Coronavirus Australia live news: Outbreaks across dozens of Victorian aged care homes as COVID-19 hits state's prisons - ABC News

More than 40 aged care homes in Victoria have reported cases of coronavirus, as concerns deepen for the vulnerable sector.

Meanwhile the virus has also hit the state's prisons, with six facilities in lockdown after a prison worker tested positive.

Stay up-to-date on the coronavirus outbreak

Follow today's events as they unfold.

Live updates

3mminutes ago

By Emily Sakzewski

The virus is spreading through Victoria's aged care homes

More than 40 aged care homes in Victoria have now reported infections. 

 
Yesterday infections at St Basil's Home for the Aged in Fawkner quadrupled from 13 to 51. 

 
Up to 42 cases have been linked to Estia Health in Ardeer, 31 to Glendale Aged Care at Werribee and 17 to Embracia Aged Care at Avondale Heights. 

 
As a result of these outbreaks, the Victorian Government is restricting access to aged care homes even further. 

 
From now on, carers will only be allowed on the premises for one hour a day and $1,500 is being offered to staff members if they need to quarantine.

12mminutes ago

By Emily Sakzewski

Six jails across Victoria are in lockdown after a prison officer tested positive for COVID-19

  

A guard at the Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne's west has tested positive for coronavirus, and as a precaution Corrections Victoria sent five other jails across the state into lockdown. 

 
Thousands of prisoners will be held in their cells for up to 23 hours a day while cleaning and contact tracing is conducted. 

 
It's the fourth incident inside Victoria's justice system in the last week. A staff member at Metropolitan Remand Centre, and detainee at the Parkville Youth Detention Centre both tested positive last week. The Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre has been in lockdown since Saturday after education coordinator tested positive. 

 
But the prison lockdowns have advocates concerned.

Legal advocates have been calling on the Victorian Government to release low-risk prisoners since the pandemic began. 

Monique Hurley from the Human Rights Law Centre says lockdowns are an inappropriate way to manage COVID-19 in jails. 

"Lockdown prisoners to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19 is inappropriate," she said.

"Locking people in their cells for hours and hours on during a pandemic is cruel and could even amount to solitary confinement which we know can inflict irreversible harm on people subjected to it."

17mminutes ago

By Emily Sakzewski

Josh Frydenberg on JobKeeper changes and unemployment rates

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg spoke to ABC News Breakfast a short time ago. He spoke about yesterday's announcement by the Government that JobKeeper and JobSeeker would be lowered, Australia's unemployment forecasts. Let's take a look at some of the key quotes from that interview.

The effective unemployment rate is around 11 per cent — how much higher will that climb?

 

Well, you got the official up employment rate which is 7.4 per cent and that number will climb and tomorrow we'll outline the economic and fiscal update which gives Treasury's best forecast where that unemployment rate will end up. At the same time the effective unemployment rate takes into effect those on zero hours and those who have left the workforce all together. That number, 11.3 per cent, that number I think will steadily come down over time. So what we're trying to do is get more people into a job, albeit a very difficult time to do so.

Is there scope to extend JobKeeper after March 2021?

Well, let's focus on the fact that the $1,500 flat payment will stay in plait until the end of September. What we have announced is those tiered payments in a transition phase over the course of a 6-month after that to the end of March. I don't have a crystal ball, Michael. I can't tell you where the jobs market will be at that time. What I do know is that the recovery will be gradual but we are seeing positive signs. The economic response and the economic recovery will very much depend on how effective states and territories and our health officials are in dealing with new outbreaks of cases.

The Prime Minister has described universities are 'large corporates'... should they be included in JobKeeper?

  

Well, they are not like a big bank or like a big resource company, but they have big balance sheets and I watched that interview the Prime Minister had with Leigh Sales and that's the point he was making. The vice chancellors have large salaries and they have reserves of cash and the government is providing additional support for them. Now every university will be different in terms of its own balance sheet, but everyone is taking a hit to their bottom line. Universities are no different to any other business big and small across the economy.

32mminutes ago

By Emily Sakzewski

Melbourne guard hired to work hotel quarantine says she got the job over WhatsApp

A Melbourne security guard hired to work in quarantine hotels says she did not receive adequate training.

 
In March, the Victorian Government contracted private security operators to guard hotel quarantine guests at the Stamford Plaza and Rydges on Swanston in Carlton.

 
An inquiry was launched last month after genomic sequencing linked Melbourne's most recent coronavirus outbreak to breaches in the quarantine system. 

 
Shayla Shakshi was hired to work as a guard at quarantine hotels in Melbourne. She's told the ABC about her experience. 

 
"I was hired on a WhatsApp group and was just told I need to be there at a certain time," she said.

 
"We didn't get any training. I was just told that I needed to put a mask on, put gloves on, and that's it."

41mminutes ago

By Emily Sakzewski

Welcome to Wednesday

  

Good morning everyone and welcome to the ABC News live blog. My name is Emily Sakzewski and I'll be bringing you the latest coronavirus updates.

  

Here's a quick look at the news this morning:

  

• Six Victorian jails have gone into lockdown after a worker at one Melbourne facility tested positive
• Face coverings will become mandatory across Victoria's coronavirus lockdown zone from midnight tonight
• More than 50 cases of coronavirus have been linked to one aged care home in the Melbourne's north
• NSW health officials are warning people in the Hunter region to be on high alert after a new case in Port Stephens
• Queensland Police say nearly 200 people are wanted for questioning after they weren't found at the address given for self-quarantine

As you can see, there's a lot to cover already. So wherever you're reading from, pop on the kettle or fire up the cofffee machine and let's dive in.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA3LTIyL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1saXZlLW5ld3MtY292aWQtMTktbGF0ZXN0LWFnZWQtY2FyZS8xMjQ3ODQ3MtIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjQ3ODQ3Mg?oc=5

2020-07-21 21:35:00Z
52780937562713

Bagikan Berita Ini