Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

The other pleasing news with today's results (6 adjusted to 4 cases to the total) is that is from the highest number of daily tests since 26 Sept and just shy of the total tests for the last 2 days.

 

[Lynda2475]

From SMH.com.au:

Three western Sydney cases under 'urgent investigation'

Three coronavirus cases are under "urgent investigation" in western Sydney, NSW Health has said, as the state broke its streak of no local coronavirus cases.

The three cases, which are not related to each other, were recorded after the latest 24-hour reporting period and will be included in Thursday's numbers.

One case was detected in western Sydney and two were detected in south-west Sydney.

None of the cases are currently connected to previous outbreaks.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the cases were in the Parramatta and Campbelltown areas.

"Health is now presently working with those three positive tests to make sure that we have contacted their direct contacts and everybody else that may have been exposed," she said.

During the 24-hour reporting period ending 8pm on Tuesday, NSW recorded three cases in hotel quarantine and no new local cases, making it 12 days since the state recorded a recent local coronavirus case.

The state recorded 5970 tests in the reporting period.


New cases demonstrate 'unrealistic' Queensland border rules: Berejiklian

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the three new coronavirus cases identified in western Sydney indicated how "unrealistic" Queensland's standard for reopening its border was.

The Premier said it was "highly improbable" her state will ever reach the 28 days without community transmission needed for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to reopen her borders.

We're always going to have cases pop up because we're in a pandemic," the Premier told reporters.

"But we're also in an economy which is open; where people are undertaking their business [and] where we don't have borders, but for Victoria. So we really need to put all of that into perspective."

Addressing Ms Palaszczuk and her government, Ms Berejiklian said: "I appreciate you will probably come out today and say the 28 days is ticking again from the start. I will put to you that until the end of the pandemic, it's highly unlikely, highly improbable that NSW will ever get to 28 days in a row... because that is not how a pandemic works."

 

[jakeseven7]

Unclear I only heard the tail end of the presser, as it wouldn't load for me. I understood that all had been found through voluntary testing i.e. not contacts of known cases who were asked to go and get tested. They were in Campbletown (South West), Wollondilly (no idea where that is) and Paramatta (Western) so all different areas of NSW. Obviously as they were only notified late last night, contract tracing is in progress and they may well be able to be linked by the end of the day.

From ABC:

For the first time in almost two weeks health authorities in NSW have discovered locally acquired coronavirus infections.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said three new cases had been discovered in the state overnight.

The cases were in the Campbelltown, Parramatta and Wollondilly local government areas and are not believed to be linked.

The cases were found after the state's 8:00pm reporting cut-off, and will be included in tomorrow's numbers.

There were no locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the most recent testing period, only three cases among travellers in hotel quarantine.

According the Dr Young's rules NSW has 48 hours to make the link to confirm if it is a mystery case or not.

She will not accept NSW providing genomic testing as evidence of the link though. Rationale for this has not been provided.

Note her rules change every couple of days so these rules may be out of date by the time I post this.

So the clock is on for NSW to link the cases.

NB:
Dr Young is also concerned about NSW's testing rates and sewerage results and will also consider this alongside the 28 days no mystery community transmission rule.

 

[Lynda2475]

From SMH:

More details about the three new western Sydney cases

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has revealed more details about the three new coronavirus cases identified in western Sydney today.

The three cases will be counted in Thursday's numbers. They are:

• A woman in her 50s from Camden local government area
• A man in his 50s from Wollondilly local government area
• A woman in her 50s from Parramatta local government area

There was "no obvious source" of the infection in the Camden woman, Dr Chant said.

Interviews with the woman had been completed and a small number of close contacts had been advised to self-isolate. Contact-tracing interviews with the other two cases are ongoing.

Dr Chant said one of the cases lives in an area where evidence of the virus was found in sewage testing.

NSW Health will provide advice on any venues which the three people attended while infectious later today, Dr Chant said.

"We did have a good run of 10 or 11 days [without local cases], and my expectation is that will happen again," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

"My expectation is we'll be able to get on top of these three cases, although I have yet to get further updates on the progress [the health department] has made in the last few hours.

