Qantas Flies A380 Nonstop From Australia To London - One Mile at a Time

This is more a cool aviation geek story than anything that’s actually significant (which I kinda feel is what we all need at this point).

In this post:

Qantas ending all international flying

As we recently learned, Qantas will be suspending all international flying in a few days, before the end of March. This comes as Australia has added strict measures on people entering the country, making it tough for the airline to continue international operations.

Challenges with Qantas’ Sydney To Singapore to London flight

One of Qantas’ flagship routes is their flight from Sydney to Singapore to London, which is scheduled to operate westbound through March 26, and eastbound through March 27.

The Sydney to London route can’t be operated nonstop, so Singapore is chosen as the stopover point. The airline has fifth freedom rights on the flight, meaning passengers can choose to fly just a segment of that as well (including from Singapore to London).

Well, the airline has just run into a major hurdle — Singapore is no longer allowing transit passengers. That means the airline can no longer fly from Sydney to Singapore to London with transit passengers, which kind of eliminates the point of using Singapore as a stopover.

Singapore Changi is no longer allowing transit passengers

Qantas now operating London flights via Darwin

Qantas has gotten creative, as noted by Executive Traveller — for the last few days the flight is offered, QF1 and QF2 will operate via Darwin rather than Singapore. Suffice to say that’s the first time Darwin has seen scheduled A380 service, let alone an A380 nonstop to Europe.

For that matter, I think this may be the first ever nonstop A380 passenger flight from Australia to London?

With this, the Sydney to Darwin flight covers a distance of 1,957 miles, and the Darwin to London flight covers a distance of 8,620 miles. That long haul flight is just ~40 miles longer than Qantas’ normal longest A380 route, between Sydney and Dallas.

Why the Darwin stopover?

• Since Darwin is in northern Australia, it’s the closest major Australian airport to London
• This is pretty much as direct as you can fly from Sydney to London — a nonstop Sydney to London flight would cover 10,573 miles, while this routing is just four miles longer
• By keeping this a domestic flight, the airline won’t deal with the ever-changing immigration and transit policies of other countries

Qantas is flying the A380 nonstop from Darwin to London

The airline is purely using Darwin for refueling, so you can’t book the A380 between Sydney and Darwin, or between Darwin and London.

The flight is operated with the following schedule:

QF1 Sydney to Darwin departing 5:00PM arriving 9:15PM
QF1 Darwin to London departing 11:00PM arriving 6:15AM (+1 day)

QF2 London to Darwin departing 10:05PM arriving 11:45M (+1 day)
QF2 Darwin to Sydney departing 1:15AM arriving 7:00AM

Qantas A380 first class

Bottom line

For the next couple of days Qantas will operate their QF1 & QF2 service via Darwin rather than Singapore. After that Qantas will be cutting all international routes.

As I said above, this ultimately isn’t that significant, though as an aviation geek it sure is cool to see an A380 flying nonstop from Australia to London.

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2020-03-24 13:47:40Z
CBMiOGh0dHBzOi8vb25lbWlsZWF0YXRpbWUuY29tL3FhbnRhcy1hMzgwLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1sb25kb24v0gEA

Australian woman finds huge Burmese python on her porch - CNN

However, one woman was still shocked to find a 4.5-meter (14.8-foot) albino Burmese python on her front porch in Oxenford, Queensland, on Monday.

The 50-kilogram (110-pound) snake was large enough to eat a dog, and removing the animal required the specialist skills of snake catcher Tony Harrison.

Harrison told CNN the snake is the biggest he has seen in more than 20,000 call outs since he started his business in 1994.

The unfortunate woman who found the snake was so taken aback she was still shaking when Harrison left her property, he said, but the snake catcher soon realized the huge reptile was docile.

"It's been kept in captivity its whole life," he said, describing it as a "gentle giant" and a "pussycat."

When Harrison picked his son Jensen up from school he took him to see the massive snake in his truck and took photos of them both holding it.

Burmese pythons are illegal in Australia and this one must have escaped from its enclosure, Harrison said, adding that he has only found two of these sorts of snakes during his long career.

The first was just a meter long (3.3 feet) and about as thick as a human wrist, while this was one more than four times as long and "as thick as your leg," he said.

The snakes pose a big threat to biosecurity if they escape, and this one was easily big enough to eat dogs and cats, said Harrison.

It was missing its tail and was covered in scars, he added.

Harrison later handed the snake over to local authorities, and told CNN it has already been put down.

Harrison documents his work on his Facebook page "Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher," posting photos and videos of the snake relocations he carries out.

In December a Brisbane woman found a 10-foot python wrapped around her Christmas tree on her balcony.

Instead of calling in a snake catcher, the woman and her partner left the python to its own devices and it eventually slithered away.

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2020-03-24 13:45:00Z
52780684813370

Qantas Flies A380 Nonstop From Australia To London - One Mile at a Time

This is more a cool aviation geek story than anything that’s actually significant (which I kinda feel is what we all need at this point).

In this post:

Qantas ending all international flying

As we recently learned, Qantas will be suspending all international flying in a few days, before the end of March. This comes as Australia has added strict measures on people entering the country, making it tough for the airline to continue international operations.

Challenges with Qantas’ Sydney To Singapore to London flight

One of Qantas’ flagship routes is their flight from Sydney to Singapore to London, which is scheduled to operate westbound through March 26, and eastbound through March 27.

The Sydney to London route can’t be operated nonstop, so Singapore is chosen as the stopover point. The airline has fifth freedom rights on the flight, meaning passengers can choose to fly just a segment of that as well (including from Singapore to London).

Well, the airline has just run into a major hurdle — Singapore is no longer allowing transit passengers. That means the airline can no longer fly from Sydney to Singapore to London with transit passengers, which kind of eliminates the point of using Singapore as a stopover.

