Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

Spotless laundry shut down due to coronavirus after company tried to force staff to work

Key points:

• Spotless laundry in Dandenong was closed by health authorities yesterday due to an outbreak of coronavirus
• The company had tried to force staff back to work earlier in the week through the Fair Work Commission after some decided it was safer to stay home
• The case was dropped by the company yesterday and all staff have since been identified by the Government as close contacts

Business shut down due to COVID-19 after trying to force staff to work

A laundry company that tried to force its staff to come back to work after an outbreak of coronavirus has its business shut down by health authorities, with all staff working at the business for the past month ordered to self-isolate and be tested for coronavirus.

www.abc.net.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Sorry that implication is not enough....especially when the focus is on multiple tests on one person.

This is from today’s report and typical of all NSW health daily reports (my bold)

There were 25,318 tests reported in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 27,147 in the previous 24 hours.

Cases	Count
Confirmed cases (including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities)	3,567​
Deaths (in NSW from confirmed cases)	51​
Total tests carried out	1,462,155​

The link I posted seems to indicate to me that the test is carried out and counted not when the sampling (swabbing) is performed, but when the PCR is actually done and the positive/negative result is achieved.

The multiple test reference is not relevant as to whether the tests are counted by when swabbing is done or by PCR tests are done. A person in hotel quarantine may for example be swabbed early in their quarantine, and then later. Two PCR test will be performed. One for each sample.


The extract from the NSW website (see below) states: A person has a COVID-19 test and the sample is sent to the lab to be tested.

• The implication of this to me is that the test that is counted is what occurs in the lab (the PCR test) and a positive/negative result achieved and not the sample.

Example: COVID-19 positive result
A person has a COVID-19 test and the sample is sent to the lab to be tested. It’s a negative result – this is counted as one test.

The next month, the person is tested again. It is a positive result – this test is also counted.

The person has three more COVID-19 tests as part of their clinical management – these tests are not counted.

A total of two tests are counted.


Someone may have a definition of the sample being the test. If so I have not seen this as yet. The references I have seen refer to the process that achieves the result. Note that with some antibody testing that the sampling and test analysis is all done in the one unit/device and the result is may be achieved almost straight away.

 

[jakeseven7]

ACT next to shut out Sydney?

-----

Canberrans 'strongly advised' to avoid Sydney

The ACT government is now "strongly advising" its residents to avoid both Victoria and Greater Sydney.

"With the situation evolving quickly in other jurisdictions, we are updating our travel advice," it said in a statement.

"In addition to the advice on Victoria, we are now also updating our travel advice for Greater Sydney. ACT residents are strongly advised not to travel to Greater Sydney at this time. Travel to Greater Sydney should only be done for absolutely essential reasons.

"We do not issue this advice lightly, but it is a recognition of the fact that the risk to Canberrans of contracting COVID-19 in Greater Sydney, and potentially bringing it back to the ACT with them, is currently higher than we would like."

Coronavirus: Live updates from NSW

A woman who left quarantine to get a visa, three men who went to work and a local pub owner who claimed not to speak English are among the latest to cop police fines for breaching public health orders.

www.news.com.au

 

[Pushka]

So it seems thankfully - maybe, that the man infected today in Qld wasn’t related or known to the three women but was in a restaurant at the same time but at a nearby table. And that man is a contact of the person in the Nursing Home. That’s worrying given that social distancing in restaurants should have prevented that.

 

[jakeseven7]

So it seems thankfully - maybe, that the man infected today in Qld wasn’t related or known to the three women but was in a restaurant at the same time but at a nearby table. And that man is a contact of the person in the Nursing Home. That’s worrying given that social distancing in restaurants should have prevented that.

Should have yes - but seriously does anyone think that is happening up here? There is barely any social distancing up here in restaurants at all.

Hopefully that changes quick smart with community spread now in Brisbane but again, we are looking a week in the past, the damage may already be done.

