Coronavirus: Victoria ‘eliminates’ COVID-19; US cases, deaths rise amid holiday rush

Victoria has reached 28 days with without recording a new COVID-19 case, while Americans endured a subdued Thanksgiving as infections mount. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the state’s 28th consecutive day of zero new infections on Friday morning. Epidemiologists regard 28 days without new or mystery cases in the community as elimination of coronavirus. It comes after Victoria hit no active cases on Tuesday when the last coronavirus patient was discharged from hospital. It was the first time in 269 days – since February 29 – that the state hasn’t had an active case. University of Melbourne head of the Centre for Epidemiology, Professor Tony Blakely, told 3AW earlier this month the working definition of eliminating community transmission was 28 days with no mystery cases. “These are the cases that you can’t track back to a source that you know of,” he said. “If we’ve had zero cases that will be 28 days after we’ve had our last case, in which case we would have eliminated (the virus). “It’s quite extraordinary what we’ve achieved here.” Victoria’s Commander of Testing and Community Engagement, Jeroen Weimar, said the job now, especially for those in the health team, was to continue keeping coronavirus at bay. “We haven’t seen any trace of this virus in Victoria for the last four weeks, that’s a fantastic result,” he told 3AW radio on Friday morning. “We can be confident we don’t have community transmission right here, right now in Victoria. “But of course, as we saw only the other week with our colleagues in Adelaide, we do still have active cases on our borders and other parts of Australia.” And with Victoria to start accepting returning Australians from overseas again on December 7, Mr Weimar said we “still have risk”. “The rest of the world is still on fire with coronavirus so we have to continue to be very vigilant and on our guard to make sure that if we do see it coming back into our borders that we spot a very early and we deal with it as soon as it comes in,” he said. The period of 28 days for eradication was chosen because it is two 14-day incubation periods, which is the number of days between when a person is infected with the virus and when they might display symptoms. Twenty-eight days without a new case across the state was also supposed to be the moment that Victoria moved to COVID normal under the state government’s original road map to reopening in September. That would have meant most restrictions were removed with no limits on public gatherings, hospitality or visitors to the home, but with social distancing and good hygiene encouraged. Victoria’s next easing of restrictions is due on Monday when 25 per cent of the workforce will be allowed to return to the office again. Then, on December 13, the number of people able to gather in private homes will rise from 15 to 30 just in time for the festive season. The last positive cases of coronavirus in Victoria were on October 30, when four infections were recorded. Victoria has not recorded more than 28 consecutive days of zero new COVID-19 cases since before the first case was diagnosed on January 25. The state has recorded 20,345 coronavirus cases and 819 deaths since the start of the pandemic, with 19,526 people having recovered as of Thursday. A total of 9828 COVID-19 tests results were received in the past 24 hours, a slight decrease from the 12,862 on Thursday. US PLUNGES FURTHER INTO COVID CRISIS Americans endured a subdued Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday (local time) under the pall of a worsening coronavirus crisis, with death tolls hitting new highs worldwide as infections multiply to surpass more than 60 million. While vaccine breakthroughs have raised hopes for an end to the pandemic, much of the world is still facing a gloomy winter holiday season dampened by lockdowns, economic anxiety and the devastating losses of from a disease that is claiming thousands of lives daily. In the United States, Americans suffered their highest daily death toll in six months on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday, a time when families normally gather in large numbers for decadent feasts of turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. It is also tradition to serve hot meals to the needy, a service provided by food banks and homeless shelters that have become especially vital in a year when the pandemic has wiped out jobs and incomes. “After weeks and months of the COVID and all these issues of unemployment, it’s nice to feel a sense of belonging,” said Samitha Antwi, a woman who picked up a packaged meal distributed by the Los Angeles Mission ahead of Thanksgiving. “A hot meal, it warms your heart. We call it, in my community, soul food,” added Linn Hohl, another woman in line. The US government’s health protection agency has for the first time called on Americans not to travel for the holiday — a call that not all have heeded. In his Thanksgiving address on Wednesday, US President-elect Joe Biden also appealed for his “weary” countrymen to dig deep and soldier through the remaining months until vaccines are available. “There is real hope, tangible hope. So hang on. Don’t let yourself surrender to the fatigue,” Mr Biden urged. More than 60 million infections and 1.4 million deaths have now been recorded around the world since the new coronavirus emerged in China late last year, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources. The number of infections — roughly equivalent to the