Singapore Changi is no longer allowing transit passengers

Qantas now operating London flights via Darwin

Qantas has gotten creative, as noted by Executive Traveller — for the last few days the flight is offered, QF1 and QF2 will operate via Darwin rather than Singapore. Suffice to say that’s the first time Darwin has seen scheduled A380 service, let alone an A380 nonstop to Europe.

For that matter, I think this may be the first ever nonstop A380 passenger flight from Australia to London?

With this, the Sydney to Darwin flight covers a distance of 1,957 miles, and the Darwin to London flight covers a distance of 8,620 miles. That long haul flight is just ~40 miles longer than Qantas’ normal longest A380 route, between Sydney and Dallas.

Why the Darwin stopover?

• Since Darwin is in northern Australia, it’s the closest major Australian airport to London
• This is pretty much as direct as you can fly from Sydney to London — a nonstop Sydney to London flight would cover 10,573 miles, while this routing is just four miles longer
• By keeping this a domestic flight, the airline won’t deal with the ever-changing immigration and transit policies of other countries

Qantas is flying the A380 nonstop from Darwin to London

The airline is purely using Darwin for refueling, so you can’t book the A380 between Sydney and Darwin, or between Darwin and London.

The flight is operated with the following schedule:

QF1 Sydney to Darwin departing 5:00PM arriving 9:15PM
QF1 Darwin to London departing 11:00PM arriving 6:15AM (+1 day)

QF2 London to Darwin departing 10:05PM arriving 11:45M (+1 day)
QF2 Darwin to Sydney departing 1:15AM arriving 7:00AM

Qantas A380 first class

Bottom line

For the next couple of days Qantas will operate their QF1 & QF2 service via Darwin rather than Singapore. After that Qantas will be cutting all international routes.

As I said above, this ultimately isn’t that significant, though as an aviation geek it sure is cool to see an A380 flying nonstop from Australia to London.

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2020-03-24 12:08:45Z
CBMiOGh0dHBzOi8vb25lbWlsZWF0YXRpbWUuY29tL3FhbnRhcy1hMzgwLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1sb25kb24v0gEA

Australian woman finds huge Burmese python on her porch - CNN

However, one woman was still shocked to find a 4.5-meter (14.8-foot) albino Burmese python on her front porch in Oxenford, Queensland, on Monday.

The 50-kilogram (110-pound) snake was large enough to eat a dog, and removing the animal required the specialist skills of snake catcher Tony Harrison.

Harrison told CNN the snake is the biggest he has seen in more than 20,000 call outs since he started his business in 1994.

The unfortunate woman who found the snake was so taken aback she was still shaking when Harrison left her property, he said, but the snake catcher soon realized the huge reptile was docile.

"It's been kept in captivity its whole life," he said, describing it as a "gentle giant" and a "pussycat."

When Harrison picked his son Jensen up from school he took him to see the massive snake in his truck and took photos of them both holding it.

Burmese pythons are illegal in Australia and this one must have escaped from its enclosure, Harrison said, adding that he has only found two of these sorts of snakes during his long career.

The first was just a meter long (3.3 feet) and about as thick as a human wrist, while this was one more than four times as long and "as thick as your leg," he said.

The snakes pose a big threat to biosecurity if they escape, and this one was easily big enough to eat dogs and cats, said Harrison.

It was missing its tail and was covered in scars, he added.

Harrison later handed the snake over to local authorities, and told CNN it has already been put down.

Harrison documents his work on his Facebook page "Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher," posting photos and videos of the snake relocations he carries out.

In December a Brisbane woman found a 10-foot python wrapped around her Christmas tree on her balcony.

Instead of calling in a snake catcher, the woman and her partner left the python to its own devices and it eventually slithered away.

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2020-03-24 13:21:39Z
52780684813370

Coronavirus: How did Australia's Ruby Princess cruise debacle happen? - BBC News

On Thursday, the Ruby Princess cruise ship docked in Sydney with dozens of undiagnosed coronavirus cases onboard.

Almost 2,700 passengers - some coughing and spluttering - were allowed to leave the ship at Sydney Harbour, catching trains, buses and even overseas flights to get home.

More than 130 people from the cruise have now tested positive, making it the biggest single source of infections in Australia. One passenger died in hospital on Tuesday.

The saga has caused much anger: why was the ship allowed to dock and unload people?

What passengers were told

Passengers have vented their anger over how the situation was handled by ship operator Princess Cruises and Australian authorities.

Elisa McCafferty, an Australian woman who flew home to London with her husband immediately after disembarking, told the BBC: "Nothing was said at anytime about anyone being sick onboard. It was a distinct lack of information coming through from Princess the entire time."

She only learned of the danger while collecting her bags at Heathrow Airport.

"I turned on my phone and I started getting all these notifications from people back in Australia saying 'there's been confirmed cases on the Ruby,'" she said.

"And I was just absolutely petrified. We had just been on two full flights - what if we had infected someone?"

She said she now had a dry cough, fever, body aches and fatigue - and they were self-isolating at home. They were also concerned about their elderly parents and friends who were on the trip too.

Other passengers recalled coming into contact with sick people on the boat and said there were no warnings.

"I think that they let us down," said Bill Beerens, a Sydney man who tested positive for the virus in hospital on the day he disembarked.

"I do honestly believe that they [cruise ship management] knew what was going on and they just wanted us off the boat," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Elderly couple Rona and Michael Doubrin said they had symptoms towards the end of the cruise but had not been concerned, because they had not been told to practice social distancing.

"People were going down to the pool, we were lying in the sun, eating in the dining room, dancing, seeing shows," Ms Doubrin told Daily Mail Australia.

"We would have isolated ourselves in the cabin if we'd known. We're not spring chickens - we're high risk."

