts pressure on the governments of Western Australia, where Crown also has a casino, and New South Wales, where rival Star operates, to follow suit.

Crown shares have been in a trading halt since lunchtime on Friday, when the company said it was in “discussions” with Sutton over its trading conditions.

But this was before prime minister Scott Morrison dramatically beefed up social distancing rules in the afternoon by limiting the number of people inside a venue to one every 4sq m.

Crown has been contacted for comment.

Updated

Reporters have asked the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, to comment on scenes from New South Wales of people congregating at beaches despite social-isolation messages.

He responds that while from “time to time” he has “fallen to giving Sydney a hard time,” he would refrain from doing so on this occasion. He says:

Everyone plays their part, and that is not what was occurring on beaches yesterday and in probably lots of other locations in our state and other parts of the country. It is not about one state versus the other. It is one example of people perhaps not taking this as seriously as they should.

If you are in any doubt how serious this is, turn your TV on and have a look at what is going on in other parts of the world. People are dying, we are going to get to a very, very bad place when it comes to public health in the weeks and months ahead. It is going to be very challenging. There is no getting around that. But each of us can make that a little easier if we do the right thing now and we keep doing the right thing as our civic duty to ourselves, our families and every single Victorian.

Back to Victorian premier Daniel Andrews:

This is not a tax cut... this is a refund, money back to businesses that has been paid. It is sitting in the government’s bank account, I’m going to put it in businesses bank accounts so they can have that extra support to make it more likely that they can support their staff and that in turn their staff can support their families.

At the press conference this morning announcing Victoria’s economic package detailed below, the state’s treasurer Tim Pallas said it was “the biggest business support package in the history of this state”.

And it has to be, because we are facing t a public health crisis and a business crisis. What we hear from business, we have had many discussions with business leaders over the last couple of weeks, they have told us, particularly small businesses, the problem is around cash flow. What this package is very much aims to do is to make sure we get cash into businesses pockets as quickly as possible.

This cash... will go to those 24,000 businesses that employ about 400,000 workers. And they are really at the front end of the economic crisis that is of course a manifestation of the public health crisis that we are attempting to deal with. In real terms this is the biggest support package of any of the states.

Victoria economic package announced for businesses

This morning the Victorian government has announced what it described as a $1.7bn “economic survival and jobs package”, which has been developed following discussions at national cabinet.

The state government will provide full payroll tax refunds for the 2019-20 financial year to small and medium-sized businesses with payroll of less than $3m. Payments will start being made next week and will save eligible business up to $113,975 a year, with businesses saving an average of $23,000. These businesses employ around 400,000 workers. In a statement the Victorian government said:

This assistance is a refund, not a loan. The same businesses will also be able to defer any payroll tax for the first three months of the 2020/21 financial year until 1 January 2021, freeing up a further $83 million in cashflow.

Commercial tenants in government buildings can apply for rent relief and 2020 land tax payments will be deferred for eligible small businesses. The government will also pay all outstanding supplier invoices within five business days – releasing up to $750m. The private sector is being urged to do the same where possible.

The government will also waive liquor licensing fees for 2020 for affected venues and small businesses. A $500m Business Support Fund has also been established for hospitality, tourism, accommodation, arts and entertainment, and retail.
The government will work with the Victorian Chamber, Australian Hotels Association and Ai Group to administer the fun.

Meanwhile a $500m Working for Victoria Fund will be established in consultation with the Victorian Council of Social Services and Victorian Trades Hall Council. The fund will help workers who have lost their jobs find new opportunities, including work cleaning public infrastructure or delivering food.

Updated

In Victoria the premier Daniel Andrews has announced “a refund back in the accounts of businesses in just a few days time, cash that will be critical to them being able to support their workers and in turn those workers being able to support their families”.

He announced a package of three parts including $500m in payroll tax refunds for businesses. Eligible businesses will receive payroll tax for the year to date back, and the final three months of this financial year will be waived.

So there will essentially be for those businesses, 24,000 of them, no payroll tax paid this year. That is, businesses up to a payroll of $3m.

Updated

Be strong, be kind, NZ prime minister urges

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has asked New Zealanders to restrict their movements around the country, and cancel all non-essential domestic travel.

Ardern also asked those aged 70 and over, or with a compromised immune system to stay home for the foreseeable future.

