Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[moa999]

From NSW Health tonight. Already setting up new testing stations in those areas tomorrow..

....

More than 18,500 western Sydney residents are being urged to get tested for COVID-19 following the discovery of virus fragments in sewage at two local sewage pumping stations.

The area served by one of the pumping stations includes a population of around 5,860 residents of North Kellyville and Rouse Hill.

The second pumping station serves a population of around 12,650 people across the suburbs of Rouse Hill, Box Hill, The Ponds, Kellyville Ridge, Parklea, Quakers Hill and Acacia Gardens.

The virus fragments were detected through the state’s ongoing sewage surveillance program.

While detection of the virus in sewage samples could reflect the presence of older cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in these areas, NSW Health is concerned there could be other active cases in the local community in people who have not been tested and who might incorrectly assume their symptoms are simply a cold.

 

[blackcat20]

We're talking internal borders, NZ is irrelevant. VIC has not been closed to any other state in Australia at any time.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So the issue with the SA woman is whether it is a new infection. ie is it possible to catch Covid twice. When in Victoria she was in quarantine after testing positive in August, then eventually negative and she was in a medi hotel in SA when she tested positive again, 2.5 months later.

It is possible, but very rare to cstch zcovid twice so quickly.

Most likely it is just an old case with remnant viral shedding.

These have been quite common in Vic but have come to the fore with new infections having become so low that they are now so noticeable.

Sutton spoke on this about 2 weeks back and said that they had similar occurring regularly, but they did not get featured due to all the other then cases.

They do get as the SA CHO has stated other tests done to try and determine if the person is actually contagious and also if the swabs can grow the same strain as a match. Not all samples can grow viable viruses to match though.

Older examples of this are the uk migrant to SA, and the Essendon footballer who returned from Ireland.

 

[drron]

NSW was closed to us, we havent been closed to anyone.

And while we declined to be part of the NZ bubble, they ended up here anyway. So no, VIC has never been closed to anyone.

The NSW/VIC border was closed by negotiation between the 2 States and the Commonwealth.
And here is when the Victorian Premier announced the border closure with NSW.

Victorians shut out of NSW as state hits worrying record number of cases

Victoria records another two deaths from coronavirus as Premier Daniel Andrews announces the state's border with NSW will shut from Wednesday.

www.abc.net.au

And Victoria has yet to open to International arrivals.
So the border was definitely closed on the Victorian Government's decision.

 

[RooFlyer]

We're talking internal borders, NZ is irrelevant. VIC has not been closed to any other state in Australia at any time.

Well, yes, but I was talking about NZ too.

So is Tas the first state to have borders open-slather to everyone in Aust and NZ?

 

[blackcat20]

Well, yes, but I was talking about NZ too.

But kiwis were welcome to arrive here, just as any other other Australian is, as long as they were arriving domestically. As DA said, we said no to the bubble but given our border was open, they were coming here anyway. There was nothing to say they couldn't.

At no point has Victoria refused entry to anyone coming in from interstate. Not once. You might not have been allowed to go home, but that was because your state didn't allow it, not ours. Admittedly not many people wanted to come to VIC while we were in lockdown, but there was nothing to stop you.

DA and GB agreed on the closure, but it was one way. ie NSW was closed to VIC and not the other way.

 

[jakeseven7]

Western Sydney on alert (again)

——

NSW calls for residents in Sydney's west to get COVID-19 tests after sewage samples show virus

New South Wales Health is urging residents in parts of Sydney's west to seek a COVID-19 test after virus fragments were found in sewage samples.

Virus fragments were found in two pumping stations on Wednesday, one which covers around 5860 residents in North Kellyville and Rouse Hill, while the other serves around 12,650 people across Rouse Hill, Box Hill, The Ponds, Kellyville Ridge, Parklea, Quakers Hill and Acacia Gardens.

NSW Health urged anyone living or working in these areas to be tested if they appear to have any symptoms.

Coronavirus LIVE updates: Victoria extends no new case streak to 13 days, Health Department boss resigns; Queensland, NSW chase border openings; Australians adjust to Jobseeker cut

Australians are moving closer to a COVID-normal life and preparing for a possible vaccine to be ready in the new year.

www.theage.com.au

 

[jb747]

The NSW/VIC border was closed by negotiation between the 2 States and the Commonwealth.
And here is when the Victorian Premier announced the border closure with NSW.

So the border was definitely closed on the Victorian Government's decision.

Negotiation.

Glady. ”We’re going to close the border, and we want you to provide half of the personnel required.”

Dan. “If you want to close it, then manning it is your problem.”

 

[RooFlyer]

But kiwis were welcome to arrive here, just as any other other Australian is, as long as they were arriving domestically. As DA said, we said no to the bubble but given our border was open, they were coming here anyway. There was nothing to say they couldn't.

Weeellll.... judging by the enormous fuss Premier Andrews made when he found out that the Kiwis had arrived via Sydney, I don't think 'welcome' is the right word He contended that as he hadn't agreed to the NZ bubble, there wasn't approval for their entry ... but as we know, there was nothing he could do about it, so he accepted it. On this aspect, Victoria was open to the whole world as long as everyone arrived domestically!

My take earlier:

I thought about that, but I included NZ Now, whether the Vic Premier's declaration that they weren't in the NZ bubble, or were in it de facto, is a matter of contention. . I'm 'standing by Dan' on this one.

