Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Melburnian1]

In a hotel room now for 5.5 days. In some countries, such as Singapore, you can't leave the hotel room - not for fresh air, not for exercise. Yet, I've still managed to do 10,000 steps a day (takes a bit of effort, and a good set of headphones). Mind you, not caring that much for getting some fresh air, the aircon in the room is much more pleasant and "fresher" than the dank humid air outside (and much cooler)

Are you in Singapore dajop?

 

[dajop]

Are you in Singapore dajop?

Yep. They let me out of Melbourne

 

[Pushka]

Yep. They let me out of Melbourne

I remember at the time your thoughts about coming over to Australia. Are you happy that you did in the end?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I read somewhere that the guards had become spooked by someone who was threatening to commit suicide so they started letting people out. Unforgivable of course.

Not just threatening to...

When asked if there had been any changes in policy or attitudes after the suicide in hotel quarantine, Mr Andrews said the concerns raised by the nurse "probably speaks to at least that person's view ... a tone or atmosphere very much on the ground", rather than policy decisions.

"We did have a tragedy ... someone did take their own life in that program. That much is true," he said.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

How can anyone 'debunk' it?

It's been admitted that those who went were one of the sources of transmission for this virus.

(Note I do not endorse public rallies if there is active community transmission at the time of the rally in that region)

Do you mean in that transmission occurred at the BLM rally? If so can you post a link to this please as this contradicts what I have read.

Unfortunately The Australian was the source of misinformation on the rally, and that misinformation was then repeated by many.

As it stands I am only aware of several people who attended the BLM Melbourne rally on 6 June who tested positive but who were all deemed to have caught it prior and who were all deemed to not be infectious at the time of the march.

There are some post rally links listed below on the Melbourne BLM rally and discussion of any possible transmission from it. This also discusses the misinformation on a transmission link with the Public Housing apartment Towers.

1 July
QUESTION:

Of the cases that have come out of Victoria over the past week, do you have an indication if any of those cases were linked to the protest? Whether they were [indistinct] the protest, or whether people who went to the protest tested positive? And do you know how people— you're finding out whether people were at the protest, whether they're asked if they, after they were— after they test positive, when they're being tested, what's the— is there a protocol around that?

PROFESSOR PAUL KELLY:

So, there is no evidence that there was— has been any spread from the Black Lives Matter protest. That doesn't preclude the important message: this is not a time to be having mass protests, particularly in Melbourne. The risk of— the fact that we haven't found any more cases from those protests doesn't prove that the protests are safe. And just to be clear, it's not just protests, it's any mass gathering. And so there are very clear and strong restrictions on mass gatherings that are part of this process that's being worked through for those hotspots.

Acting Chief Medical Officer interview on 1 July 2020 about COVID-19

Read the transcript of Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly's press conference on 1 July 2020 about coronavirus (COVID-19).

www.health.gov.au

16 July

Can the Black Lives Matter protests in Melbourne be blamed for the current outbreak?

The Black Lives Matter protests have been increasingly blamed on social media for the most recent COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, despite the state’s health officials saying otherwise. We ask an expert what the dangers are when misinformation spreads online.

www.sbs.com.au

23 July update

Mick Fuller has linked the Black Lives Matter protests with Melbourne's COVID-19 increase. What are the facts?

In this issue of CoronaCheck, Fact Check revisits the issue of "links" between the Black Lives Matter protests and Melbourne's coronavirus increase. Plus, Andrew Bolt's column on masks is based on outdated advice.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Not just threatening to...

When asked if there had been any changes in policy or attitudes after the suicide in hotel quarantine, Mr Andrews said the concerns raised by the nurse "probably speaks to at least that person's view ... a tone or atmosphere very much on the ground", rather than policy decisions.

"We did have a tragedy ... someone did take their own life in that program. That much is true," he said.

An article about the various personal health issues that can arise in quarantine.....there is a reference to the suicide on 11 April.

Woman who suffered miscarriage in COVID-19 quarantine forced to return to hotel

A woman who suffered a miscarriage in mandatory COVID-19 quarantine was forced to stay in a hotel room for five days after the traumatic event because the Victorian Health Department failed to act on an order to release her.

www.abc.net.au

edit: to add link to article on the matter

Calls for mental health checks on quarantined travellers after man’s death

There are fears for the mental health of people in mandatory coronavirus quarantine following a man’s sudden death.

7news.com.au

 

[dajop]

I remember at the time your thoughts about coming over to Australia. Are you happy that you did in the end?

Definitely. Had some good time with family (in between lockdowns, thankfully we were in regional Vic, as is most of the extended family), as well as great time on the coast, and actually even appreciated my first almost full winter since 2008 (visits in winter for a week or two, whether Vic or whether -15 in Beijing, don't count)!

Going to give it a couple of months to see where things end up with travel restrictions, but will probably try and find a path back permanently. Our mothers are not getting any younger, and spending 4 weeks in a hotel every time we want to visit is not sustainable long term. Although with all the stories out there about people not being able to travel to visit loved ones, thankful that we could. Ironically, now it would probably be more difficult to visit if we lived interstate than overseas.

 

[Melburnian1]

Yep. They let me out of Melbourne

dajop, remind me. Do you have to quarantine for two weeks in Singapore at your own expense in an hotel, or can you do so in lodging of your own choice such as a home or a hotel (with appropriate contact details given to health authorities)?

 

[dajop]

dajop, remind me. Do you have to quarantine for two weeks in Singapore at your own expense in an hotel, or can you do so in lodging of your own choice such as a home or a hotel (with appropriate contact details given to health authorities)?