 

[andye]

I still think social distancing is a statistical way of reducing transmission and in no way a guarantee.
Misunderstanding this is one of the reasons people don't properly self-isolate as they feel distancing +/- mask is safe

 

[NM]

And then there’s the question about the handbags. Victoria Police may be interested in following that up.

And if Vic Police took the details of the 30 or so guests at the AirBnB party when they attended and fined the "hosts", then they may have some more leads to follow up in that investigation.

 

[Princess Fiona]

An article this morning was pushing the virtues of the NSW Health tracking team doing a wonderful job. At first I was thinking along those lines.

But once it mentioned some numbers...

NSW Health Tracking team = 300 people at work over the last 7 days.

Total number of people to be contacted = 4,985

So roughly 17 people each member of the team had to contact over their working week (say 5 days), so only 3 or 4 a day. Sure some would have taken multiple attempts but if you ring a number and it does not answer that takes up no more than 2 minutes max (waiting for 90 second auto-disconnection). The initial interview for a +ve contact has been reported as between 15 to 45 minutes and has been coming down as the weeks have progressed as more people are getting prepared for the interview before they're contacted.

Does anybody else think that perhaps the NSW contact tracing team have been under-utilised somewhat?

Perhaps they could have been used to help out with making calls in Victoria! After all they are currently trying to contact up to 14,000 people a day!!!

Haven’t read the article but I can assure you that contract tracers in NSW Health have been working for Victoria for weeks.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

And if Vic Police took the details of the 30 or so guests at the AirBnB party when they attended and fined the "hosts", then they may have some more leads to follow up in that investigation.

Vic Police won’t be following up potential health risks.....So hopefully any leads they have are passed to Vic health

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Today's Vic DHHS report:

My bolding

Media release
31 July 2020

Victoria has recorded 627 new cases of coronavirus since yesterday, with the total number of cases now at 10,577.

The overall total has increased by 579 due to 48 cases being reclassified – largely due to duplication.

Within Victoria, 77 of the new cases are linked to outbreaks or complex cases and 550 are under investigation.

There have been eight new deaths from COVID-19 reported since yesterday. They were two men in their 50s, two men in their 70s, one woman in her 70s and three men in their 80s. Four of the eight deaths are linked to known outbreaks in aged care facilities. To date, 113 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.

1. In Victoria at the current time:
2. 1792 cases may indicate community transmission
3. 5743 cases are currently active in Victoria
4. 349 cases of coronavirus are in hospital, including 36 in intensive care
5. 4479 people have recovered from the virus
6. Of the total cases, 9754 cases are from metropolitan Melbourne, while 595 are from regional Victoria
7. Total cases include 5201 men and 5195 women
8. More than 1,608,400 tests have been processed
9. Total number of healthcare workers: 1030, active cases: 614
10. There are 928 active cases relating to outbreaks across aged care facilities

Cases currently linked to public housing in North Melbourne, Flemington and Carlton are as follows:

• 311 cases are residents of various public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington. Investigations are continuing into how these cases are linked.
• 66 cases are residents of various public housing towers in Carlton. Investigations are continuing into if and/or how these cases are linked.

Active aged care outbreaks with the highest coughulative case numbers are as follows:

• 124 cases have been linked to St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner
• 115 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping
• 104 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer
• 87 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth
• 82 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg
• 63 cases have been linked to Menarock Life Aged Care Facility in Essendon
• 58 cases have been linked to Glendale Aged Care Facility in Werribee
• 55 cases have been linked to Outlook Gardens Aged Care Facility in Dandenong North
• 52 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge in Werribee
• 45 cases have been linked to Arcare Aged Care Facility in Craigieburn

New cases in other aged care facilities include: a single case in a staff member at Homestyle Aged Care in Point Cook; a single case in a staff member at Bupa Aged Care in Templestowe; a single case in a staff member at Royal Freemasons Bendigo; a single case in a staff member at coughberland Manor in Sunshine North; a single case in a staff member at Gary Smorgon House in Caulfield; and a single case in a resident in Florence Aged Care Facility in St Albans.