What happened in Sydney?

After an 11-day voyage, the ship returned to the city before dawn, cutting short its final New Zealand leg as the nation announced a travel ban.

At the time, according to NSW Health, about a dozen passengers reported feeling unwell and they had swabs taken for Covid-19. An ambulance took a passenger to hospital. (The woman, aged in her 70s, died on Tuesday, authorities said.)

But other passengers on board weren't told of this. Instead, thousands streamed off the boat at Circular Quay, just across from the Sydney Opera House. The bustling area leads directly into the city centre, with transit links to the airport and outer suburbs.

Five days earlier, Australia began ordering anyone returning from overseas to self-isolate for 14 days - a directive which applied to the cruise passengers.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

But the Ruby Princess passengers weren't screened and were unmonitored when they left the ship. About a third were international passengers - they were told they could travel overseas immediately or self-isolate in Sydney for a fortnight.

"They even said, you can get a train home," said Ms McCafferty.

New South Wales health officials have said they followed national guidelines which allow passengers to disembark if the route is considered "low risk". The Ruby Princess was given that status because it had been to New Zealand only.

One day after the ship docked, officials revealed the first cases of Covid-19 confirmed in three people who had been on board - two passengers and a crew member.

It prompted a scramble to track down everyone else who had been on board.

And at least 21 of the 48 people who had tested positive by Monday were found in other Australian states. By Tuesday, the total number of cases linked to the ship had climbed to 133.

How did this happen?

It is hardly the first cruise ship to see infections - the Diamond Princess, also operated by Princess Cruises, drew global focus in February. Its passengers were quarantined for almost a month off the coast of Japan before being repatriated. More than 600 cases were linked to the ship.

Governments at Australia's state and federal level have pointed blame at each other. Princess Cruises has said it followed official guidelines.

On Saturday, The Australian newspaper reported that the ship had logged 158 ill passengers on its previous voyage to New Zealand. Nine people were tested upon arrival in Sydney on 8 March - and their tests results came back negative. However, two passengers from that journey were found to have tested positive after flying home to Darwin.

NSW port and health authorities declined to reply to BBC questions about these reports.

What have authorities said?

On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the mistake as the responsibility of state officials.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday: "With the benefit of what we now know... I'd have said 'yeah, maybe we should hold them on the ship.'"

But he rejected Canberra's accusations that state officials had not properly checked cruise ships upon entry.

"New South Wales is actually going over and above what the national guidelines are," said Mr Hazzard.

State health officials stressed they had run assessments "well beyond federal requirements" for 63 ships which have entered the harbour since mid-February.

Others noted that while Canberra had enacted a ban on cruise ships arriving, it had allowed four including the Ruby Princess to be exempt.

Four other cruise ships into Sydney have been linked to confirmed Covid-19 cases. The Ovation of the Seas ship, which docked in Sydney a day before the Ruby Princess, has seen five positive tests.

Health officials say infected patients are in self-isolation or in hospital. All passengers have been told to quarantine themselves.

In the wake of the Ruby Princess bungle, Western Australia on Monday questioned where it would allow a cruise ship to dock there. The European ship Magnifica is carrying 1,700 passengers - about 250 of whom are reported to have respiratory illnesses.

It was allowed to dock on Tuesday to refuel, but all on board were banned from disembarking.

Premier Mark McGowan had stressed: "I will not allow what happened in Sydney to happen here."

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2020-03-24 08:58:30Z
52780677383412

Qantas Flies A380 Nonstop From Australia To London - One Mile at a Time

This is more a cool aviation geek story than anything that’s actually significant (which I kinda feel is what we all need at this point).

In this post:

Qantas ending all international flying

As we recently learned, Qantas will be suspending all international flying in a few days, before the end of March. This comes as Australia has added strict measures on people entering the country, making it tough for the airline to continue international operations.

Challenges with Qantas’ Sydney To Singapore to London flight

One of Qantas’ flagship routes is their flight from Sydney to Singapore to London, which is scheduled to operate westbound through March 26, and eastbound through March 27.

The Sydney to London route can’t be operated nonstop, so Singapore is chosen as the stopover point. The airline has fifth freedom rights on the flight, meaning passengers can choose to fly just a segment of that as well (including from Singapore to London).

Well, the airline has just run into a major hurdle — Singapore is no longer allowing transit passengers. That means the airline can no longer fly from Sydney to Singapore to London with transit passengers, which kind of eliminates the point of using Singapore as a stopover.

Singapore Changi is no longer allowing transit passengers

Qantas now operating London flights via Darwin

Qantas has gotten creative, as noted by Executive Traveller — for the last few days the flight is offered, QF1 and QF2 will operate via Darwin rather than Singapore. Suffice to say that’s the first time Darwin has seen scheduled A380 service, let alone an A380 nonstop to Europe.

For that matter, I think this may be the first ever nonstop A380 passenger flight from Australia to London?

With this, the Sydney to Darwin flight covers a distance of 1,957 miles, and the Darwin to London flight covers a distance of 8,620 miles. That long haul flight is just ~40 miles longer than Qantas’ normal longest A380 route, between Sydney and Dallas.

Why the Darwin stopover?

• Since Darwin is in northern Australia, it’s the closest major Australian airport to London
• This is pretty much as direct as you can fly from Sydney to London — a nonstop Sydney to London flight would cover 10,573 miles, while this routing is just four miles longer
• By keeping this a domestic flight, the airline won’t deal with the ever-changing immigration and transit policies of other countries

Qantas is flying the A380 nonstop from Darwin to London

The airline is purely using Darwin for refueling, so you can’t book the A380 between Sydney and Darwin, or between Darwin and London.

