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Australia coronavirus: Peter Dutton tests positive for Covid-19 as Morrison reverses decision to attend NRL game – latest news
Government has advised against mass gatherings of more than 500 people and all international travel. Follow live updates
Naaman Zhou (now) Calla Wahlquist(earlier)
Fri 13 Mar 2020 09.30 GMTFirst published on Thu 12 Mar 2020 21.49 GMT
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Key events
Live feed
2h ago 09:26
Summary
Three and a half hours ago, my colleague Calla Wahlquist began her summary with the sentence: “Well, a lot has happened.”
Since then, it is fair to say that a lot more has happened.
Updated at 9.30am GMT
2h ago 09:14
New Zealand minister self-isolates after meeting Dutton
New Zealand’s internal affairs minister, Tracey Martin, has just confirmed that she will be self-isolating after she met with Peter Duttonin the US last week.
A spokesman for Martin told newsite Stuff.co.nz the minister was “self-isolating and would be getting tested for coronavirus on Saturday morning”.
Martin met with Dutton at a meeting of Five Eyes partners in Washington on March 6, where Dutton also met with Ivanka Trump, the US attorney-general William Barr, and his counterparts from the UK and Canada.
Martin’s department told Stuff she did not remember shaking hands with Dutton but “had sat beside him for the 90-minute meeting”.
Dutton did not show symptoms, Martin said.
2h ago 09:05
Amanda Meade
Catholic masses will go ahead this weekend but from next week gatherings of more than 500 will be banned, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney says.
“Following recommendations, there are no cancellation of masses this weekend March 14-15 or suspension of other essential ministries and services in the Archdiocese”, the church said.
“However, from Monday March 16 gatherings of more than 500 people will be banned and we are working with our parishes to communicate that with their parishioners.”
“With the growing concern of the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sydney and around the world, institutions are putting in place preventative measures to limit the spread of the virus locally.
The Archdiocese has already implemented several preventative measures and people should consider their own health before attending a liturgical celebration. Sydney Catholic Schools are regularly assessing the need to close.
2h ago 09:05
Unlike many news organisations, our reporting is free and available for everyone. We need your support to keep delivering unbiased, factual journalism that’s open and independent.
The events of 2020 so far have demonstrated the need for clear, reliable information that explains the news in steady, measured tones. We check facts, meticulously source information, and keep the people most impacted by the news at the heart of our reporting.
Support us with as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Make a contribution - The Guardian
2h ago 08:57
Helen Davidson
Northern Territory media are reporting that the highly anticipated annual grand final weekend on the Tiwi Islands will be closed to visitors.
Every year thousands of people travel by ferry and charter plane to the Indigenous-owned islands off the coast of Darwin, to watch the grand final of the island’s Aussie rules competition.
The weekend event, where the permits normally required to enter the Aboriginal land are lifted, also hosts an art fair where the art centres from the islands’ communities sell thousands of works.
This is a huge hit to the islands’ economy and very disappointing for fans, but given the fears of spreading the virus, it’s not surprising. You can read a piece here from a doctor in the NT, about just how devastating an outbreak would be in a remote Indigenous community:
'Mayhem looms just around the corner': diary from the frontline of the coronavirus health crisis
Anonymous
Read more
It’s one of three footy events on the NT this weekend - The AFLW match in Alice Springs will go ahead without a crowd, but AFL NT executive and board have decided that the NTFL grand final in Darwin will go ahead with a crowd, given the advice to stop large gatherings doesn’t kick in until Monday.
More from Katharine Murphy:
2h ago 08:37
Scott Morrison now will not attend tomorrow’s NRL game between the Cronulla Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
“The fact that I would still be going on Saturday speaks not just to my passion for my beloved Sharks, it might be the last game I get to go to for a long time,” he said earlier.
“That’s fine. In the future I suspect we might be watching them on television, and that’s OK as well. My point is that there is absolute reason for calm.”
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese had also been planning on attending, but pulled out earlier on Friday.
2h ago 08:34
Lorena Allam
Pat Turner, the head of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled HealthOrganisations, has called for a much faster turn-around time for Covid-19 tests in remote Aboriginal communities.
It can take two weeks for tests to be done and returned, by which time a whole community could be infected, Turner said on ABC TV’s The Drum this evening.
Turner also reinforced advice released earlier this week, that people severely restrict any travel to remote communities, and called for “everyone to be screened in our vulnerable and remote communities.”
On Monday, The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) introduced strict rules for entry to their lands.
“We are protecting our people, especially those who hold our ancient cultural knowledge, and we know they are already vulnerable as they are quite old,” APY general manager Richard King said.
During the 2009 swine flu outbreak, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 11% of all identified cases, 20% of hospitalisations and 13% of deaths.
