Australia: And now for the bad news – our record unemployment is actually worse than it looks
Politicians will always try to sugarcoat bad news, but it takes some front to do it on the day that a record number of Australians were found to be unemployed and when Australian workers remain in the deepest recession since the Great Depression.
“The Australian economy is fighting back,” Scott Morrison told the media in response to the release of the labour force figures on Thursday, which showed a record 992,300 unemployed Australians and an unemployment rate of 7.4%, the worst since November 1998.
He of course wanted to focus on the increase in jobs. Morrison told Karl Stefanovic on Friday: “We had 210,000 jobs that came back into the economy in June. That’s the biggest increase in jobs we’ve ever seen in a month.”
That is true, but when we dig into those numbers we find not a great deal of fighting back.
While total employment grew, full-time employment actually fell 38,000 – off the back of the two biggest drops in full-time employment ever recorded. All up there are 375,900 fewer people working full-time now than there were in March.
And there are 660,700 fewer people working at all.
But yes, a recovery has to start somewhere.
In Australia, a large Maronite church in Sydney’s north-west has been closed for cleaning after the discovery of a Covid-19 case there.
The church member attended Our Lady of Lebanon cathedral in Harris Park in Sydney’s north-west on Wednesday at 5.30pm, Thursday at 6pm and Friday at 1.30pm and 6pm. The church has been closed until Tuesday.
“It is not believed at this stage that the parishioner has contracted Covid-19 at the Parish,” the church said in a post on social media.
BREAKING: A Maronite Catholic Church in Harris Park has had a parishioner test positive for COVID-19. The person visited the large and popular church on Wed, Thurs & Friday. @10NewsFirstSyd pic.twitter.com/oc0UAhReGo
— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) July 18, 2020
South Africa cases become fifth-highest worldwide
Among the countries that reported the highest one-day case increases as part of that startling record global rise reported by the WHO is South Africa, which now ranks fifth in the world for confirmed coronavirus cases caseload as the African continent faces the pandemics first wave head-on, AP reports.
South Africa on Saturday reported 13,285 new confirmed cases for a total of 350,879. That puts the country ahead of Peru and makes up roughly half the cases in Africa. The only four countries with more confirmed cases the US, Brazil, India, and Russia all have far more people than South Africa’s 57 million.
The virus arrived on the continent a little later than elsewhere, giving officials more time to prepare, but Africa has fewer health care resources than any other region and South Africas public hospitals struggle to handle the growing number of patients.
Gauteng province, home to Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, is now Africa’s epicentre for the virus. It has one-quarter of the country’s population and many of the poor are crowded in township areas with inadequate access to clean water and sanitation.
South Africa has seen 4,948 reported virus deaths, but the South African Medical Research Council in its most recent report shows the country had 10,944 excess deaths between 6 May and 7 July.
Hi, Helen Sullivan here. I’m bringing you the latest coronavirus news from around the world for the next few hours.
As always, it would be great to hear from you – questions, feedback and news are all welcome.
I’m on Twitter @helenrsullivan or email: helen.sullivan@theguardian.com.
Global deaths pass 600,000
Known coronavirus-related deaths have just passed the startling figure of 600,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, which relies on official government data.
There are currently 600,435 deaths.
The sombre milestone comes as the WHO reported a record one-day increase in cases on Saturday, with 259,848 reported worldwide in 24 hours, and the highest deaths since since 10 May, with 7,360 people reported dead in one day.
Deaths have been averaging 4,800 a day in July, up slightly from an average of 4,600 a day in June.
The US is by far the worst-affected country worldwide in terms of cases and deaths, with 139,960 fatalities. Brazil, with the next-worst toll, has 78,772 deaths.
Updated
In Australia, some Melbourne childcare centres say they may have to close within weeks without more government support, thanks to a combination of the Covid-19 lockdown and changes to federal subsidies.
Mandy Kelly, who runs the Melbourne University Family Club Co-operative, says she could lose about $12,000 a fortnight as families unenrol or choose not to send their children during the lockdown.
“It looks like we will be dipping into any reserve we have got left,” she says.
“It looks like six weeks is the maximum we could go for and following that will have to think about closing. It makes me feel terrible. We have been here for 55 years.”
Israel reopened schools and many businesses in May, lifting restrictions that had flattened an infection curve after a partial lockdown imposed in March.
Reuters reports that with the infection rate rising sharply in the past few weeks, many public health experts said the government had moved too fast while neglecting to take the necessary epidemiological steps to control the pandemic once the economy reopened.
A poll by the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute that on Tuesday found only 29.5% of the public trust Netanyahu’s handling of the crisis.