Those who could work from home should now do so, Ardern said, but reassured Kiwis that essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies would remain open. There are four alert levels in New Zealand, and the country was currently at stage two.

Ardern took a warm and smiley demeanour for her address, in a bid to reassure New Zealanders in “unprecedented times”. Fourteen new cases of the virus were confirmed today, bringing the total number of cases to 53. Two of the cases show no link to overseas travel, meaning community transmission may now be under way.

“Protecting New Zealanders from the virus is our number one objective, and we must take decisive action to prevent the worst occurring here,” Ardern said.

“New Zealand is fighting an unprecedented global pandemic. We must fight by going hard and going early with new measures to slow the transmission of the virus.”

“These measures are being taken in the national interest. We know people, business, and sports events will be impacted, but these are short-term disruptions for the overall health of our people and country.

“I know many New Zealanders are anxious. The alert system is designed to offer certainty around future action and the ability for people to plan and prepare for any future eventuality. Please be strong, be kind, and unite against COVID-19,” Ardern said.

Updated

About 2,700 passengers who disembarked a cruise ship in Sydney have been told to self-isolate after three people who were onboard tested positive for Covid-19. Reporter Luke Henriques-Gomes writes:

“Confirming the news on Friday, the NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, said the doctor onboard had conducted 13 tests on the Ruby Princess, which had completed a relatively short cruise around the Pacific to New Zealand.

Two passengers who have tested positive are being treated in a Sydney hospital and another who may have contracted the virus made it to Tasmania and is in hospital there. A crew member who tested positive remains on the ship, which is docked off the Australian east coast.

Guidelines introduced by the government this week mean people who had arrived from overseas were already required to self-isolate for 14 days. But Hazzard said authorities were now concerned that others may also have contracted the virus and that passengers were unaware there were confirmed cases onboard.”

Last Sunday the Australian government banned international cruise ship arrivals for 30 days. Questions are now being asked about why tighter quarantine and screening controls weren’t implemented before passengers disembarked. One passenger in serious condition in hospital. The state’s chief medical officer, Kerry Chant, said on Friday passengers on the ship were considered “low-risk” since it had travelled between Sydney and New Zealand.

Updated

Dr Gaetan Burgio from the John Curtin School of Medical research at the Australian National University said over 100 human clinical trials are underway against Covid-19. He says:

It is possible that some drugs could possibly ‘cure’ coronavirus but it is too early to tell. We at least know which ones don’t ‘cure’ coronavirus such as anti HIV drugs. Incoming weeks will give us a better idea of which drugs will be suitable to treat or cure the infection.”

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott, an expert in the spread and control of infectious diseases at the Centre for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney, has addressed the question of why the mortality rate is apparently higher in Europe than in China. The short answer is that we don’t know just at the moment, he says.

What we do know is that there are multiple factors that can influence disease transmission, ranging from geographical considerations and population density to factors such as the extent of intergenerational families living in the same households, a history of being a smoker, etc. It is for this reason that we need to be very careful in extrapolating what we see happening in one country to apply it to our own. Australia’s outbreak of Covid-19 has already been very different from what many other countries have experienced, and that will likely continue to be the case.”

Professor Julie Leask, from the University of Sydney and whose research focuses on infectious disease, has addressed the question of how the public should respond to the proliferation of data, graphs and information on the virus on social media. How can people tell what is accurate? She says:

Government should give journalists and the public better access to evidence informing their decision making. This could occur with more detailed information about what is underpinning key decisions. Health departments are working hard to provide a great deal of information, so it is not about volume as much as about the kind of information being provided and its relevance.

People are clearly crying out for detailed rationales. This is more important than ever as we are at a crucial stage of people starting to shape their views on how this should be managed. Putting the current evidence into that picture will help bring people along. It has been encouraging to see a little more transparency in the last few days. The AHPPC’s online update became much more detailed.

Social media gives many a voice. This is a two-edged sword because it democratises access to evidence but also brings confusion with so many apparently expert voices. We all need a bit of humility in recognising that the knowledge about COVID-19 is still emerging and what we think is right now may not be right next week. In any case this will change as government ramps-up the physical distancing measures.”

Thanks to the Australian Science Media Centre for compiling these responses.