population of Italy — likely only reflects a fraction of the actual total, as many countries lack testing capacity. While low-income frontline workers often face the biggest risks, the virus has also infected the world’s wealthiest and most powerful. EUROPE STILL ON EDGE On Thursday (local time), Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia became the latest royalty to go into self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, the palace said. In Europe, where many countries have imposed sweeping shutdowns in recent weeks, ski holidays were fast becoming the latest victims of the pandemic. Germany said Wednesday that it would extend its virus curbs until 2021 and plans to seek a deal with European partners to close ski slopes until January 10. Infected tourists at European ski resorts were a major source of virus spread around the hard-hit continent earlier this year. The statement from Chancellor Angela Merkel dovetailed with French plans announced one day earlier to shutter ski resorts through the year’s end. “I will say this openly that it won’t be easy, but we will try,” Mrs Merkel said. The move put Berlin and Paris on a collision course with resort operators and holiday hotspot Austria ahead of the crucial Christmas season. In non-EU member Switzerland, however, ski resorts are open — although police have been spotted patrolling to ensure that skiers respect anti-COVID measures such as wearing masks and social distancing. While the UK and France are talking about easing their lockdown measures soon, Russia is still resisting stay-at-home orders despite registering record infections and deaths from the virus Thursday. In the poor Balkan region, soaring rates of infection are stretching already weak healthcare systems, but governments are hesitant to inflict any further economic damage with harsh measures. Countries who have had strong success against the virus are also cracking down on new outbreaks. South Korea closed bars and nightclubs this week as it braces for a third major wave, with virus cases at their highest level since March. And New Zealand was tackling a cluster of six COVID-19 positive players of Pakistan’s visiting cricket squad. ECONOMIC FALLOUT Positive news on the vaccine front has fuelled hope in financial markets, with most stocks rising on Thursday (local time). But traders are still moving cautiously, with an eye on the growing infection rates that are forcing governments to impose containment measures. Britain is expected to see its greatest annual slump in more than three centuries, with the government forecasting the economy will shrink 11.3 per cent on coronavirus fallout. And a fresh batch of data out of the US underlined the immediate impact of the disease and the long road ahead for economies. Official figures showed applications for jobless aid rose for a second straight week as bar and restaurant closures in major cities hit businesses. The US entertainment giant Disney announced on Thursday it will cut 32,000 jobs in 2021, primarily from its US theme parks division, due to the pandemic. The move comes on the heels of Disney’s US$4.7 billion ($A6.3 billion) loss in the most recent quarter, which reflected the hit to its theme park business and the derailment or postponement of major movie releases. GOVT PLANS TO SKIP HOTEL QUARANTINE The Australian federal government is planning a scheme to allow anyone arriving in Australia to be able to skip hotel quarantine — if they can prove they have been vaccinated against coronavirus. Australians and tourists alike would be required to show they had received an approved jab, likely through an internationally recognised certificated attached to their passport. The scheme will only be introduced once doses are widely available across the world, which could be as soon as March. Prim Minister Scott Morrison said he believed it would be an “incentive” for people to get the jab. “When there’s been yellow fever and things like that, there’s a requirement that people are vaccinated and if they’re not, there’s been a requirement to quarantine on entry to Australia,” the Prime Minister said on Wednesday. “Where people have the choice of two weeks quarantine or being vaccinated, I think that will be an incentive, unless there’s a genuine medical reason why.” Mr Morrison said there were still issues to work through before they could introduce such an initiative, including a successful rollout of a vaccine. People with valid medical reasons preventing them from being vaccinated would be exempt from the scheme. Earlier this week, Qantas announced it will require passengers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they are allowed onto international flights. Chief executive Alan Joyce said he was also considering the measure for domestic flights. Health Minister Greg Hunt said a final decision had not yet been made but vaccination will likely be the only way people are able to avoid quarantine. “We would expect that people coming to Australia while COVID-19 is a significant disease in the world will either be vaccinated or they will isolate,” Mr Hunt said. “The likely course of events during 2021 is if somebody comes to Australia and a vaccine is widely available, either they’ll be vaccinated with verification or they’ll have to quarantine.” The World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations (IHR) would need to be amended to include COVID-19 as a disease for which countries may require proof of vaccination upon entry before it is introduced. – with Jack Paynter, Ellen Ransley, Emily Cosenza, AFP