The flight is operated with the following schedule:

QF1 Sydney to Darwin departing 5:00PM arriving 9:15PM
QF1 Darwin to London departing 11:00PM arriving 6:15AM (+1 day)

QF2 London to Darwin departing 10:05PM arriving 11:45M (+1 day)
QF2 Darwin to Sydney departing 1:15AM arriving 7:00AM

Qantas A380 first class

Bottom line

For the next couple of days Qantas will operate their QF1 & QF2 service via Darwin rather than Singapore. After that Qantas will be cutting all international routes.

As I said above, this ultimately isn’t that significant, though as an aviation geek it sure is cool to see an A380 flying nonstop from Australia to London.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

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2020-03-24 10:52:47Z
CBMiOGh0dHBzOi8vb25lbWlsZWF0YXRpbWUuY29tL3FhbnRhcy1hMzgwLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1sb25kb24v0gEA

Coronavirus: How did Australia's Ruby Princess cruise debacle happen? - BBC News

On Thursday, the Ruby Princess cruise ship docked in Sydney with dozens of undiagnosed coronavirus cases onboard.

Almost 2,700 passengers - some coughing and spluttering - were allowed to leave the ship at Sydney Harbour, catching trains, buses and even overseas flights to get home.

More than 130 people from the cruise have now tested positive, making it the biggest single source of infections in Australia. One passenger died in hospital on Tuesday.

The saga has caused much anger: why was the ship allowed to dock and unload people?

What passengers were told

Passengers have vented their anger over how the situation was handled by ship operator Princess Cruises and Australian authorities.

Elisa McCafferty, an Australian woman who flew home to London with her husband immediately after disembarking, told the BBC: "Nothing was said at anytime about anyone being sick onboard. It was a distinct lack of information coming through from Princess the entire time."

She only learned of the danger while collecting her bags at Heathrow Airport.

"I turned on my phone and I started getting all these notifications from people back in Australia saying 'there's been confirmed cases on the Ruby,'" she said.

"And I was just absolutely petrified. We had just been on two full flights - what if we had infected someone?"

She said she now had a dry cough, fever, body aches and fatigue - and they were self-isolating at home. They were also concerned about their elderly parents and friends who were on the trip too.

Other passengers recalled coming into contact with sick people on the boat and said there were no warnings.

"I think that they let us down," said Bill Beerens, a Sydney man who tested positive for the virus in hospital on the day he disembarked.

"I do honestly believe that they [cruise ship management] knew what was going on and they just wanted us off the boat," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Elderly couple Rona and Michael Doubrin said they had symptoms towards the end of the cruise but had not been concerned, because they had not been told to practice social distancing.

"People were going down to the pool, we were lying in the sun, eating in the dining room, dancing, seeing shows," Ms Doubrin told Daily Mail Australia.

"We would have isolated ourselves in the cabin if we'd known. We're not spring chickens - we're high risk."

What happened in Sydney?

After an 11-day voyage, the ship returned to the city before dawn, cutting short its final New Zealand leg as the nation announced a travel ban.

At the time, according to NSW Health, about a dozen passengers reported feeling unwell and they had swabs taken for Covid-19. An ambulance took a passenger to hospital. (The woman, aged in her 70s, died on Tuesday, authorities said.)

But other passengers on board weren't told of this. Instead, thousands streamed off the boat at Circular Quay, just across from the Sydney Opera House. The bustling area leads directly into the city centre, with transit links to the airport and outer suburbs.

Five days earlier, Australia began ordering anyone returning from overseas to self-isolate for 14 days - a directive which applied to the cruise passengers.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

But the Ruby Princess passengers weren't screened and were unmonitored when they left the ship. About a third were international passengers - they were told they could travel overseas immediately or self-isolate in Sydney for a fortnight.

"They even said, you can get a train home," said Ms McCafferty.

New South Wales health officials have said they followed national guidelines which allow passengers to disembark if the route is considered "low risk". The Ruby Princess was given that status because it had been to New Zealand only.

One day after the ship docked, officials revealed the first cases of Covid-19 confirmed in three people who had been on board - two passengers and a crew member.

It prompted a scramble to track down everyone else who had been on board.

And at least 21 of the 48 people who had tested positive by Monday were found in other Australian states. By Tuesday, the total number of cases linked to the ship had climbed to 133.

How did this happen?

It is hardly the first cruise ship to see infections - the Diamond Princess, also operated by Princess Cruises, drew global focus in February. Its passengers were quarantined for almost a month off the coast of Japan before being repatriated. More than 600 cases were linked to the ship.

Governments at Australia's state and federal level have pointed blame at each other. Princess Cruises has said it followed official guidelines.

On Saturday, The Australian newspaper reported that the ship had logged 158 ill passengers on its previous voyage to New Zealand. Nine people were tested upon arrival in Sydney on 8 March - and their tests results came back negative. However, two passengers from that journey were found to have tested positive after flying home to Darwin.

NSW port and health authorities declined to reply to BBC questions about these reports.

What have authorities said?

On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the mistake as the responsibility of state officials.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday: "With the benefit of what we now know... I'd have said 'yeah, maybe we should hold them on the ship.'"

But he rejected Canberra's accusations that state officials had not properly checked cruise ships upon entry.

"New South Wales is actually going over and above what the national guidelines are," said Mr Hazzard.

State health officials stressed they had run assessments "well beyond federal requirements" for 63 ships which have entered the harbour since mid-February.

Others noted that while Canberra had enacted a ban on cruise ships arriving, it had allowed four including the Ruby Princess to be exempt.

Four other cruise ships into Sydney have been linked to confirmed Covid-19 cases. The Ovation of the Seas ship, which docked in Sydney a day before the Ruby Princess, has seen five positive tests.

Health officials say infected patients are in self-isolation or in hospital. All passengers have been told to quarantine themselves.