Cases currently linked to key outbreaks are as follows:

• 184 cases have been linked to Al-Taqwa College
• 134 cases have been linked to Bertocchi Smallgoods in Thomastown
• 84 cases have been linked to JBS in Brooklyn
• 68 cases have been linked to Australian Lamb Company in Colac
• 37 cases have been linked to Melbourne Health Royal Park Campus
• 31 cases have been linked to Woolworths Distribution Centre Mulgrave
• 13 cases have been linked to Golden Farms Poultry in Breakwater
• 13 cases have been linked to Diamond Valley Pork in Laverton North
• 12 cases have been linked to Dowell Windows in Bayswater
• 11 cases have been linked to the My Moovers call centre in Docklands
• 6 cases have been linked to the Centrelink office in Epping.
• 6 cases have been linked to Capral Aluminium in Campbellfield
• 5 cases have been linked to Victoria Police sites at Docklands

As investigations are undertaken throughout the day, these outbreak totals are likely to change as the public health team identify links between cases and identified outbreaks. Organisation based outbreaks totals include contacts as well as employees/residents/staff/students of that location/business.
Last week, we announced that face coverings would be mandatory in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. Yesterday, we announced that same requirement will apply across regional Victoria.

That means from Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm, a face covering will be mandatory whenever you leave home – wherever you live.

As Eid al-Adha has commenced, it is important that we remind Victorians to stay safe and protect their family and community.
We understand this is a sacrifice for Victorian Muslims, but while we may be physically apart, we can be spiritually connected.

It is important that every Victorian takes this virus seriously and that we all do the right thing.

 

[SydneySwan]

Should have yes - but seriously does anyone think that is happening up here? There is barely any social distancing up here in restaurants at all.

Hopefully that changes quick smart with community spread now in Brisbane but again, we are looking a week in the past, the damage may already be done.

4 evening meals in restaurants in Queensland recently;
Kirra Beach 23/07 - excellent social distancing
Noosa 24/07 and 25/07 - no social distancing
Brisbane 26/07 - excellent social distancing.

We stayed in the Grand Chancellor in Brisbane on 26/07 and had breakfast in the hotel on 27/07. The breakfast area and the hotel generally was an excellent example of implementing social distancing protocols.

We are back in Sydney now.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

New Cases today outside of Melb GMMA + Mitchell

Greater Geelong 15
Colac Otway 4
Greater Bendigo 2
Macedon Ranges 5
Ballarta 1
Greater Shepparton 1
Bass Coast 1
Mount Alexander 1
Loddon 1


Greater Geelong quite possibly needs stricter measures now, though it has had some extra restrictions added recently.


GREATER GEELONG
VIC DAILY CASES LGA
Daily Cases by Local Government Area

DATE	HOT	CASES	DEL	NET	ACTIVE	DEL2	NET2
31 Jul		149		15	73		14
30 Jul		134		14	59		15
29 Jul		120		9	44		9
28 Jul		111		4	35		4
27 Jul		107		1	31		0
26 Jul		106		2	31		2
25 Jul		104		1	29		0
24 Jul		103		6	29		6
23 Jul		97		6	23		5
22 Jul		91		1	18		0
21 Jul		90		6	18		5
20 Jul		84		2	13		2
19 Jul		82		5	11		5
18 Jul		77		0	6		-2
17 Jul		77		1	8		1
16 Jul		76		0	7		0
15 Jul		76		1	7		1
14 Jul		75		1	6		1
13 Jul		74		1	5		0
12 Jul		73		0	5		0
11 Jul		73		0	5		0

 

[Lynda2475]

This is concerning, the SMH reports:

* an emergency doctor, aged in his 30s, who is believed to have caught the virus while working in a Northern Health COVID-19 screening clinic is now in ICU as a patient;
* a GP is in his 30s, contracted the virus at a screening clinic and has been intubated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
* a 53-year-old personal care worker from St Basils in Fawkner is in the ICU at the Austin Hospital

 

[tgh]

Our aged care facility ( Brisvegas east ) just extended their lockdown to two weeks...