Netanyahu has announced numerous economic aid packages, some of which have been slow to come through while others have drawn criticism for being ineffective.
Israel, with a population of 9 million, has reported almost 50,000 coronavirus cases and 400 deaths.
Israelis protest against government's handling of coronavirus crisis
Israeli police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence on Saturday as protests mounted against him over alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus crisis, Reuters reports.
Hit by high unemployment, a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases and reimposed coronavirus curbs, Israelis have taken to the streets in almost daily demonstrations against the government.
Public anger has been compounded by corruption alleged against Netanyahu, who went on trial in May for bribery, fraud and breach of trust - charges he denies.
In Jerusalem, hundreds gathered outside the prime minister’s residence and then marched through the streets, calling for Netanyahu’s resignation as police used water cannons to disperse the crowds. At least two people were arrested, police said.
In Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial hub, thousands gathered at a rally by the beach, demanding better state aid to businesses hurt by coronavirus restrictions and to people who have lost jobs or have been put on unpaid leave. Unemployment presently stands at 21%.
Restrictions tightened in Barcelona, Spain
In Spain, more than four million people in Barcelona were advised to stay at home on Friday except for necessary trips from this weekend onwards, after Alba Vergés, the Catalan health minister, said the measure was the best way to avoid a new lockdown.
Cinemas, theatres and nightclubs were closed and gatherings of more than 10 people were also prohibited.
The new restrictions came barely four weeks after Spain ended its state of emergency when its 47 million residents were subjected to one of the world’s toughest lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus.
France is watching coronavirus clusters in neighbouring Spain very closely, prime minister Jean Castex said on Saturday, less than a month after the border between the two countries was reopened.
Spanish health officials are monitoring more than 150 outbreaks across the country just weeks after they ended one of the world’s toughest lockdown regimes. They are particularly alarmed at clusters popping up in Catalonia, one of the border regions.
“We are monitoring this very closely, here in particular, because it is a real issue that we also need to discuss with the Spanish authorities,” Castex said in response to a question about the possible closure of borders, according to AFP.
The upsurge in cases in Catalonia has already prompted the reimposition of lockdown in one area.
Some 160,000 people in Lleida and surrounding towns were ordered to stay in their homes on Wednesday, following a standoff between the regional government and a local court that had blocked the order.
Hard lockdown ends in Victorian public housing towers
Still in Australia, public housing residents in North Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, will be released from a two-week ‘hard’ lockdown after the Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria prompted the state government to enforce a dramatic lockdown of a number of residential towers in the city.
The enforced shut-in of public housing residents at 33 Alfred Street since 4 July ended late Saturday night, meaning they can now leave their homes for food, medicine, exercise, study and work – like the rest of Melbourne.
However, up to one third of the tower’s residents, who either have the virus or are a close contact of someone who does, will be required to remain in their units until they’re cleared.
The hard lockdown of public housing tenants in Melbourne was the subject of harsh criticism of the state’s premier, Daniel Andrews, and Victoria’s ombudsman is investigating the treatment of people across the Alfred Street tower and eight other towers that were shut down for five days in July.
A quiet morning in North Melbourne as the folks in the public housing tower at 33 Alfred St wake up to freer movement. After two weeks of a hard lockdown they now subject to Stage 3 restrictions like the rest of Metro Melb and Mitchell Shire. pic.twitter.com/sEH3sqgxEA
— Karen Percy (@PercyKaren) July 18, 2020
Updated
Australia’s two largest states will hope Sunday brings good news as both Victoria and New South Wales grapple with Covid-19 outbreaks.
On Saturday Victoria, which is in the grips of a second-wave outbreak, recorded 217 new cases of the virus well down from the record 428 the previous day. Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, is currently in a six-week lockdown as it attempts to get the caseload under control.
In NSW the state government is sweating on the status of a few recent outbreaks which have seen cases increase in recent days. The original cluster, at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula in Sydney’s south-west, is now above 40 cases. But the state’s health officials are scrambling to establish links between that outbreak and other recent cases including at a Thai restaurant in western Sydney.
NSW recorded 16 new cases on Saturday, including five which have not yet been linked to any known outbreak. On Saturday the NSW deputy chief medical officer Jeremy McAnulty said authorities remained “really concerned” by the cases with no known source of community transmission.
“The good news is the majority of cases have been able to be linked together,” he said. “We are still investigating those five cases from yesterday. We are hopeful a link will emerge between all those cases, we haven’t given up doing that.”
Sydney to limit overseas arrivals to 350 per day from Monday
In Australia, overseas travellers arriving in Sydney will be limited to 350 people a day under tighter Covid-19 restrictions to ensure the health system in the state of New South Wales isn’t overwhelmed, as neighbouring Victoria state continues to battle an outbreak, AAP reports.