The Australian Medical Association’s South Australia president, Dr Chris Moy, is speaking to ABC News. There has been so much debate as to whether Australia is doing enough to prevent virus spread, with people calling for total lockdowns of all schools, workplaces and venues. On Friday, the prime minister flagged that certain areas of the country that are current hotspots for the virus may be locked down, though those suburbs have not been announced yet. However, Moy said he believes Australia is preparing well, telling the ABC:

I think we have done well in Australia, even compared to other countries. You may not feel that sometimes, because everyone is a little bit of frazzled and doctors are human too. You’re sometimes getting different messages from doctors.

I think we’re going to have to deal with a society that’s having to come to terms with the fact there’s big changes... there’s a slight mismatch of resources versus need. What I say to you, if the community can hang with us, all the doctors out there, all the nurses out there, trying to do our best, we’re in a [good] position.

And I hope very much we see a united front from doctors and nurses in confronting what is about to happen.

He said while questions had been asked about whether enough tests were being carried out as the world faces a shortage of swabs, Australia was still carrying out more widespread testing than many other countries.

Testing is one half of the equation and the community needs to do its part, including social distancing and good hygiene. That’s what has broken the back of this in the countries that have succeeded in controlling Covid-19.

Correction: this post previously incorrectly quoted Moy as saying South Australia has carried out more tests than the US. Australia as a whole has carried out more tests to date than the US.

Updated

We have been duped. While lock-downs around the world have seen reports of cleaner water and air, and a return of birdlife and fish, some people have taken those reports to the extreme, with fake reports of elephants and dolphins returning spreading on social media. Natasha Daly has written this excellent report for National Geographic about what’s true and what’s not.

Updated

Key events from Australia

My colleague Josh Taylor has written a handy summary of the latest developments in Australia over the past 24 hours or so.

  • A ban on non-citizens and non-residents entering Australia began at 9pm on Friday night
  • The restrictions on gatherings indoors were further tightened, so that in addition to having no more than 100 people, there now has to be four square metres around each person
  • Due to the ongoing uncertainty, the federal budget will now be held in October, not in May as originally planned
  • The government is saying people shouldn’t travel domestically unless they absolutely need to.
  • A 36-year-old Australian man with Covid-19 has died in Iceland.

Read the full list here.

My colleague Mick McGowan has spoken to teachers about how they are feeling as Australia shuts down around them while schools remain open. He writes:

“Teachers who spoke to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity this week say they are “frustrated, angry and anxious” at what they feel is a lack of concern for their wellbeing as they continue to be asked to show up to work during an almost total shutdown of society in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

“Both the prime minister, Scott Morrison, and the chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, argue school closures could exacerbate the spread of the virus because students would mix more widely in the community, as well as force frontline healthcare workers to stay home to care for their children.”

Meanwhile here is an explainer about why Australian schools are yet to close. Of course, this may change as the pandemic evolves.

Some parents are students are trying hard to show their thanks to their teachers, with people reporting lovely messages such as these:


Updated

US president Donald Trump has thrown another tantrum.

In some happier news, here is a lovely story about how nature is returning to Venice, where strict rules of self-confinement have seen ducks return to the canals.

Updated

Stay at home, medical president urges Australians

The president of the Australian Medical Association’s NSW branch, Dr Kean-Seng Lim, has issued a statement urging people in the state to stay at home... no doubt prompted by images such as this one:

Lim said on Saturday morning:

The novel coronavirus is something we need to take seriously but not panic or be complacent about. That said, we are at a stage now where we need to be doing everything we can to slow the transmission of this highly contagious virus. So, with that in mind, if you can stay home, please stay home.

As doctors, it’s distressing to still see people undertaking non-essential recreational activities.

The time for that is passed – it’s time to stay home. The more people who practise the physical distancing that has been requested, the slower the virus will spread, and there will be less overall risk for health workers like me, who have to go to work. This is especially important if you are in an at-risk group or have close contact with people in an at-risk group.

If you’re feeling sick, don’t visit elderly relatives, for instance. If you have been asked to self-isolate or otherwise meet criteria for self-isolation because of risk of infection with COVID-19, then you definitely need to stay home.”

A couple of press conferences coming up in the next few hours in Australia, where cases have reached 877 including 7 deaths - one in Western Australia, and six in New South Wales.