In the wake of the Ruby Princess bungle, Western Australia on Monday questioned where it would allow a cruise ship to dock there. The European ship Magnifica is carrying 1,700 passengers - about 250 of whom are reported to have respiratory illnesses.

It was allowed to dock on Tuesday to refuel, but all on board were banned from disembarking.

Premier Mark McGowan had stressed: "I will not allow what happened in Sydney to happen here."

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2020-03-24 07:58:17Z
52780677383412

Australia’s Unemployment to Soar to 11.1%: Westpac’s Evans - Bloomberg

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Australia’s Unemployment to Soar to 11.1%: Westpac’s Evans  BloombergView Full Coverage on Google News
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJsb29tYmVyZy5jb20vbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy8yMDIwLTAzLTI0L2F1c3RyYWxpYS11bmVtcGxveW1lbnQtdG8tc29hci10by0xMS0xLWJ5LWp1bmUtd2VzdHBhYy1zLWV2YW5z0gF1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmxvb21iZXJnLmNvbS9hbXAvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlcy8yMDIwLTAzLTI0L2F1c3RyYWxpYS11bmVtcGxveW1lbnQtdG8tc29hci10by0xMS0xLWJ5LWp1bmUtd2VzdHBhYy1zLWV2YW5z?oc=5

2020-03-24 07:30:55Z
CAIiEFuIMoQ2DvCtU-gYHClEL-sqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow4uzwCjCF3bsCMIrOrwM

Australia’s Unemployment to Soar to 11.1%: Westpac’s Evans - Bloomberg

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Australia’s Unemployment to Soar to 11.1%: Westpac’s Evans  BloombergView Full Coverage on Google News
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2020-03-24 06:40:38Z
CAIiEFuIMoQ2DvCtU-gYHClEL-sqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow4uzwCjCF3bsCMIrOrwM

Coronavirus: How did Australia's Ruby Princess cruise debacle happen? - BBC News

On Thursday, the Ruby Princess cruise ship docked in Sydney with dozens of undiagnosed coronavirus cases onboard.

Almost 2,700 passengers - some coughing and spluttering - were allowed to leave the ship at Sydney Harbour, catching trains, buses and even overseas flights to get home.

At least 48 people who have tested positive have now been traced to the cruise, making it the biggest single source of infections in Australia.

It's caused much anger: why was the ship allowed to dock and unload people?

What passengers were told

Passengers who were later confirmed to have the virus have vented their anger over how the situation was handled by ship operator Princess Cruises and Australian authorities.

Some recalled coming into contact with sick people onboard the boat, but said they did not receive warnings.

"I think that they let us down," said Bill Beerens, a Sydney man who tested positive for the virus in hospital on the day he disembarked.

"I do honestly believe that they [cruise ship management] knew what was going on and they just wanted us off the boat," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr Beerens believes he caught the virus from a fellow passenger.

Elderly couple Rona and Michael Doubrin said they had symptoms towards the end of the cruise but had not been concerned, because they had not been told to practice social distancing.

"People were going down to the pool, we were lying in the sun, eating in the dining room, dancing, seeing shows," Ms Doubrin told Daily Mail Australia.

"We would have isolated ourselves in the cabin if we'd known. We're not spring chickens - we're high risk."

What happened in Sydney?

The ship returned to the city before dawn, cutting short its final New Zealand leg as the nation announced a travel ban.

About a dozen passengers reported feeling unwell on board, and had swabs taken for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, other passengers disembarked at Circular Quay, just across from the Sydney Opera House. The bustling area leads directly into the city centre, with transit links to the airport and outer suburbs.

Five days earlier, Australia began ordering anyone returning from overseas to self-isolate for 14 days - a directive which applied so the cruise passengers. But they were untested and unmonitored when they were left the ship.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

New South Wales health officials have said they followed national guidelines which allow passengers to disembark if the route is considered "low risk". The Ruby Princess was given that status because it had been to New Zealand only.

One day after the ship docked, the first cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in three people who had been on board - two passengers and a crew member.

It prompted a scramble to track down the thousands of others who had been on board.

Twenty-one of the 48 people had tested positive by Monday had already travelled to other Australian states.

How did this happen?

It is hardly the first cruise ship to see infections - the Diamond Princess, also operated by Princess Cruises, drew global focus in February. Its passengers were quarantined for almost a month off the coast of Japan before being repatriated.

Governments at Australia's state and federal level have pointed blame at each other. Princess Cruises has said it followed official guidelines.

On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison again described the mistake as the responsibility of state officials.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday: "With the benefit of what we now know... I'd have said 'yeah, maybe we should hold them on the ship.'"

But he rejected Canberra's accusations that state officials had not properly checked cruise ships upon entry.

"New South Wales is actually going over and above what the national guidelines are," said Mr Hazzard.

State officials stressed they had run assessments "well beyond federal requirements" for 63 ships which have entered the harbour since mid-February.

Others noted that while Canberra had enacted a ban on cruise ships arriving, it had allowed four including the Ruby Princess to be exempt.

Four other cruise ship into Sydney have been linked to confirmed Covid-19 cases. The Ovation of the Seas ship, which docked in Sydney a day before the Ruby Princess, has seen five positive tests.

Infected patients are in self-isolation or in hospital. All passengers have been told to quarantine themselves.

In the wake of the Ruby Princess bungle, Western Australia has said it is now considering whether to a cruise ship to dock there. The European ship Magnifica is carrying 1,700 passengers - about 250 of whom are reported to have respiratory illnesses.

A decision was due on later on Monday, after Premier Mark McGowan stressed: "I will not allow what happened in Sydney to happen here."

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2020-03-23 16:54:46Z
52780677383412

Canada, Australia withdraw from Tokyo 2020 as organizers ponder postponement - CNBC

The Olympic Rings pictured in front of the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne on March 22, 2020.

