Coronavirus live updates: WHO says world in 'uncharted territory' - The Guardian, Theguardian.com

9. (PM EST : 70

The Australian government is holding a forum for aged care providers on Friday about preparations that should be taken to protect those most vulnerable to Covid – 25.

Aged care minister

Richard Colebeck

told The Guardian:

The Chief Medical Officer has written to aged care providers reminding them that while the number of cases of COVID – 29 in Australia is still small, services need to plan and be prepared for a change to these circumstances.

The Chief Medical Officer has shared references to information with providers to help their planning.

The Department is also planning a forum to inform the sector’s preparations for dealing with cases of COVID – 29 that might arise.

Aged care homes are expected to assess the risk of, and take steps to prevent, detect and control the spread of infections. Infection management, such as isolating infectious consumers, and applying standard precautions to prevent transmission, minimises the risk of transmission.

It is also expected that homes develop and implement an effective infection prevention and control program that is in line with national guidelines. The Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare set out the requirements for best practice infection control.

9. pm EST

: 043 USA: NBA tells basketball players to stop high-fives

The world’s top basketball league, the NBA, has told teams avoid high-fiving fans and strangers and avoid taking any item for autographs.

In a memo sent to teams on Sunday and obtained Monday by The Associated Press, offered 19 recommendations to players with hopes of decreasing risks of getting the virus – among them, not taking items such as pens, markers, balls and jerseys from autograph-seekers. Here’s AP’s report:

The NBA also told teams that it is consulting. With infectious disease experts, including the centers for Disease Control and infectious disease researchers at Columbia University in New York.

“We are also in regular communication with each other, NBA teams including team physicians and athletic trainers, other professional sports leagues, and of course, many of you, ”the league wrote in its memo to teams, their physicians and athletic training staffs.

ESPN first reported on the contents of the memo . Some players are already heeding the advice.

“Corona,” Bobby Portis of the New York Knicks said as he offered some fist-bump greetings on Monday night before his team faced the Houston Rockets.

Portland Guard CJ McCollum said that he is taking the matter seriously.

9. EST EST : South Korea reports (new cases of virus

South Korea has reported 587 new cases of virus, taking the total in the country to 4,

8. (pm) EST :

Chinese state media is reporting another seven new cases of of the virus in people returning from Italy .

Global Times (@ globaltimesnews) East China’s Zhejiang Province reported seven new confirmed cases of # COVID From from # Italy on Tuesday. One imported case from Italy was reported yesterday. pic.twitter .com / EyasoG9gP5 March 3 ,

8. pm EST : 69

And just on handshaking, Australia’s chief medical, Brendan Murphy, officer says people don’t need to stop doing this in general:

Social isolation should be focused on people who have returned from countries or people who have symptoms that might suggest they have picked up this. The same as you would if you ink you have the flu, but if you have come back from SouthKorea or Italy or Iran, then we would certainly want you to practice some social distancing, not go to mass gatherings, and in that context, shaking hands, good hand hygiene is probably best to be avoided. We are not suggesting those practices should be considered by the broader general community.

8. (pm EST) :

‘Limited transmissiblity’ to children – Australian health minister

The Australian health minister, Greg Hunt, is talking about the low rates of infections for children.

One of the very important reassurances for families is about on the evidence we have,

limited transmissibility to children , which is very important for families and parents, and then the mild impact on those children on the evidence across the globe.

The Chief health officer, Brendan Murphy adds to this:

I thank the evidence around the world is that when children are infected, they are incredibly mild, in fact so mild that

they almost don’t have symptoms . The only child we have had in Australia infected feel that criteria. We are not entirely sure the extent to which they get the virus, but we do know that symptomatic significant disease is not a feature and we have been very little evidence of a significant problem in children, and that is quite different from flu where we often have some quite sick children. So that is a good positive message.

Updated (at 8.) (pm EST )

(8.) (PM) (EST) :

The Australian PM is now being asked about whether people should be stocking up at supermarkets.

“I can understand the anxiety out there in the community. That is why it is important to get information from the trusted official sources, ”Scott Morrison says.

(8.) (pm) (EST) :

Australia: No evidence of sustained community transmission .

Australia’s chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, is speaking now.

He says his teams are concentrating on containment, but says there is no evidence of sustained community transmission in Australia , despite two suspected cases on Monday.

There is no reason for people to stop going to mass gatherings on stop going about their normal business. Our focus is now on return travelers. If you have comeback from one of the countries where coronavirus is particularly a high-risk country.

He singles out Iran as a country of particular concern.

Updated (at 8.) (pm EST)

(8.) (pm) (EST)

: 38

Australia’s health minister, Greg Hunt, now has the microphone.

He says authorities are trying to track close contacts of the people who have been diagnosed in the country over the past day or so, when community transmission is believed to have happened for the first time in the country.

Officials from primary care and aged care professions are meeting today to map out a plan and to “make sure supply lines are maintained in Australia”.

(8.) pm EST :

Morrison now foreshadowing the expected interest rate cuts when Australia’s central bank, the Reserve Bank, meets later today … and putting pressure on the banks to pass on any cuts to customers

There is no doubt that if the bank were to take a decision today on cash rates that the government would absolutely expect the four big banks to come to the table and to do their bit in supporting Australians as we go through the impact of the coronavirus. That is why, if the bank were to go down that path, they would be going down that path.

(8.) pm EST

What’s evident is he is trying to set a positive tone … that businesses and the community will bounce back “on the other side” of this coronavirus outbreak, but caveats that people must take this seriously.

If you don’t work to get the details of a package like this right, then it can have very serious implications, both economically and more broadly, and frankly, we saw that last time, and we Don’t intend to repeat those mistakes.

(8.) (pm EST

Scott Morrison says this is a health crisis with significant economic implications but is different to a financial crisis.

There is no problem with the banking system. There is no problem, structurally, with the stability of the economy or things of that nature. This is a health crisis which has had serious disruptive impact on the trouble, the movement of people, and of goods around the world.

(pm) EST

: 35

Morrison touches on possible measures to control the spread of the virus.

“If we had concerns, there is the ability to lockdown aged care facilities, out of protection for the residents in those aged care facilities.”

(8. (PM EST

Australian PM urges citizens to keep going about ‘daily business’

We’re now hearing from

Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison.

He says he’s spoken to the two of the major supermarkets, coles and woolworths, about their response to the virus … but gives no further details.

He encourages people to continue going about their daily business.

Last week Australia enacted its emergency response plan to the outbreak.

He says border control restrictions and travel will be looked at again today.

He confirms there have been 43 cases in the country, of whom have recovered.

He calls on Australians to exercise “common sense”.

I am looking forward to getting to places of mass gathering, particularly if it involves my football team playing, or going to kids ’concerts or doing any of these things. Australians should continue to go about their lives and our normal way and just exercise commonsense. In the same way that you would during a severe winter season where there may have been an outbreak of influenza or something like that.

Updated (at 8.) (pm EST )

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