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Coronavirus Australia latest: at a glance

Ben Doherty
·5-min read
<span>Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Good evening, here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in Australia. This is Ben Doherty and it is Tuesday 26 May.

Six Covid-19 cases detected on board a ship in WA and two in Sydney schools

Coronavirus has been detected on board a live export ship in Western Australia and forced two schools to close in Sydney, sparking fresh warnings of further outbreaks.

Six members of Al Kuwait’s 48 crew have tested positive for the disease after the ship docked at Fremantle port on Friday.

Related: Two schools in Sydney's east closed after students test positive for Covid-19

Two independent schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which had been a virus hotspot in the early stages of the pandemic’s spread in Australia, were closed on Tuesday after a student at each tested positive.

Waverley College and Moriah College – less than 2km from each other – sent students home a day after state schools reopened across New South Wales.

Australian active cases remain under 500

Australia has recorded 7,133 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 15 new cases confirmed on Tuesday.

There are 478 active cases of coronavirus across the country, and 102 people have died.

Globally, the number of infections is approaching 5.5 million, and 346,000 people have died, nearly 100,000 of those in the United States.

Around the grounds ...

In Western Australia, after six cases of Covid-19 were confirmed aboard Al Kuwait, the premier, Mark McGowan, said he was concerned federal agriculture officials were aware crew members had a fever but allowed the ship to anchor without telling state authorities.

The state’s health minister, Roger Cook, said the incident highlighted the ongoing risks of the virus.

“We expect to see clusters of the virus continue to pop up. This is another reason why our hard border must stay for now.”

In Queensland, a Ruby Princess passenger has tested positive more than two months after leaving the notorious cruise ship.

And the state’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has maintained her uncompromising line on state border closures despite pressure from the federal government and tourism operators.

In Victoria, a Melbourne teacher was confirmed to have coronavirus on Friday before 400,000 public school students returned on Tuesday.

The teacher, one of 17,500 staff tested before Victoria’s staggered reopening of primary and secondary schools, had not been at the school where he taught. Five new cases were reported in Victoria, three of which were travellers recently returned from overseas in hotel quarantine.

The Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, has indicated borders will reopen within 60 days to kickstart tourism.

And Tasmania will consider easing restrictions ahead of schedule after the number of active cases in the state fell to eight.

The South Australian chief health officer, Nicola Spurrier, reported one new case of coronavirus in that state, from a woman in her 50s who had come into the state from Victoria. The woman had recently returned from overseas, and had been in quarantine in Melbourne. She was granted an exemption for family and compassionate reasons to fly to South Australia.

Four new cases were reported in NSW: two in school students (see above), and two in returned travellers quarantined in hotels.

And pubs are back open in the ACT, with strict social distancing measures in place, and limits of 20 people in a single room or space (but some larger venues will be able to accommodate up to 150 people).

NRL’s fan proposal ‘absurd and dangerous’, doctors say

The NRL’s ambitious push to get crowds back into stadiums on match days in a matter of weeks has been dismissed as “absurd and dangerous” by the Australian Medical Association.

With the NRL to resume its suspended 2020 season behind closed doors on Thursday, the ARLC chairman, Peter V’landys, on Monday raised the idea of a limited number of fans being allowed back into stadiums by 1 July.

“Put bluntly, this absurd and dangerous idea belongs in the sin bin,” the AMA president, Tony Bartone, said.

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In economic news …

The prime minister, Scott Morrision, wants to ditch Australia’s “clunky and unresponsive” training system as part of his government’s jobmaker employment reform plans to be unveiled after the pandemic.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Morrison said the Coalition would not pursue union-busting legislation as a sign of good faith, as he seeks to encourage business and unions to join a four-month Accord-style negotiation for widespread industrial relations reform.

The Australian share market jumped to an 11-week high amid global optimism at a world economy gradually reopening.

The benchmark ASX 200 index ended the day 2.9% higher at 5,780 points – its highest level since March 10. The market has gained 5.15% in two days.

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