"It's fair to say that this is a good wake-up call, but we're living in a pandemic; we're managing it well. But we will never be out of the woods until there's a vaccine."

 

[jb747]

I think a lot of Victorians secretly wish it would happen so other people would know how we feel, its been a pretty cough year for us (more so than people in other states, by a long shot).

It's the lack of empathy from some in the other states that has been truly distressing. Living on the border, we've heard far too many heartless/thoughtless comments from those who seem to think a river will protect them. A few "friends" have sadly shown their true colours during this period.

I think last nights budget should have realigned GST based on population. NSW is heavily subsidising Qld, yet we aren't welcome to visit or spend money there.

Every time I've visited Qld (and lets face it...that's a lot) the overwhelming feeling I've had is that they'd be happy for you to leave your money, and just piss off. I've never found much of it to be very welcoming.

 

[james4321]

Well JY and AP will reset the Qld clock again today, as NSW has 3 cases of community transmission, all unrelated to each other, but all reported after 8pm which means they go into tomorrows numbers.

What was that earlier stuff about karma?

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Here comes the NSW post-long weekend, school holiday outbreak.

I was hoping the feeling was wrong, but at tests below 10,000 per day since 4/10, it seemed pretty clear many didn’t want to ruin getaway plans......sigh.

Edit: NSW back to watching the contact tracing page COVID-19 latest news and cases updates

 

[RooFlyer]

I think a lot of Victorians secretly wish it would happen so other people would know how we feel, its been a pretty cough year for us (more so than people in other states, by a long shot).

I'm not sure if you'd view it as any consolation, but there was a similar situation in NW Tas earlier. They had a 'second wave', with a regional lockdown, hospitals closed, ADF brought in etc. Not nearly as severe or impactful as in metro Melbourne of course, but I know the folks there felt as if everyone was a'gin 'em for a time and they would readily empathise with you now. After the all-clear the govt and community really got behind them.

 

[jakeseven7]

I don't actually want it to happen, but some of the comments I've seen from people interstate show that they really have no idea what its like down here. I've seen Queenslanders who think they have it tough right now and are absolutely kidding themselves.

It's the lack of empathy from some in the other states that has been truly distressing. Living on the border, we've heard far too many heartless/thoughtless comments from those who seem to think a river will protect them.

And from the other side, from a Queenslander, I have been incredibly distressed by our 'leaders' in this state and what they are saying and keep doing to make people in NSW and VIC feel like absolute cough at any media opportunity available just to further their own interests and agendas.

All I can say is that the words you see on the news do not reflect us as a state - they reflect the personal agendas of a few people. A lot of us here are deeply deeply disgusted and embarrassed about this behaviour and how it is automatically reflected back on us, like they represent our feelings which they don't.

VIC especially has taken a massive massive hit for Team Australia in the fight against the spread of covid in Australia and should be lauded for their sacrifice during the last months.

And we desperately need a national approach. Now. To start fighting this together.

 

[Lynda2475]

Here comes the NSW post-long weekend, school holiday outbreak.

Possibly, although school holidays don't end until this weekend. We need to hear what the contract tracing concludes - there have been concerns about the South West and Western Sydney since start of July. These unlinked cases like most recently have all been people in their 50s which alludes more to workplaces being the cause than school holidays.

 

[james4321]

A lot of us here are deeply deeply disgusted and embarrassed about this behaviour and how it is automatically reflected back on us, like they represent our feelings which they don't.

And a very large number of us are neither disgusted nor embarrassed. We are very happy with the way the problem has been handled here in QLD - just sayin'

 

[N860CR]

It is interesting if these three cases are a genuine mystery. It largely confirms the premiers position that the virus is running through the community. As the WHO have said, 10% of the worlds population has been infected.

NSW has now gone weeks (maybe months) with virtually nobody being actually “sick”, so it’s really time to accept a different approach is required.