 

[drron]

There are restaurants strictly following distancing up here in QLD.In fact at lunch today(Rick's Garage at Palmwoods was the best policed Covid policing I have seen including any restaurant in Tassie I visited.Entrance chained off.Only let in when signing the register and using hand sanitiser was witnessed and when a table was ready.And inside when a fellow came up to the bar and stood right behind me he was quickly told to move back.
Also happens at the Vietnamese restaurant in Maroochydore that we go to.

Now I note the murdoch press being called racist for having a picture of thye 2 positive girls leading their stories.but surprise,surprise so di Aunty.But they had a bit more information.Apparently they had destroyed the phones that they used in Melbourne.

Police examine whether COVID-19 women destroyed phones under instruction from crime syndicate

Queensland police investigate whether young women at the centre of the state's latest coronavirus controversy were coached by an organised crime syndicate to cover their tracks at the border.

www.abc.net.au

 

[RAM]

It was stated to be over two day.....so less than 1 in 4......more like 1 in 8

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on ADF door knocks
Premier Daniel Andrews said more than 130 people who have tested positive to coronavirus were not at home over the past two days.

"Those matters have been referred to Victoria Police, that will be a matter for them," Mr Andrews said.

It was mentioned that the ADF teams visited over 500 dwellings (places where the phone went unanswered 2x over 2 hours I think it was) and out of those places visited 130+ were not at home = approx 1 in 4.

It was not about all who had tested positive just those who tested +ve & did not answer their phones - which given the high incidence of only having a mobile & no landline is quite startling.

 

[RAM]

Surely this should be withdrawn now it’s publicly known and the Minister sacked.

I mean how stupid

Edit....that’s one way to keep it to nil community transmission.(according to scientific definition)....we still know the source.....sigh

Never get between a politician & potential votes....

 

[jakeseven7]

TOP STORIES: COVID-19 case recorded in Orange, NSW

A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at a university 250km from Sydney, after NSW recorded its highest single-day rise in coronavirus infections since mid-April.

This afternoon, the Western NSW Local Health District confirmed a case of COVID-19 in Orange, linked to a cluster 250 kilometres away in Sydney.

Charles Sturt University has confirmed the case is linked to its campus in Orange.

“The University will not release the name or details of any staff or students who test positive for COVID-19, as per the Health Privacy Act,” a CSU spokesman told news.com.au.

Coronavirus: Live updates from NSW

A woman who left quarantine to get a visa, three men who went to work and a local pub owner who claimed not to speak English are among the latest to cop police fines for breaching public health orders.

www.news.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

This is concerning, the SMH reports:

* an emergency doctor, aged in his 30s, who is believed to have caught the virus while working in a Northern Health COVID-19 screening clinic is now in ICU as a patient;
* a GP is in his 30s, contracted the virus at a screening clinic and has been intubated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Definitely concerning.

I tend to follow these stories closely as a I have a daughter who treats Covid 19 patients. So I will just point out that it is not yet known when /where the infection occurred. It may or may not have been in the workplace. There is no source yet nominated indicting that it was in the workplace.

To date most healthcare workers in Vic in the second wave have contracted Covid 19 from outside the workplace. Sometimes they have then infected other colleagues.

'Deeply distressing': Doctors, radiographer among COVID-19 patients fighting for life

At least three Victorian healthcare workers, including a young trainee doctor, are in intensive care after contracting coronavirus, fuelling concerns for the safety of frontline medical teams.

www.theage.com.au

 

[jakeseven7]

BREAKING: Exclusive Sydney club closed due to positive COVID-19 staff member

The Australian Club, a private gentleman's club on Macquarie Street in Sydney's CBD, has closed its doors after a staff member tested positive to COVID-19.

In a statement, the club said it had "decided to act with an abundance of caution" and would close until Tuesday for a deep clean.

As it happened: Victoria records 627 new COVID-19 cases, eight deaths as aged care crisis continues; QLD border to close to Greater Sydney as Australian death toll jumps to 196

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge Australia and the world.

www.smh.com.au