Summary
- The global death toll from coronavirus is more than 257,000 people. There have been 3.68 million confirmed cases and almost 1.2 million people have recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally
- The Australian death toll stands at 97 after another death at Newmarch House in Sydney's west on Tuesday. There have been higher new case numbers recorded in NSW (nine) and Victoria (17) this morning. A Melbourne abattoir is now linked to 49 of Victoria's active cases
- Recovered coronavirus patients will be asked to donate plasma to scientists who may have found a treatment for extreme virus cases, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced
- The ongoing Ruby Princess inquiry has heard the ship was rushed back to Sydney early to urgently test swabs from ill patients
- The COVIDSafe app has been downloaded by 5.1 million Australians in 10 days. This is the fastest an Australian smartphone app has reached 5 million downloads, according to Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly
Pictured: Bourke Street Mall sees increase in foot traffic
After six weeks of social and business restriction, Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne is seeing increased foot traffic.
Take a look at some photos captured by Age photographer Chris Hopkins today.
Foot traffic in Bourke Street Mall was higher on Wednesday than in the previous four weeks. Credit:Chris Hopkins
Pedestrians outside the Target store on Wednesday.Credit:Chris Hopkins
Mask-free Trump tours mask factory as Live and Let Die plays
As President Donald Trump toured an N95 mask manufacturing plant in Phoenix on Tuesday, his visit was accompanied by a head-scratching musical soundtrack: the Paul McCartney-penned Live and Let Die, as performed by Guns 'N Roses.
The president and his entourage were touring a Honeywell factory that produces the masks, worn by medical workers to protect them from breathing in the deadly COVID-19 virus.
President Donald Trump watches masks being made as he participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant.Credit:AP
Standing next to a green bin filled with hundreds of masks, a notably bare-faced Trump watched an employee work as the music segued from the Animals' House of the Rising Sun into the song McCartney wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name.
In a tweet, Jimmy Kimmel noted: "I can think of no better metaphor for this presidency than Donald Trump not wearing a face mask to a face mask factory while the song 'Live and Let Die' blares in the background."
Cedar Meats preventative measures 'not sufficient'
The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union says Cedar Meats, the site of a coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne’s west, had preventative measures in place but they were “not sufficient”.
So far 49 cases are linked to the Brooklyn abattoir.
“The company had in place employee temperature devices, hand sanitation and other preventative measures. The outbreak shows that this is not sufficient,” an AMIEU statement read.
“The AMIEU is willing to work with Cedar Meats to reach agreement on the necessary controls including physical distancing, appropriate barriers where practicable, work processes, personal protective equipment and vaccinations if and when they become available.”
AMIEU also sought to quell fears that meat factories in Australia could be hit hard like they have been in the USA and Canada.
“There are, however, significant differences between the processes in the USA and many workplaces in Australia,” the statement read. “One major difference is that the AMIEU has fought for many years for physical distancing between workers.
“This not only necessary for infection control, but also reduces the risk of lacerations. The AMIEU also fought for workers' health and safety representatives who have rights and powers to make employers meet their obligations to provide work that is safe and without risk to the workers.”
Gatherings of up to 10 could be next on agenda
Earlier tonight, Seven News reported that the national cabinet is set to allow gatherings of up to 10 people in the family home after its meeting on Friday.
The regulations could be eased as early as Mother's Day.
Please Explain podcast: the Ruby Princess blame game
For the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, Please Explain is coming to you five days a week.
In today's episode, national editor Tory Maguire is joined by health reporter Rachel Clun to discuss the inquiry into the docking of the Ruby Princess cruise ship. The infection on the vessel is responsible for 650 cases of COVID-19 in passengers and 21 deaths so far.
Morrison admits there was 'some confusion' around schools policy amid COVID-19
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just wrapped up a Q&A on news.com.au.