Fabrice Coffrini | AFP | Getty Images

Canada and Australia said they would not be sending athletes to the Tokyo Olympics if the Games went ahead as scheduled this year as pressure on organizers to postpone because of the coronavirus pandemic reached fever pitch on Monday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government had on Sunday and Monday slightly shifted their position that the Games would start as planned on July 24, announcing a month-long consultation over other "scenarios".

That was not sufficient for the Canadians or Australians, who said they would not be participating if the Games were not pushed back to 2021.

Canada's Olympic Committee (COC) and Paralympic Committee (CPC) released a statement saying that while they recognized the complexities of a postponement, "nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community".

Martin Richard, communications chief for the CPC, said the Canadians had been hoping for a decision on Sunday and decided to withdraw when none came.

"The world is facing a crisis and this is more important than any other sport event," he told Reuters from Ottawa.

Richard said for Paralympic athletes, some of whom had underlying conditions, it would be risky to expose them if the virus was not contained.

"We felt it was unethical to have them be put in that position," he said, adding that Canada had had not been alone in applying pressure on the IOC to postpone.

More than 14,600 people have died globally since the coronavirus outbreak began and containment measures have severely hampered the ability of some athletes to prepare for the Games.

While many Canadian athletes and officials welcomed the COC's move, some were not happy.

"I believe in the safety of our lives but this is premature," Sage Watson, the reigning Pan American champion in the 400 meters hurdles, tweeted. 

Soon after the Canadian statement, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said it had told its athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Games taking place in 2021. 

"The AOC (Executive Board) unanimously agreed that an Australian team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad," read the statement.

"The AOC believes our athletes now need to prioritize their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families, in discussion with their national federations."

Rising pressure 

The announcements followed a weekend in which major stakeholders such as U.S. Track and Field and UK Athletics, along with some national Olympic committees, had called for a delay because of the pandemic.

The IOC responded on Sunday with a statement that promised discussions in the next four weeks over scenarios that would include an option of putting back the July start date, or even moving the Games back by a year or more.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe followed suit early on Monday by telling parliament that postponement may be considered if holding the Games in its "complete form" became impossible.

"If that becomes difficult, we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games, given the Olympic principle of putting the health of athletes first," he said. 

Abe also said calling off the Games entirely was not an option, echoing the IOC position in its statement that cancellation "was not on the agenda".

Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori later echoed the same sentiments and admitted he was becoming frustrated by some of the criticism of organizers.

"I'm not so foolish as to assume that athletes and everyone else involved in the Olympics would come to Tokyo amid the global coronavirus crisis, even if we were to push forward with holding it as planned," he told reporters on Monday.

The Olympic torch relay – due to start on Thursday – would go ahead as planned for now, even though that schedule was also open to change, organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said at the same news conference.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), who said they would not be commenting on Canada's decision on Sunday, had earlier welcomed the IOC's new position but said more clarity was needed to remove "enormous ambiguity" for athletes.

The Olympics have never been postponed or cancelled during peacetime but the IOC's decision to consider postponement was met with relief from several other major stakeholders, including World Athletics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and major national Olympic committees. 

Canada's boycott will only add to the pressure for a quick decision, however.

"We welcome the IOC Executive Board decision to review the options in respect of a postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," British Olympic Association chairman Hugh Robertson said on Sunday. 

"However, we urge rapid decision-making for the sake of athletes who still face significant uncertainty."

The last major boycott of the Olympics was when the Soviet bloc stayed away from the 1984 Los Angeles Games, although North Korea and Cuba skipped the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

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2020-03-23 11:23:23Z
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COVID-19: Australia implements nationwide lockdown - Al Jazeera America

Australia is approaching a nationwide lockdown with drastic new measures brought in to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Multiple states have shut their borders and nonessential businesses across the nation are closing.

Al Jazeera's Nicola Gage reports from the capital, Canberra.

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2020-03-22 14:51:00Z
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Crowded Australian beaches prompt new restrictions to combat coronavirus - Fox News

Scenes of crowded beaches in defiance of social distancing guidelines have spurred Australian officials to take tougher steps to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Australia's prime minister has ordered a shutdown of all non-essential services as coronavirus cases spike in the country, according to a report Sunday.

Pubs, clubs, gyms, movie theaters and places of worship have been ordered to close as of midday Monday, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to take-out only, the BBC reports.

RACE FOR CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT SEES 2 GENERIC DRUGS TESTED

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the new restrictions after a national cabinet meeting.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 22: A beach closed sign on Manly Beach on March 22, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

The new measures come after large crowds gathered Saturday on Sydney's beaches. including world-famous Bondi Beach, flouting social distancing advice.

"What happened in Bondi was unacceptable, and the local council must take steps to stop that from occurring,” said Greg Hunt, Australia's health minister, according to Sky News.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE CORNAVIRUS COVERAGE 

Morrison said federal and state governments decided to act because Australians were not obeying health guidelines, according to the BBC.

But he added: "We are not putting in place lockdowns that put people in and confine them to their homes. That is not a measure that has been contemplated at this point."

Australia now has at least 1,315 coronavirus cases --  a number has risen sharply over the last few days.

AMID CORONAVIRUS PANIC, AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER PRINTS EXTRA PAGES BECAUSE OF TOILET PAPER SHORTAGE

New South Wales, home to Sydney, has the most cases with 533, the BBC reported. Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has 296 cases.

Morrison said he hopes to keep schools open, with parents having the option of keeping their children at home during the crisis.

"I don't want to see our children lose an entire year of their education," he said.

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2020-03-22 14:12:45Z
52780675945884

Coronavirus: Australia to close pubs, cafes and places of worship - BBC News

Australia is shutting down non-essential services as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country.