The federal health minister Greg Hunt will give an update in a couple of hours at 11.30am AEDT, following announcements that the government will invest more than $2.6m in diagnostics research at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity to tackle the novel coronavirus. The government has allocated $13m from the $2.4bn Coronavirus National Health Plan to fast-track treatment and vaccine research.

Meanwhile the Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will make an announcement with the state’s premier in just over an hour’s time, at 10am. Victoria is the only Australian jurisdiction yet to announce a stimulus package, though last week Andrews, flagged “survival payments” to come.

Deaths due to Covid-19 have now exceeded 11,000 globally. A quick wrap up of the deaths and infections recently reported from around the world:

At least 11 people have died from the coronavirus outbreak in Brazil, up from seven on Thursday. The death toll in Turkey due to the coronavirus has risen to nine, and two people have died in the United Arab Emirates. Israel has reported 705 cases of coronavirus, and also its first death.

The number of confirmed cases in Costa Rica has reached 113, including two deaths. Coronavirus cases in Paris and its suburbs now account for about a quarter of the 11,000 cases across France, and has about 250 now in intensive care, up from just 50 five days ago. The death toll in all France as of Friday evening stood at 450.

AAP photographer John Fotiadis went to Bondi yesterday. New South Wales is grappling with more cases of the virus than any other state or territory and has recorded six out of the seven Australian deaths.

Beachgoers at Bondi Beach despite the threat of coronavirus in Sydney.
Beachgoers at Bondi Beach despite the threat of coronavirus in Sydney. Photograph: John Fotiadis/AAP
Beachgoers are seen at Bondi Beach
Beachgoers are seen at Bondi Beach

Updated

Hours after Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison announced venues would only be able to accommodate one person for every four square metres of floor space, and with restrictions already in place banning outdoor mass gatherings, images spread on social media on Friday night of Australians enjoying the beach and bars in Bondi.

‘Bondi’ began to trend on Twitter as users questioned the complacency of people some to the pandemic unfolding. People also crowded beaches at Manly, also in New South Wales.

It makes you wonder how Australia would respond to lockdowns and closures of schools. Would kids actually stay home, or would it be too tough an ask longterm?

The past few days should have been a wake-up call for those still going about life as normally as possible. At the beginning of last week, many Australians were still commuting and socialising at restaurants and bars while the country gradually shut down around them, bans on mass outdoor gatherings took effect and the prime minister ordered “no more handshakes”. By Friday it was clear life for the next few months would be drastically changed. Tasmania effectively closed its borders. Australians overseas rushed home and many were left stranded as travel restrictions tightened.

Good morning

As always with this virus, a lot has happened in just a short period of time.

In the US, three states - California, New York and Illinois - ordered all residents to stay home except for essential activities. US president Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up the production of medical supplies. He also lashed out at reporters. Asked by a reporter about what he had to say to Americans who are scared about the spread, Trump responded: “I say that you’re a terrible reporter”. “The American people are looking for answers, and they’re looking for hope,” Trump said. “That’s really bad reporting.” The US-Mexico border is also closing to all non-essential travel. More than 200 people have died from the virus in the US.

In the UK, prime minister Boris Johnston announced cafes, bars, and restaurants are to close as soon as possible and are not to open tomorrow. He said they can provide takeaway services. He also ordered nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close. There, deaths have reached 177.

Italy has announced 627 more coronavirus deaths, the biggest day-to-day increase in the country’s epidemic to date. More than a quarter of a million cases have been detected in 161 countries and territories around the world.

New Zealand recorded its biggest single-day increase of Covid-19 cases, with 11 new positive tests, taking the country’s total to 39.

Meanwhile in Australia, national cabinet signed off on new restrictions for internal gatherings and remote communities, financial help for the aged care sector, and an order for Australians to reconsider all “unnecessary travel”. Meanwhile school teachers are expressing distress, saying social distancing measures are impossible in classrooms, many of them struggling to source sanitiser and tissues.

Melbourne bureau chief Melissa Davey here with you taking over live blog coverage from my colleagues in the UK as we all work together to flatten that curve. You can share your Covid-19 thoughts and news with me at melissa.davey@theguardian.com or contact me on Twitter.

Updated

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