Coronavirus: What we know today, July 13
Follow this post for rolling updates on the impact of the coronavirus in South Australia, the nation and the world.
A familiar sight in locked-down Melbourne. Photo: AAP/Daniel Pockett
Refresh this page for updates – scroll down for links to official health information.
KEY POINTS
-
- NSW cases prompts SA rethink on July 20 border opening
- SA to start charging for quarantine
- Victoria records another 177 cases, more ADF personnel sent in
- Military on SA-Vic border, Adelaide hostel fined over quarantine breach
- Morrison Government begins second round of $750 payments
- More than 230,000 new global cases in 24 hours
SA set to reconsider NSW border opening
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has flagged a scheduled July 20 border opening with New South Wales may not go ahead following a coronavirus cluster outbreak in Sydney linked to a popular truckies’ stop.
It comes after New South Wales recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases as of 8pm on Sunday with four in hotel quarantine, two are NSW residents who caught the virus in Victoria, and eight linked to the Crossroads Hotel – a popular Hume Highway stop for freight drivers who transport essential supplies across the country.
Authorities later on Monday confirmed an additional seven cases had been reported up to midday – all linked to the Crossroads Hotel.
The Crossroads Hotel cluster is now linked to at least 20 COVID-19 cases.
Stevens described the situation as “very concerning” as the cluster could make its way to South Australia.
“One thing that we can just not stop is the movement of freight into and out of South Australia,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide this morning.
“We are aiming for the 20th of July (border opening with New South Wales) but we have also had the caveat that we won’t make any decisions that will put people at risk.”
SA to charge quarantine fee for returning overseas travellers
South Australia will start charging returning overseas travellers $3000 to cover some of the costs of their 14-day mandatory quarantine in SA hotels.
Premier Steven Marshall said this afternoon the charge would be introduced from Saturday morning, with the “first individual” charged $3000, their partner $1000 and children $500.
He said the state was still keen to help with the national repatriation program, but SA taxpayers “will not be footing the bill going forward”.
“The reality is that people have had plenty of time to get back to Australia,” he said.
No new SA cases
SA Health reported no new cases on Monday.
More than 174,500 tests have now been undertaken in South Australia, with no active cases across the state.
Military deployed on border amid quarantine breach
Efforts are escalating to protect South Australia from Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreaks, with the military deployed to the border and police enforcing a crackdown on quarantine breaches.
Members of the 16th Regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery, from the Woodside barracks in the Adelaide Hills, are stationed at Berri and Mt Gambier, working on border checkpoints from Sunday.
They will help police monitor people coming across the border, ensuring they have essential traveller status or other exemptions.
Meanwhile, an Adelaide backpackers hostel has been fined $5060 for failing to safely house four people who had recently travelled from Victoria.
The travellers, three men and a woman, were self-quarantining at the Waymouth Street hostel, but SA police officers expressed concern about their ability to physically distance or eat away from others.
SA Health moved the four travellers to a hotel on North Terrace to complete their quarantine.
The group have been tested for the virus but the results are not yet known.
Victoria records another 177 cases
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed on Monday one of the new cases is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, 25 are connected to known outbreaks and 151 remain under investigation.
Victoria now has 1612 active cases, with 72 people in hospital and 17 of those in intensive care.
Andrews said the virus had taken the lives of otherwise healthy people of all age groups.
“The notion this is simply something that will be tragic if you’re very ill already and very old, that is simply not right,” he said.
“This can have catastrophic outcomes, tragic outcomes for people who are otherwise healthy and people in any age group.”
The new figure comes after the state experienced days of case numbers exceeding 200.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he had a “small bit of optimism” looking at Monday’s numbers but he would like to see a week of decreasing case numbers.
“I’m not going to be complacent about today’s number. It’s great it’s lower than our peak. But it may not be our peak yet,” he said.
Sydney pub linked to growing cluster
More than 20 COVID-19 cases have been linked to a Sydney pub outbreak while several other venues across the state have been put on alert after being potentially exposed to the virus.
NSW Health Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Monday 10 coronavirus cases were now directly linked to the Crossroads Hotel in southwest Sydney while 11 cases were indirectly connected.
NSW recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases as of 8pm on Sunday with four in hotel quarantine, two are NSW residents who caught the virus in Victoria, and eight linked to the Crossroads Hotel outbreak.
Chant later on Monday confirmed an additional seven cases had been reported up to midday – all linked to the Crossroads Hotel.
“You can see how rapidly COVID can spread if we do not respond promptly,” she told reporters in Sydney.
One of the seven latest cases tested positive after visiting The Star casino in Sydney on July 4.
All patrons of the Casula pub, who entered from July 3 to 10, must self-isolate and are being urged to get tested as a precaution.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the infection at the pub with further test results expected this week.
While Chant said it was premature to confirm how the outbreak started, she noted it could have been introduced through a Victorian contact.
1000 more troops for Victoria checks
A further 1000 Australian Defence Force personnel will be sent to Victoria in a bid to help Melbourne control its coronavirus outbreak.
The reinforcements are on top of 350 troops already working across the state to help ring fence Melbourne during the city’s second lockdown and boost testing efforts.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the reinforcements would work on isolation, testing and checkpoint control.
“This is to protect Victorians, to help contain the virus,” he told reporters on Monday.
Second round of income support
Australians on lower incomes will start receiving their second $750 economic support payment this week.
The payment will be made to around five million Australians at a cost of $3.8 billion as part of the Morrison government’s support measures in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there were no plans for a third round of payments.
“This cash payment is part of a comprehensive suite of measures we have announced,” he told ABC on Monday morning.
He said the next phase of income support for beyond September would be announced next week.
The first $750 payment was delivered in March and April.
The payments go to social security, veteran and other income support recipients and eligible concession card holders.
Record daily number of global cases
The World Health Organisation has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 230,370 in 24 hours.
The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report on Sunday.
The previous WHO record for new cases was 228,102 on July 10.
Deaths remained steady at about 5000 a day.
Global coronavirus cases were approaching 13 million on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 565,000 people in seven months
OFFICIAL SOURCES OF ADVICE AND INFORMATION
Local updates and resources
State Government central information
Mental health support line (8am to 8pm): 1800 632 753.
National advice and information
Australian Government Coronavirus information hotline: 1800 020 080
Government information via WhatsApp: click here
Travel
Australian Government travel advice: smartraveller.gov.au
Check your symptoms
Free, government-funded, health advice: healthdirect.gov.au
– Reporting by InDaily staff, AAP and Reuters