Hey, my original post was famed as a question, with a smiley, indicating it was light-hearted query. I don't mind at all if Vic gets the gong as the 'open state'.

 

[drron]

Negotiation.

Glady. ”We’re going to close the border, and we want you to provide half of the personnel required.”

Dan. “If you want to close it, then manning it is your problem.”

That is not the way the Premier put it.From the previous link.
"The Victorian Premier said the decision to close the border followed talks with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The three leaders agreed closing the border would be the "smart call" at this point in time, Mr Andrews said.

"That closure will be enforced on the New South Wales side, so as not to be a drain on resources that are very much focused on fighting the virus right now across our state," Mr Andrews said.'

So the border closure was enforced from the NSW side so as not to strain Victorian resources.Basically no Vic police could be spared from their other duties during Victoria's crisis.
And the reaction of the Vic.Premier when finding out about the NZ arrivals wasn't very welcoming.

 

[jakeseven7]

And the reaction of the Vic.Premier when finding out about the NZ arrivals wasn't very welcoming.

Or WA, or SA... it caught most of them by surprise. Anyway this has been discussed to death

 

[jakeseven7]

Huge testing numbers again for VIC

 

[RooFlyer]

Or WA, or SA... it caught most of them by surprise.

Tas welcomed them ... straight into paid hotel accommodation. Another boost to the local economy.

 

[RAM]

I wish, now T+280 and counting that there could be a standardised (much wished for by many AFFers) approach across all states. I'm sure NZ won't charge much, perhaps a couple of tonnes of sand from Bondi?

Clear, concise & just about every possible question answered in advance.

I don't recall hearing anything about the possibility of others on the seemingly Qatar Airways flight who got off in Sydney & went to hotel quarantine. Surely more concise information would help inform Australians of perhaps which airlines are carrying the fewest people who test +ve? I know if I was looking to fly back it would be top of mind to help make the choice.

1 new case of COVID-19 in managed isolation

There is one new case of COVID-19 to report in managed isolation today. There are no new community cases.

www.health.govt.nz

Today’s case arrived on 3 November from Romania via Qatar and Australia. They are a family member of a previous case from managed isolation and had already been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.

November quarantine cluster

While CCTV does not capture all movements around the Auckland quarantine facility, a review of footage has not identified a connection between Case A and the returnees who have a similar genome. No other cases have this genome sequence, and all staff at the Auckland quarantine facility have returned a negative result to date. The investigation is ongoing into how transmission occurred.

All occupants of Case A’s accommodation have returned negative test results.

Genome sequencing for Case B matched that of Case A, confirming transmission of COVID-19 from the first New Zealand Defence Force worker to the second.

Of 58 close contacts identified for Case B, 56 have returned a negative result. The remaining two are pending.

 

[jb747]

That is not the way your Premier put it.From the previous link.
"The Victorian Premier said the decision to close the border followed talks with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The three leaders agreed closing the border would be the "smart call" at this point in time, Mr Andrews said.

"Your Premier" implies some form of ownership, beyond being a Victorian.

In any event, if he was told it was going to be closed, irrespective of discussion, then I have no doubt that he'd try to include himself in the outcome.

 

[jakeseven7]

I wish, now T+280 and counting that there could be a standardised (much wished for by many AFFers) approach across all states.

Well National Cabinet meets tomorrow, do we believe in miracles? C'mon QLD and WA get with the program.....

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NSW no new local cases, 5 from international quarantine

 

[Lynda2475]

Well National Cabinet meets tomorrow, do we believe in miracles? C'mon QLD and WA get with the program.....

No.

Qld only review travel restrictions once at month at the end of the month, and with the 28 day rule JY is likley to exclude Greater Sydney on the basis of the 1 community transmission case in regional NSW (Moss Vale) = nonsensical.

Expecting logic from Qld when they allow people from Moss Vale yo visit Qld freely despite having a mystery case and household spread whilst LGAs in greater Sydney many of which have had zero cases since April remain declared hot spots is pointless. If Qld were being scientific only the LGAs with a Mystery case in the last 28 days would be hotspots.

But the Prime Minister needs to force Qld and WA to publicly decalre the rules for closing again. If Qld/WAs remove quarantine requirments from NSW and Vic what is the event that would see them closed again? 1 mystery case?

 

[jakeseven7]

NSW testing rates improving thankfully, lets hope SW and W Sydney are getting tested en masse

 

[RooFlyer]

Some love from Tasmania to its northern neighbour

[Premier Gutwein] “I feel incredibly pleased that Victoria has been able to get on top of this virus,” he said. “Victoria is a very important part of the country’s economy but it’s a very important part of the social fabric for many Tasmanians as well, with family and friends there.

“The fact that they’ve had 12 days with zero cases is just outstanding.”

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch also praised the efforts of Victoria in bringing the state’s second wave outbreak under control.

“Victoria actually achieved something really extraordinary in bringing their outbreak of coronavirus under control,” he said.

“The efforts of the community and their public health agencies, and the government achieved something that few places in the world have managed during this pandemic.”

In other news:

Mr Gutwein also said the first flight of Australians returning from overseas for quarantine in Hobart will arrive around November 22.

He said 120 passengers from India would arrive on a direct charter flight and would be accommodated at the Best Western hotel for the duration of their quarantine.

Looks like we'll be recording some cases soon ...

Other remaining restrictions to the state’s coronavirus measures are being wound back.

From this Friday, standing drinking will be allowed in hospitality venues, and household gathering limits will be lifted from 20 to 40.