The new airport cap will apply from 12.01am on Monday under an agreement with the federal government. It further reduces the current cap of 450 people introduced on 5 July.
Announcing the decision on Sunday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the step was necessary to make sure the state stays in a strong position to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“Our number one priority is the health and safety of the people of NSW, and this new cap will help us protect our state from Covid-19,” Berejiklian said in a statement.
“NSW is the gateway to Australia and it is important that passengers returning home do not overrun the capacity of NSW Health and hotel quarantine.”
Jobs minister Stuart Ayres said Australians have been given plenty of time to return from overseas.
“It is incredibly important the volume of returning travellers does not undo the great work of the people of NSW,” Ayres said in a statement on Sunday.
“The people, businesses and industries of NSW can only operate in this ‘new normal’ if we effectively reduce the spread of Covid-19, and further limiting the cap on returning travellers will help ensure this.”
Meanwhile, the retail, fast-food and warehouse workers union is urging people to not visit the shops after being tested for coronavirus.
Updated
Summary
Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
My name is Helen Sullivan and I’ll be bringing you the latest for the next few hours. As always, it would be great to hear from you. Questions, feedback, news tips, actual cash tips all welcome on Twitter @helenrsullivan or via email: helen.sullivan@theguardian.com.
As more countries re-introduce pandemic restrictions, the World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases for Saturday, with the total rising by more than a quarter of a million cases – 259,848 – in 24 hours. The United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, saw the highest daily increases. The previous WHO record for new cases was 237,743 on Friday. Deaths rose by 7,360, the biggest one-day increase since 10 May.
In Australia, overseas travellers arriving in Sydney will be limited to 350 people a day under tighter Covid-19 restrictions to ensure the health system in the state of New South Wales isn’t overwhelmed, as neighbouring Victoria state continues to battle an outbreak. The new airport cap will apply from 12.01am on Monday under an agreement with the federal government. It further reduces the current cap of 450 people introduced on 5 July.
In Victoria, public housing residents in North Melbourne are coming out of a two-week “hard” lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak prompted the state government to take strict measures.
The enforced shut-in of public housing residents at 33 Alfred Street since 4 July ended late Saturday night, meaning they can now leave their homes for food, medicine, exercise, study and work – like the rest of Melbourne.
-
Global deaths are nearing 600,000. Globally, there are 14,126,793 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, and 596,688 deaths.
- Covid-19 cases are surging across much of the south and west of the United States, as familiar scenes of weary doctors and nurses in packed hospitals replay across a new region.
- WHO reports record daily rise in cases globally. The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Saturday, with the total rising by 259,848 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were recorded in the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report. The previous WHO record for new cases was 237,743 on Friday. Deaths rose by 7,360, the biggest one-day increase since 10 May.
- British PM likens second national lockdown to using nuclear deterrent. Boris Johnson has played down the prospect of a second national coronavirus lockdown, saying he did not want to use it any more than Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent. “I can’t abandon that tool any more than I would abandon a nuclear deterrent. But it is like a nuclear deterrent, I certainly don’t want to use it. And nor do I think we will be in that position again,” he told the Sunday Telegraph.
- In Spain, more than four million people in Barcelona were advised to stay at home on Friday except for necessary trips from this weekend onwards, after Alba Vergés, the Catalan health minister, said the measure was the best way to avoid a new lockdown. Cinemas, theatres and nightclubs were closed and gatherings of more than 10 people were also prohibited.The new restrictions came barely four weeks after Spain ended its state of emergency when its 47 million residents were subjected to one of the world’s toughest lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus.
- Scotland has recorded its highest number of daily positive coronavirus tests for almost a month, with 21 confirmed results in 24 hours, as the deputy first minister warned of the ongoing threat of coronavirus.Figures released by the Scottish government on Saturday were the highest number since 21 June, when there were 26 positive test results.
- Iran reintroduced localised lockdown measures. The Iranian government on Saturday reimposed local restrictions, including a week-long lockdown in the capital Tehran, after president Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that some 25 million Iranians may have been infected with coronavirus.The measures include the banning of religious and cultural functions, the closing of boarding schools, cafes, indoor pools, amusement parks and zoos.
- France make masks compulsory in enclosed spaces. Face masks will be made mandatory in France in enclosed public spaces including banks, shops and indoor markets from Monday, the country’s health minister has announced.
- The UK government is pausing updates of the coronavirus death toll after ordering a review of how the data is calculated, after concerns were raised that the total may be exaggerated. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has called for an urgent review of the figures.
Updated