3h ago 08:21
Prime minister does not need to self-isolate
We have just received the statement from the prime minister’s office. It says that the deputy chief medical officer says he does not need to self-isolate. Neither do any cabinet ministers.
The statement says that Dutton attended Tuesday’s cabinet meeting in person, but only attended Thursday’s national security meeting via video link.
According to the deputy chief medical officer, only those who had contact with Dutton “in the 24 hours before he became symptomatic” need to self isolate.
Full statement below:
3h ago 08:06
Katharine Murphy
There is no official confirmation yet, but my understanding is Dutton attended a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday. The ABC is reporting he subsequently returned to Brisbane on a commercial flight. If either of these things are incorrect, I will bring you the right information as soon as possible.
3h ago 08:05
Here’s the footage from earlier of Scott Morrison recommending that all non-essential events with more than 500 people be cancelled. This press conference was from before the news of Peter Dutton being diagnosed with coronavirus.
Play Video
1:26
Australian government recommends cancellation of mass events – video
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Australia coronavirus: Peter Dutton tests positive for Covid-19 as Morrison reverses decision to attend NRL game – latest news
Government has advised against mass gatherings of more than 500 people and all international travel. Follow live updates
- Follow the latest international coronavirus news in our global live blog
- What Australia’s $17bn stimulus package means for you
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should I see a doctor?
- How to protect yourself from infection
- Find all our coronavirus coverage here
Naaman Zhou (now) Calla Wahlquist(earlier)
Fri 13 Mar 2020 09.30 GMTFirst published on Thu 12 Mar 2020 21.49 GMT
Shares
1,812
Key events
- 2h agoNew Zealand minister self-isolates after meeting Dutton
- 3h agoPrime minister does not need to self-isolate
- 3h agoAll AFL games to be behind closed doors from next week
- 4h agoMelbourne International Comedy Festival cancelled
- 4h agoPeter Dutton has tested positive for coronavirus
- 4h agoNRL to close doors to fans next week
- 5h agoAFLW to close doors to fans on Saturday
Live feed
2h ago 09:26
Summary
Three and a half hours ago, my colleague Calla Wahlquist began her summary with the sentence: “Well, a lot has happened.”
Since then, it is fair to say that a lot more has happened.
- Home affairs minister Peter Dutton has confirmed he has coronavirus, and was admitted to hospital after he woke up with symptoms on Friday.
- Prime minister Scott Morrison and other cabinet ministers do not need to self-isolate, according to the advice of the deputy chief medical officer.
- Dutton attended a cabinet meeting in person on Tuesday, but did not attend a Thursday national security meeting. The advice given to the PM is that only those who had contact with Dutton in the 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to be isolated or tested.
- Dutton had been in the US recently, and met with Ivanka Trump and the US attorney general on 6 March, though it is not known when he contracted the virus.
- New Zealand’s interior minister however, has decided to self-isolate, and will be tested for coronavirus on Saturday, after she also met Dutton in the US.
- The government announced that, from Monday, non-essential mass gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled.
- The entire AFL season, and all matches of the AFLW after Friday’s opener, will be played without spectators, “for the foreseeable future”.
- The NRL will play games from next weekend behind closed doors, but games this weekend will go ahead as normal. Morrison initially said he would attend a match on Saturday, but later reversed that decision.
- The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Australian Grand Prix and Sydney’s Royal Easter Show were cancelled, among other cultural and sporting events.
- Schools, universities and public transport will not be affected by the recommended shut-downs of events with over 500 people.
- Morrison also announced the establishment of a national cabinet, made up of premiers and chief ministers, to coordinate response to the coronavirus.
- The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Australia rose to 156, up 28 from Thursday.
- The Australian stock market has recorded one of its most tumultuous days in recent history, falling as low as 8% during the day and finishing 4.4% up.
- Victoria recorded its first case of untraced community transmission.
- Cricket Australia announced that the Australia vs New Zealand ODI series would be played to empty stadiums.
- Virgin Australia cut flights and announced one of its cabin crew has tested positive to Covid-19, while Flight Centre also said it would close 100 stores.
Updated at 9.30am GMT
2h ago 09:14
New Zealand minister self-isolates after meeting Dutton
New Zealand’s internal affairs minister, Tracey Martin, has just confirmed that she will be self-isolating after she met with Peter Duttonin the US last week.
A spokesman for Martin told newsite Stuff.co.nz the minister was “self-isolating and would be getting tested for coronavirus on Saturday morning”.
Martin met with Dutton at a meeting of Five Eyes partners in Washington on March 6, where Dutton also met with Ivanka Trump, the US attorney-general William Barr, and his counterparts from the UK and Canada.
