Australia news LIVE NSW Premier brings forward changes to state road map schools to return end of October Victoria records 1638 new local COVID-19 cases two deaths
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison is addressing reporters in Canberra at 2pm (AEDT). Watch live below:
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ABC news and investigations boss Gaven Morris has announced he will leave the national broadcaster when his contract expires.
Mr Morris, who began as a reporter at the ABC in his early 20s, has led the news division since 2015.
"To have had the opportunity to lead ABC News is a personal and career highlight," he said. "It's without doubt a challenging job, but also fulfilling and worthwhile. I've given it my all."
ABC director of news Gaven Morris.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
ABC managing director David Anderson said Mr Morris’ contribution to the broadcaster was enormous.
“As the very best leaders do, he has always led by example, with a huge work ethic, absolute integrity, fearless independence and a lot of courage,†Mr Anderson said.
Mr Morris told staff on Thursday he would continue to work for the ABC as long as required to find a replacement.
Read more here.
Victorian health authorities are not considering mandating COVID-19 testing for visitors to aged care facilities and hospitals, but rapid antigen testing could be on the cards for them in the coming months.
Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie said authorities believe the latest aged care outbreaks were down to incursions from visitors.
“I think, again, there's a bit of a difference between someone whose employment requires them to be on site and delivering care versus someone visiting a loved one in hospital,†he said.
“I think rapid antigen testing might provide an opportunity to better operationalise that [testing] because you do get the results so quickly, but it's not been considered in terms of a requirement at this point in time."
Professor Cowie said discussions were ongoing, and he believed rapid antigen tests would be a “significant additional control that we can deployâ€.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer has reiterated all of Australia’s approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, in light of Sweden and Denmark announcing a pause on Moderna jabs for younger people.
Professor Ben Cowie said the data underlying those decisions was yet to be published, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration and The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation would work through any possible implications.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie.Credit:Getty Images
“It’s a bit premature to draw a conclusion on those decisions,†Professor Cowie said.
“What I would say is, certainly from the United States’ experience, to my knowledge there was no increase relative to, for instance, the Pfizer vaccine in these side effects in the American experience that’s been reported to date.
“These side effects are incredibly rare. If we’re looking at the incidence of myocarditis or inflammation around the heart â€" most of which is actually quite mild and settles within days with simple management â€" the incidence of that was something like one in 30,000.
“It’s much more likely [you will] actually get that side effect if you get COVID-19.â€
Professor Cowie reinforced that Moderna was among incredibly effective vaccines to fight COVID-19.
“We’ve been through the data of what they’re doing in terms of saving Victorians from ending up in intensive care and from losing their lives,†he said.
“Those data are right now and right in front of us and they’re incontrovertible.â€
Denmark recently decided to halt Moderna vaccinations for people aged 18 and under following preliminary data from Nordic researchers who were examining increased risk of heart inflammation. In Sweden, the Moderna pause is in place for people aged 30 years and younger.
Sweden’s top epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, has recommended young people in his country receive the Pfizer jab in the meantime.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie has just provided a breakdown of today’s 1638 new coronavirus cases.
They are as follows:
Professor Cowie said there are now more than 6500 cases in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, which represents about 43 per cent of the state’s active cases.
He said there are 707 active cases outside of metropolitan Melbourne, but the majority of those were linked to existing cases.
In the seven days from Tuesday last week, Victoria has had about 10,000 new cases of COVID-19.
Professor Cowie said of those cases, 79 per cent were unvaccinated. Only 15 per cent were partially vaccinated and 7 per cent were fully vaccinated.
Ten dedicated COVID-19 vaccination pop-up sites for people with a disability will be opened in Victoria.
Disability and Ageing Minister Luke Donnellan announced the project at today’s coronavirus update, saying $5 million would be spent on the pop-ups, as well as expanding the state’s disability liaison service.
The vaccination rate for people with disabilities in Victoria is lower than for the broader population.
As of September 30, more than 71 per cent of Victorian NDIS participants aged over 16 had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to the national rate of 67 per cent.
The 10 vaccination hubs will be set up in local government areas of concern.
“We’re going to go out, we need to keep pushing, harassing and just non-stop getting this vaccination rate up for our community living with disabilities,†Mr Donnellan said.
“It’s just not acceptable where it is at the moment.
“We can’t open up when we’ve got people living with disabilities, with vulnerabilities, if they’re not at a higher rate of vaccinations, and that’s what we’re pushing to do today.â€
The disability liaison officers program will employ an additional 16 officers with the funding. They will help arrange at-home vaccination, group bookings, and provide advice.
As reported earlier, another two people have died with COVID-19 in Victoria.
They are a woman in her 60s from Wyndham and a woman in her 70s from Hume.
Minister for Disability and Ageing Luke Donnellan said almost a quarter of Victoria’s 1638 new COVID-19 cases were aged in their 20s.
He said there were 564 people in hospital in Victoria with COVID-19 and, of those, 115 were in intensive care. Seventy-four were on ventilators.
As of Wednesday, 66 per cent of Victoria’s hospitalised coronavirus patients were unvaccinated, 27 per cent were partially vaccinated and 7 per cent were fully vaccinated.
NSW has continued to record high COVID-19 case numbers outside of Sydney.
There were 83 new cases reported in the Hunter-New England Local Health District on Thursday, including 26 in Lake Macquarie, 14 in Maitland and 13 in Newcastle.
Sixty cases were reported in the Illawarra Shoalhaven district, the majority â€" 45 cases â€" in Wollongong.
NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale said, across regional NSW, health authorities were most concerned by the spread of the virus in West Tamworth and Berkeley in the Illawarra.
Fragments of the virus which causes COVID-19 were detected in Lightning Ridge, Ballina, Uralla, Bodalla, Bega and Merimbula, where health authorities are currently not aware of cases.
Within Sydney, there is concern about higher case numbers in Belmore and Maroubra, as well as ongoing transmission in Auburn, Punchbowl, Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Fairfield.
There were 911 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital on Thursday, with 181 people in intensive care, 85 of whom required ventilation.
With the state hitting 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage of its population aged 16 and above today, Dr Gale challenged those not yet fully jabbed to push the figure to 90 per cent.
“That’s our challenge for all of us,†she said.
“We know that vaccines are highly effective. I encourage anyone out there who hasn’t yet got their first dose or hasn’t booked in their second dose to please do so as soon as you can.â€
A number of teenagers have tested positive for COVID-19 and one is in intensive care after an illegal 16th birthday party in Victoria.
Year 10 students from St Columba’s College at Essendon, in Melbourne’s north-west, were among those at the party, as well as students from two nearby schools.
St Columba’s principal Rita Grima wrote to families on Wednesday, reminding them of restrictions on social gatherings.
“It has come to my attention that there are a number of student gatherings taking place to celebrate events, such as 16th birthdays,†Ms Grima said.
“A gathering of the nature that has been described to me is not currently permitted.
“I am given to understand that one of the young people that attended this party is in ICU.â€
The principal said she understood people were frustrated at not being able to celebrate milestones, but “it is important that we support appropriate decision-making with our young people, make plans for a time when celebrations can occur safely, and focus on gratitudeâ€.
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