 

[Flying mermaid]

It is interesting if these three cases are a genuine mystery. It largely confirms the premiers position that the virus is running through the community. As the WHO have said, 10% of the worlds population has been infected.

NSW has now gone weeks (maybe months) with virtually nobody being actually “sick”, so it’s really time to accept a different approach is required.

I thought the approach was to keep things as open as possible while jumping on any cases that pop up from time to time, which seems to me what NSW and others are doing, obviously Vic had to take a different approach as things got out of hand, but they are pretty close to adopting that approach as well now.

what approach do you advocate?

 

[moa999]

which seems to me what NSW and others are doing,

Very much the NSW approach.
Push as hard as you can towards elimination

But recognise that there are still risks while there is Covid anywhere in the world from:
- some underlying community spread
- returning travellers in quarantine
- medical staff caring for Covid patients (a number of infections in Vic despite super precautions)
- essential workers (cause of NSW Crossroads)
- imports (possible NZ cause).

Remember NZ went 100+ days of no cases before the recent outbreak.

NZ shows the island approach doesnt work.

 

[drron]

And even that Island state that has one of the best records in handling Covid still gets cases.But apart from their border closure are living with the virus.



Just 521 cases and still just 7 deaths.The last death was on May 11th.

 

[pjm99au]

And a very large number of us are neither disgusted nor embarrassed. We are very happy with the way the problem has been handled here in QLD - just sayin'

genuinely interested as to how you feel about this story.

Another cruel border twist: Brain cancer patient in hotel quarantine instructed to catch taxi or Uber to chemo

9now.nine.com.au

 

[RAM]

According the Dr Young's rules NSW has 48 hours to make the link to confirm if it is a mystery case or not.

She will not accept NSW providing genomic testing as evidence of the link though. Rationale for this has not been provided.

Note her rules change every couple of days so these rules may be out of date by the time I post this.

So the clock is on for NSW to link the cases.

NB:
Dr Young is also concerned about NSW's testing rates and sewerage results and will also consider this alongside the 28 days no mystery community transmission rule.

The issue with the genomic testing is what percentage do you accept for it to be 'OK' aka from a known source?

99.9999% or 99.999% or 99.9% or 99% or is it 100% the same (identical)?

The detractors would then just push the line that "99% is close enough, where else do we require 99.9% etc."

Whatever the limits placed - there will always be those with an agenda to push (especially if an election in a few weeks). Damned if you do & damned if you don't. Just think back a couple of months to Gladys' change of tune on state border closures - 'ridiculous', 'outrageous', 'not warranted' etc etc - and then they were.

If only the politicians would grow up!

__________________________________________________________​

Come November 1st, if AP is still in power then there may be many, many people with egg on their faces if they Qld/NSW border is not re-opened as they have predicted its closure is purely Qld state election-driven.

If it is though then that'll be me!

 

[dajop]

Let's face it though, Australia is hampered by the federal system and fundamental divides in philosophy that don't necessarily follow party lines either, depending on who's facing election when. It's politics that is driving a lot of decision making not science.

If it was science, then why shouldn't the borders be open to great swathes of Victorians. There has not been a new case in the vast majority of regional Victoria for >28 days. See map below - the figure is the number of days since a new case, absence of a figure it has been >28 days. Even in the Mitchell shire there is a stark divide. Kilmore (with its recent cases) is the largest town. Seymour, 50km away (second largest town) has not had a case in the second wave. The vast majority of cases in the second wave have been concentrated in the 30-40km around Melbourne (adjacent Hume & Whittlesea shires were some of the worst affected).

 

[jakeseven7]

And even that Island state that has one of the best records in handling Covid still gets cases.But apart from their border closure are living with the virus.
View attachment 229717


Just 521 cases and still just 7 deaths.The last death was on May 11th.

Dr Young says no Taiwan.

 

[antycbr]

Dr Young says no Taiwan.

Scomo agrees on this matter - no travel bubble between Queensland and any international destination indefinitely.

I expect post-election that some reality will arrive, as Queensland will lose a large amount of Cairns and the Gold Coast tourism industry if the state remains locked down.