Those who've spent any time in Victoria in the last 14 days need to serve out their "Stay at Home Notice" (quarantine) in a hotel of the government's choosing. Those who've travelled from other parts of Australia + other low risk countries (China, Macau, Brunei, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam) can serve out their 14 day SHN at home. As we left SG after 26 March (we left on 27 March) we need to pay, but luckily my employer was generous enough to pay for it, without asking. Cost is $2600 for the two of us in one room ($2000 for one person).

Earlier I gave updates on the government checks on us - it has settled into 3 x daily SMS requiring us to report our location by clicking a link + 2xdaily video calls to verify our location. Also, in 5 days we had two door knocks from officials to check on us (asking if we had any symptoms).

 

[Melburnian1]

..Earlier I gave updates on the government checks on us - it has settled into 3 x daily SMS requiring us to report our location by clicking a link + 2xdaily video calls to verify our location. Also, in 5 days we had two door knocks from officials to check on us (asking if we had any symptoms).

In device-crazy Asia it may be viewed as unfathomable, but what about people who travel without (or lack generally) a mobile phone? How does officialdom (who may not be in the hotel, or at their home always) undertake location checks on them?

 

[dajop]

In device-crazy Asia it may be viewed as unfathomable, but what about people who travel without (or lack generally) a mobile phone? How does officialdom (who may not be in the hotel, or at their home always) undertake location checks on them?

Probably a lot more doorknocks I presume. Either that or the give them a loaner device.

 

[Black Duck]

In a hotel room now for 5.5 days. In some countries, such as Singapore, you can't leave the hotel room - not for fresh air, not for exercise. Yet, I've still managed to do 10,000 steps a day (takes a bit of effort, and a good set of headphones). Mind you, not caring that much for getting some fresh air, the aircon in the room is much more pleasant and "fresher" than the dank humid air outside (and much cooler)

Dajop, when you do get out in the air be extra careful of the mozzies. Apparently this has been a bumper season for dengue as with the lockdowns the cleaning of drains etc has been hampered.

My brother and his wife both got dengue a few weeks ago and both ended up in hospital for a week.

 

[dajop]

Dajop, when you do get out in the air be extra careful of the mozzies. Apparently this has been a bumper season for dengue as with the lockdowns the cleaning of drains etc has been hampered.

Thanks, yes, seems there have been 31 cases in my condo complex. There have been 20 deaths from Dengue this year (compared to 27 from COVID-19), so pretty serious.

 

[RooFlyer]

If? Go back and re-read. When they first posted I did exactly that.

Sorry, I have no idea who 'they' are and I think life is too short to trawl through the thread to find out where and who you are referring to. Following is your whole message that I was responding to (in this discussion), and quoted, to give my reply context.

Ok. 3PM in Melbourne and in past times peak hour would be well underway and the roads very full.

The live cameras show that the roads have an extraordinarily low amount of traffic on them for this time of day:

Live Cameras Victoria Australia

No one, and I repeat no-one reposts continually each and every time the original post.

I agree - but they should, if they then take umbrage at someone replying to a message which did not have the prior context. As I said - the point is no biggie for me ... and I think pretty boring to others. So g'night on this one.

 

[jakeseven7]

Dajop, when you do get out in the air be extra careful of the mozzies. Apparently this has been a bumper season for dengue as with the lockdowns the cleaning of drains etc has been hampered.

My brother and his wife both got dengue a few weeks ago and both ended up in hospital for a week.

Yup our Singapore office has been smashed with dengue this year too - really really bad. Singapore can’t win this year! We have people in hospital too.

Anyway more Sydney spread this AM in AU, just saw news, big pokie clubs hit.

 

[jakeseven7]

Berejiklian government keeps Ruby Princess passengers waiting after damning findings against NSW Health

The Berejiklian government is forcing the victims of the Ruby Princess coronavirus outbreak to wait days for an acknowledgment NSW Health is responsible for inexcusable mistakes that sparked a public health emergency.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard would not comment on Saturday on the damning findings of an inquiry into the Ruby Princess debacle, which laid considerable blame at NSW Health for assessing the ship as "low risk" and allowing 2647 passengers to disperse into the community across Australia without further screening.

Berejiklian government keeps Ruby Princess passengers waiting after damning findings

The Berejiklian government is maintaining radio silence on the report into the Ruby Princess debacle until next week, despite the report finding "serious mistakes" in NSW Health's response.

www.theage.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

VicGovDHHS
@VicGovDHHS
#Covid19VicData for 16 August 2020. 279 new cases of #coronavirus (#COVID19) detected in Victoria in the last 24 hours.

We are sad to report there have been 16 deaths. More detail will be provided this afternoon.

 

[Pushka]

VicGovDHHS
@VicGovDHHS
#Covid19VicData for 16 August 2020. 279 new cases of #coronavirus (#COVID19) detected in Victoria in the last 24 hours.

We are sad to report there have been 16 deaths. More detail will be provided this afternoon.

Sadly those deaths are going to continue for at least another four weeks given the aged care involvement. If there is any bright light its that the trend is definitely down. Lets keep that going.

 

[jakeseven7]

5 more cases in NSW.

Also revealed that one of the NSW south coast clusters was seeded by a infected person travelling from Sydney (who knew they were infected) and they had a nice lunch out with a group of people.....

Wonder if they will be named and shamed on the front page of the newspaper like the Queenslanders?

 

[Pushka]

5 more cases in NSW.

Also revealed that one of the NSW south coast clusters was seeded by a infected person travelling from Sydney (who knew they were infected) and they had a nice lunch out with a group of people.....

Wonder if they will be named and shamed on the front page of the newspaper like the Queenslanders?

Well, at least their friendship group just disintegrated and hopefully shamed in social media if not the public one.