Coronavirus Australia latest: at a glance
Good evening, here are the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. Ben Doherty with you, this Wednesday, 27 May.
One death in Queensland: active cases remain below 500
Australia has recorded 7,133 cases of Covid-19. There are currently 478 active cases across the country. South Australia recorded another case from a person travelling into the state on an exemption for compassionate grounds. Meanwhile, the ACT and Northern Territory have no active cases.
A 30-year-old Queensland man died in Blackwater, bringing the national death toll to 103. NSW 50, Victoria 19, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 7, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in both states’ death tolls).
Related: Australia-New Zealand travel bubble could be in place by September, expert group says
More than six million of an estimated 16 million people with smartphones have registered for the federal government’s Covidsafe tracing app since 26 April. The federal government had forecast a need for 10m people to download it in order for it to be an effective tool.
Globally, there are more than 5.5m confirmed cases, and the death toll has surpassed 350,000. 2.2m people have recovered from the virus.
30-year-old man in Queensland dies from Covid-19
A 30-year-old man was found unresponsive yesterday afternoon at his home in the small western Queensland town of Blackwater, and could not be revived.
He had been displaying Covid-19 symptoms in the week leading up to his death, but he had several other significant health complications.
A postmortem Covid-19 test returned positive. He is the youngest person to die of Covid-19 in Australia.
Of additional concern with this man’s case, beyond his comparative youth, is the fact that his case has no known link.
The man had not travelled overseas, or left Blackwater since February. He had spent most of the last few weeks at home.
There had been no other recorded cases of Covid in Blackwater prior to the man’s death.
• Sign up to receive the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning
Six crew aboard live export ship test positive to Covid-19
There has been continuing fallout over the Al Kuwait live export ship docked in Fremantle. Six sailors from the ship have tested positive to Covid-19.
Initially, WA premier Mark McGowan said his state health authorities were not warned by the commonwealth that there were sick people aboard. Today, it emerged there had been an email that had not been acted upon.
Related: Scott Morrison refuses to guarantee pay and conditions under industrial relations overhaul
McGowan said:
This morning I contacted [agriculture] minister [David] Littleproud to discuss the issue and the need to improve communications between all parties.
There have clearly been some errors made all round.
I also think we need to have better and more comprehensive communications with the commonwealth than just an email.
Any report of crew or passengers onboard ships or aircraft entering this state with Covid-like symptoms must be given the attention it deserves.
We all know that the greatest risk to Western Australia at the moment is from people entering our state from overseas or from interstate.
The six sailors are in quarantine in Perth and are said to be displaying only mild symptoms. Other crew remain onboard the ship and have been tested for the virus by WA health authorities.
In Victoria ...
Eight new cases have been reported in the past 24 hours. Four have come from routine testing, and one is still under investigation.
The premier, Daniel Andrews, says there are no plans to have the state return to its usual work patterns anytime soon.
I do again want to reiterate for all Victorians who have been working from home, if you have been working from home, you must continue to work from home for all of June.
Cedar Meats, the Melbourne abattoir at the centre of a Covid-19 cluster of more than 100 cases, will restart operations, including processing, on Thursday. About 300 staff are expected to return to work.
Staff who have been medically cleared to start work attended a return to work information session at Cedar Meats’ Brooklyn site today.
What you need to know: get the most important information from some of our key explainers
Coronavirus Australia stats: Covid-19 active and new cases, numbers, map and data update
Australia’s coronavirus lockdown rules explained: can I still visit my partner and other questions
Coronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statistics
Australia’s strict new coronavirus social distancing rules explained: state by state guidelines
Free childcare: what do the Australian government’s coronavirus changes mean for my family?
Am I eligible for the jobkeeper payment? Here’s everything you need to know to register
Groceries, telehealth and pharmaceuticals: how older Australians can get help at home
Have I already had coronavirus? How would I know and what should I do?
Dangerous cures and viral hoaxes: common coronavirus myths busted
How ventilators work and why they are so important in saving people with coronavirus
Still want more? Read the latest news from across the Guardian’s global network. Think a friend would like to get this email? Simply forward it to them with this link to the signup page.