Here are some summary points:
- We will see changes on Friday, but they will happen gradually from there. The PM said: "They're not all going to happen at once. I don't want to prejudge any of those decisions that the Premiers will make on Friday."
- The PM admitted there had been some confusions around schools, after he was asked why kids can return to school but can't have a birthday party.
- He also acknowledged that online learning was not the best for children's education.
- On why playgrounds have not been reopened yet: "It's also a place where parents congregate...and that wasn't seen as safe, particularly early on."
- The PM said there would obviously be COVID-19 cases in a number of workplaces once we return to work.
- The PM said his own kids would be going back to school five days a week from Monday.
- Until there is a vaccine, it will not be possible for things to go back to 100% normality.
- The PM also said there was a real concern that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson would die from COVID-19, but says he is now full of beans.
- Politicians will return to usual parliamentary sittings next week.
Australia lacks vaccine-making capacity, Defence report warns
By Liam Mannix
Australia lacks the facilities and know-how to make its own pandemic vaccines, a report to government has warned, raising fears we may have to wait years for another country to supply us with a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr Craig Rayner, the lead author of a report prepared for the Defence Department three years ago, said it should have been a wake-up call for Australia to boost its vaccine and drug development infrastructure before a pandemic broke out.
CSL grows the influenza virus in chicken eggs before using it to produce flu vaccine.
Dr Rayner’s report, commissioned by the Department of Defence’s Science and Technology agency, analysed Australia’s ability to develop "medical countermeasures" – vaccines and drugs – for threats including pandemics, radiation and chemical and bioweapons.
The report noted Australia had "limited" manufacturing facilities and an insufficient number of experts who could take a drug from discovery through to a finished product, and lacked national, co-ordinated leadership to turn good science into products.
Read more here.
Pictured: Quiet streets of Sydney
As we head into our evening coverage, take a look at some amazing photos of Sydney filed by Herald photographer James Brickwood at dusk amid COVID-19.
Sydney CBD via the Cahill Expressway. Credit:James Brickwood
The Australian Hotel in The Rocks at dusk.Credit:James Brickwood
Sydney at dusk on Tuesday. Credit:James Brickwood
Wary retailers track job losses as coronavirus spending slips
By Dominic Powell
The country's largest retailers have pinned a retail recovery on getting Australians back into jobs and keeping unemployment low, with some warning the sector may otherwise face extended weak consumer spending and downbeat shopper confidence.
While chief executives are split on whether customers will be willing to spend in the coming months, all agreed getting people back to work was essential but said full "normality" would unlikely be achieved until a vaccine is discovered.
Retailers are keeping a close eye on unemployment figures as the initial spike in spending that occurred amid the coronavirus wanes.Credit:Paul Rovere
"We've come from an age of opulence to an age of frugality and austerity," Don Meij, chief executive of $5 billion fast-food giant Domino's, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.
The self-described optimist said it is likely consumers will be cautious and less disposed to spending for another six to 12 months as a vaccine is developed, an outlook which may significantly stymie Australia's post-coronavirus economic recovery.
Read more here.
Commonwealth Bank to temporarily close 114 branches
By Clancy Yeates
Commonwealth Bank will temporarily close 114 branches, about 12 per cent of its network, from Thursday, as the industry responds to a plunge in the number of people doing their banking in person.
As a result of the economic shock inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, banks have been swamped by inquiries from customers seeking to have their payments deferred in recent months, at the same time as foot traffic at branches has fallen sharply due to social distancing rules.
Commonwealth Bank will re-deploy 500 branch staff to call centres and online operations.Credit:Dean Lewins
Following similar closures from rivals, CBA on Wednesday confirmed it would redeploy about 500 of its branch staff to work in call centres or online operations and temporarily close branches around the country.
"Since the pandemic was declared in early March, we have received more than one million calls and online requests for help. In particular, calls to our hardship line have increased by 800 per cent compared to the period before the pandemic," a bank spokesman said.
Read more here.
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2020-05-06 11:13:00Z
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