Pubs, clubs, gyms, cinemas and places of worship will be shut from midday on Monday, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to takeaway only.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the restrictions after a national cabinet meeting.

The number of cases in Australia has risen sharply in recent days, reaching 1,315.

New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, is the worst-affected state with 533 confirmed cases. Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has 296 cases, while Queensland has 259.

The new restrictions will see many businesses close but supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and home delivery services will continue running.

The prime minister said he wanted to keep schools open but parents would be able to keep their children at home if they wished to do so.

"I don't want to see our children lose an entire year of their education," he said.

Some states, including Victoria, have signalled that they want to close schools.

Seven people have died across Australia so far from Covid-19.

The new measures come after large crowds gathered on Sydney's beaches including Bondi on Saturday, flouting social distancing advice.

Mr Morrison said that the federal and state governments had decided to act because Australians were not obeying guidelines.

But he added: "We are not putting in place lockdowns that put people in and confine them to their homes.

"That is not a measure that has been contemplated at this point."

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said people, especially the young, had to realise that they needed to live "very differently" and stop going out in order to control the virus.

In other developments:

• The prime minister announced new stimulus measures to boost the economy
• South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory will close their borders from Tuesday. Under the new rules, anyone arriving will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days
• Tasmania, an island state, has already imposed similar travel restrictions
• The Australian Football League suspended its 2020 season, with no fixtures until at least 31 May. The women's league has also been halted
• In contrast, the National Rugby League says it will carry on with matches as planned

Australians' lethargy on social distancing

by BBC News reporter Frances Mao, in Sydney

Just hours after the impending shutdown was announced, I walked through an inner Sydney neighbourhood. It was a balmy Sunday evening and people were out at bars and restaurants perhaps unaware that this would be their last drink outside their homes for a while.

The measures are likely to hit Australians hard, and shock many out of the lethargy they've felt towards social distancing.

State restrictions had already ramped up this past week, as the case numbers doubled every few days. However, many Australians haven't been paying attention to the statistics.

Instead, discussion has often centred around disruption to daily life - the inconvenience and tedium of working from home; the panic buying at supermarkets. While some - closely attuned to the crisis in the US and Europe - have been vigilantly isolating, others have been resistant to the message "stay at home".

It's why a blast of late summer heat on Friday drew so many out to Bondi Beach - the social isolation mantra hasn't sunk in yet. There's been little public education campaigning, and the constantly changing messaging from the government hasn't helped.

It was only 10 days ago that the prime minister blithely said he'd still attend a rugby game, minutes after banning large gatherings outside. He later changed his decision. Australia had fewer than 200 cases then, it now has over 1,300.

What was in the financial package?

The prime minister earlier on Sunday announced a second stimulus package worth A$66bn, meaning the total financial package offered by the government and Reserve Bank now amounts to A$189bn (£94bn, $109bn).

Mr Morrison said financial support would be offered to those most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The measures include doubling income support for those on Jobseeker's allowance while waiving asset tests and waiting periods.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Grants of up to A$100,000 will be made available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Individuals affected by the coronavirus will be able to access up to A$10,000 of their pension during 2019 and 2020. They will be able to take a further A$10,000 the following year.

Australian airlines and airports will meanwhile be provided with up to A$715 million in support.

Mr Morrison stressed that the measures cover the next six months. "This is not a quick fix," he said. "This will not be my last visit to the podium. There will be more packages and more support."

What's happening in Asia?

Singapore has announced it will ban all short-term visitors under new coronavirus measures. Short-term visitors are also banned from transiting through Singapore. Only work pass holders who have healthcare and transport will be allowed to enter, along with their dependents.

The city state confirmed on Saturday that two people had died from Covid-19, the first virus related deaths in Singapore.

China reported 46 new cases, all but one brought in from other countries. The one domestic case was linked to a previous imported case, according to local authorities.

South Korea reported 98 new cases on Sunday. The figure suggests a downward trend in new cases. The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has now reached 8,897.

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2020-03-22 10:42:02Z
52780675945884

Coronavirus: Australia to close pubs, cafes and places of worship - BBC News

Australia is shutting down non-essential services as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country.

Pubs, clubs and places of worship will be shut from midday on Monday, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to takeaway only.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the restrictions after a national cabinet meeting.

The number of cases in Australia has risen sharply in recent days, reaching 1,315.

New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, is the worst-affected state with 533 confirmed cases. Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has 296 cases, while Queensland has 259.

The new restrictions will see many businesses close but supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and home delivery services will continue running.

The prime minister said he wanted to keep schools open but parents will be able to keep their children at home if they want to do so.

Some states, including Victoria, have signalled that they want to close schools.

Seven people have died across Australia so far from Covid-19.

In other developments:

• The prime minister announced new stimulus measures to boost the economy
• South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory will close their borders from Tuesday. Under the new rules, anyone arriving will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days
• Tasmania, an island state, has already imposed similar travel restrictions
• The Australian Football League suspended its 2020 season, with no fixtures until at least 31 May. The women's league has also been halted
• In contrast, the National Rugby League says it will carry on with matches as planned

Lockdowns could be imposed

The new measures come after large crowds gathered on Sydney's beaches including Bondi on Saturday, flouting social distancing advice.

Mr Morrison said the situation at Bondi Beach should be a "wake up call to take these policies seriously" and warned lockdowns could be imposed in areas where large outbreaks have occurred.

"You have to keep a healthy distance between each other," he said.

"If Australians can't do that on a broad scale, then they are denying the governments and the authorities the most important weapon we have to save lives and to save livelihoods, and states and territories will have to take more severe responses to deal with that."