Martin’s department told Stuff she did not remember shaking hands with Dutton but “had sat beside him for the 90-minute meeting”.
Dutton did not show symptoms, Martin said.
2h ago 09:05
Amanda Meade
Catholic masses will go ahead this weekend but from next week gatherings of more than 500 will be banned, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney says.
“Following recommendations, there are no cancellation of masses this weekend March 14-15 or suspension of other essential ministries and services in the Archdiocese”, the church said.
“However, from Monday March 16 gatherings of more than 500 people will be banned and we are working with our parishes to communicate that with their parishioners.”
“With the growing concern of the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sydney and around the world, institutions are putting in place preventative measures to limit the spread of the virus locally.
The Archdiocese has already implemented several preventative measures and people should consider their own health before attending a liturgical celebration. Sydney Catholic Schools are regularly assessing the need to close.
2h ago 09:05
Unlike many news organisations, our reporting is free and available for everyone. We need your support to keep delivering unbiased, factual journalism that’s open and independent.
The events of 2020 so far have demonstrated the need for clear, reliable information that explains the news in steady, measured tones. We check facts, meticulously source information, and keep the people most impacted by the news at the heart of our reporting.
Support us with as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Make a contribution - The Guardian
2h ago 08:57
2h ago 08:57
Helen Davidson
Northern Territory media are reporting that the highly anticipated annual grand final weekend on the Tiwi Islands will be closed to visitors.
Every year thousands of people travel by ferry and charter plane to the Indigenous-owned islands off the coast of Darwin, to watch the grand final of the island’s Aussie rules competition.
The weekend event, where the permits normally required to enter the Aboriginal land are lifted, also hosts an art fair where the art centres from the islands’ communities sell thousands of works.
This is a huge hit to the islands’ economy and very disappointing for fans, but given the fears of spreading the virus, it’s not surprising. You can read a piece here from a doctor in the NT, about just how devastating an outbreak would be in a remote Indigenous community:
'Mayhem looms just around the corner': diary from the frontline of the coronavirus health crisis
Anonymous
Read more
It’s one of three footy events on the NT this weekend - The AFLW match in Alice Springs will go ahead without a crowd, but AFL NT executive and board have decided that the NTFL grand final in Darwin will go ahead with a crowd, given the advice to stop large gatherings doesn’t kick in until Monday.
2h ago 08:47
More from Katharine Murphy:
2h ago 08:37
Scott Morrison now will not attend tomorrow’s NRL game between the Cronulla Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Earlier the prime minister said he would still go to the game, despite the government recommending against mass gatherings after Monday.
“The fact that I would still be going on Saturday speaks not just to my passion for my beloved Sharks, it might be the last game I get to go to for a long time,” he said earlier.
“That’s fine. In the future I suspect we might be watching them on television, and that’s OK as well. My point is that there is absolute reason for calm.”
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese had also been planning on attending, but pulled out earlier on Friday.
2h ago 08:34
Lorena Allam
Pat Turner, the head of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled HealthOrganisations, has called for a much faster turn-around time for Covid-19 tests in remote Aboriginal communities.
It can take two weeks for tests to be done and returned, by which time a whole community could be infected, Turner said on ABC TV’s The Drum this evening.
Turner also reinforced advice released earlier this week, that people severely restrict any travel to remote communities, and called for “everyone to be screened in our vulnerable and remote communities.”
On Monday, The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) introduced strict rules for entry to their lands.
“We are protecting our people, especially those who hold our ancient cultural knowledge, and we know they are already vulnerable as they are quite old,” APY general manager Richard King said.
During the 2009 swine flu outbreak, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 11% of all identified cases, 20% of hospitalisations and 13% of deaths.
3h ago 08:21
Prime minister does not need to self-isolate
We have just received the statement from the prime minister’s office. It says that the deputy chief medical officer says he does not need to self-isolate. Neither do any cabinet ministers.
The statement says that Dutton attended Tuesday’s cabinet meeting in person, but only attended Thursday’s national security meeting via video link.
According to the deputy chief medical officer, only those who had contact with Dutton “in the 24 hours before he became symptomatic” need to self isolate.
Full statement below:
Updated at 8.28am GMT
3h ago 08:06
Katharine Murphy
There is no official confirmation yet, but my understanding is Dutton attended a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday. The ABC is reporting he subsequently returned to Brisbane on a commercial flight. If either of these things are incorrect, I will bring you the right information as soon as possible.
3h ago 08:05
Here’s the footage from earlier of Scott Morrison recommending that all non-essential events with more than 500 people be cancelled. This press conference was from before the news of Peter Dutton being diagnosed with coronavirus.
Play Video
1:26
Australian government recommends cancellation of mass events – video
1 of 11
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© 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Your privacy
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising.
To find out more, rea