Australians' lethargy on social distancing

by BBC News reporter Frances Mao, in Sydney

Just hours after the impending shutdown was announced, I walked through an inner Sydney neighbourhood. It was a balmy Sunday evening and people were out at bars and restaurants perhaps unaware that this would be their last drink outside their homes for a while.

The measures are likely to hit Australians hard, and shock many out of the lethargy they've felt towards social distancing.

State restrictions had already ramped up this past week, as the case numbers doubled every few days. However, many Australians haven't been paying attention to the statistics.

Instead, discussion has often centred around disruption to daily life - the inconvenience and tedium of working from home; the panic buying at supermarkets. While some - closely attuned to the crisis in the US and Europe - have been vigilantly isolating, others have been resistant to the message "stay at home".

It's why a blast of late summer heat on Friday drew so many out to Bondi Beach - the social isolation mantra hasn't sunk in yet. There's been little public education campaigning, and the constantly changing messaging from the government hasn't helped.

It was only 10 days ago that the prime minister blithely said he'd still attend a rugby game, minutes after banning large gatherings outside. He later changed his decision. Australia had fewer than 200 cases then, it now has over 1,300.

What was in the financial package?

The prime minister announced a second stimulus package worth A$66bn, meaning the total financial package offered by the government and Reserve Bank now amounts to A$189bn (£94bn, $109bn).

Mr Morrison said financial support would be offered to those most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The measures include doubling income support for those on Jobseeker's allowance while waiving asset tests and waiting periods.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Grants of up to A$100,000 will be made available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Individuals affected by the coronavirus will be able to access up to A$10,000 of their pension during 2019 and 2020. They will be able to take a further A$10,000 the following year.

Australian airlines and airports will meanwhile be provided with up to A$715 million in support.

Mr Morrison stressed that the measures cover the next six months. "This is not a quick fix," he said. "This will not be my last visit to the podium. There will be more packages and more support."

What's happening in Asia?

Singapore has announced it will ban all short-term visitors under new coronavirus measures. Short-term visitors are also banned from transiting through Singapore. Only work pass holders who have healthcare and transport will be allowed to enter, along with their dependents.

The city state confirmed on Saturday that two people had died from Covid-19, the first virus related deaths in Singapore.

China reported 46 new cases, all but one brought in from other countries. The one domestic case was linked to a previous imported case, according to local authorities.

South Korea reported 98 new cases on Sunday. The figure suggests a downward trend in new cases. The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has now reached 8,897.

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2020-03-22 08:56:48Z
52780675945884

Australia coronavirus: Sydney and Melbourne to shut down - BBC News

Australia's two biggest cities will shut down non-essential services in the next 48 hours as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country.

Sydney and Melbourne, along with the capital Canberra, are expected to close pubs and restaurants after announcements by state governments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said total lockdowns might have to be introduced to curb the spread.

The number of cases has risen sharply in recent days, reaching 1,315.

New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, is the worst-affected state with 533 confirmed cases. Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has 296 cases, while Queensland has 259.

The new restrictions will see many businesses close but supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and home delivery services will continue running.

Schools in NSW remain open for now but Victorian schools will close from Tuesday after school holidays were brought forward.

If the shutdown of non-essential services is not implemented, "our hospitals will be overwhelmed and more Victorians will die," Victoria's state premier Daniel Andrews was quoted as saying by broadcaster ABC.

Seven people have died across Australia so far from Covid-19.

In other developments:

• The prime minister announced new stimulus measures to boost the economy
• South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory will close their borders from Tuesday. Under the new rules, anyone arriving will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days
• Tasmania, an island state, has already imposed similar travel restrictions
• The Australian Football League suspended its 2020 season, with no fixtures until at least 31 May. The women's league has also been halted
• In contrast, the National Rugby League says it will carry on with matches as planned

Lockdowns could be imposed

The new measures come after large crowds gathered on Sydney's beaches including Bondi on Saturday, flouting social distancing advice.

Mr Morrison said the situation at Bondi Beach should be a "wake up call to take these policies seriously" and warned lockdowns could be imposed in areas where large outbreaks have occurred.

"You have to keep a healthy distance between each other," he said.

"If Australians can't do that on a broad scale, then they are denying the governments and the authorities the most important weapon we have to save lives and to save livelihoods, and states and territories will have to take more severe responses to deal with that."

Media playback is unsupported on your device

What was in the financial package?

The prime minister announced a second stimulus package worth A$66bn, meaning the total financial package offered by the government and Reserve Bank now amounts to A$189bn (£94bn, $109bn).

Mr Morrison said financial support would be offered to those most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The measures include doubling income support for those on Jobseeker's allowance while waiving asset tests and waiting periods.

Grants of up to A$100,000 will be made available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Individuals affected by the coronavirus will be able to access up to A$10,000 of their pension during 2019 and 2020. They will be able to take a further A$10,000 the following year.

Australian airlines and airports will meanwhile be provided with up to A$715 million in support.

Mr Morrison stressed that the measures cover the next six months. "This is not a quick fix," he said. "This will not be my last visit to the podium. There will be more packages and more support."

What's happening in Asia?

Singapore has announced it will ban all short-term visitors under new coronavirus measures. Short-term visitors are also banned from transiting through Singapore. Only work pass holders who have healthcare and transport will be allowed to enter, along with their dependents.

The city state confirmed on Saturday that two people had died from Covid-19, the first virus related deaths in Singapore.

China reported 46 new cases, all but one brought in from other countries. The one domestic case was linked to a previous imported case, according to local authorities.

South Korea reported 98 new cases on Sunday. The figure suggests a downward trend in new cases. The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has now reached 8,897.

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2020-03-22 08:42:21Z
CBMiMWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC1hdXN0cmFsaWEtNTE5OTIzNTfSATVodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY29tL25ld3MvYW1wL3dvcmxkLWF1c3RyYWxpYS01MTk5MjM1Nw