New Zealand and Australia prepares to enter lockdown as coronavirus cases jump

[The_King]

WELLINGTON (March 23): New Zealand said on Monday it will move to its highest alert level imposing self-isolation, with all-non-essential services, schools and offices to be shut over the next 48 hours as the number of coronavirus cases more than double.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said these decisions will place the most significant restriction on New Zealanders' movements in modern history, but it was needed to save lives and slow the virus.

"We are all now preparing to go into self isolation as a nation," Ardern said in a news conference. She added that without these measures tens of thousands of New Zealanders could die.

The number of coronavirus cases in New Zealand shot up to 102, more than double since Friday, as the country reported 36 new infections. New Zealand has had no deaths.

Ardern said the cabinet agreed that effective immediately, the country of 5 million people would move into alert level 3 nationwide, and after 48 hours it will be at the highest level 4. New Zealand has already closed its borders to foreigners.

Ardern said all bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms, cinemas, pools, museums, libraries, playgrounds and any other place where the public congregate must close their face-to-face function.

She said supermarkets, doctors, pharmacies, service stations, access to essential banking services will all be available throughout New Zealand at every alert level.

"If you do not have immediate needs, do not go to the supermarket. It will be there for you today, tomorrow, and the day after that," she added.

The move comes after neighbouring Australia, which has thousands of COVID-19 cases, started lockdown measures on Monday, but has stopped short of self-isolation.

New Zealand's bourse reacted immediately to the announcement plunging 10% to biggest intraday percentage drop ever.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said all rents will be freezed and the government will announce further support for the economy in the coming days.

"To be absolutely clear we are now asking all New Zealanders who are outside essential services to stay at home, and to stop all interactions with others outside of those in your household," Ardern said.

Schools will be closed from Tuesday, except for children of essential workers such as our doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and police. Schools will close entirely from midnight Wednesday.

All indoor and outdoor events will be cancelled. All workplaces were asked to implement alternative ways of working.

Public transport will shut for everyone outside of people working in essential services.

To stop community transmission these measures will need to be in place for 4 weeks, said Ardern.

New Zealand's opposition National Party said it had put on hold its campaign for a general election on Sept 19. Ardern said there was no impact on the election for now.

Of the new cases, two are being treated as related to community transmission, Ministry of Health's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said in a news conference on Monday.

More than half the cases are directly related to overseas travel, while most of the remainder are close contacts of a previously confirmed case or associated with an event where there were confirmed cases, he said.

 

 

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/new-zealand-prepares-enter-lockdown-coronavirus-cases-double

 

 

 

SYDNEY (March 23): Australia started shutting down pubs, clubs, gyms and houses of worship on Monday after a jump in coronavirus cases and after thousands disregarded social distancing advice and crowded beaches, bars and restaurants.

After an initial slow rate of infection, the number of COVID-19 cases in Australia has now surpassed 1,100 with the south-eastern states of Victoria and New South Wales recording the highest number of cases.

"There will be no more going to the pub after work, no more going to the gym in the morning, and no more sitting down for brunch at a cafe," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told parliament on Monday morning.

The leader described the immense health and economic challenges as the "toughest year of our lives" and warned Australians to prepare for a shutdown that could last six months.

Despite calls to practice social distancing, some Australians ignored the warnings with thousands flocking to Bondi Beach and frequenting restaurants and bars in recent days.

Morrison said on Sunday that sweeping new measures were needed to enforce social distancing, ordering non-essential services, including indoor sporting venues, pubs, cinemas, bars and places of worship be closed from midday Monday.

Local authorities have also been closing beaches to disperse crowds amid a warm autumn spell, while cafes and restaurants will be able to only offer takeaway and delivery services.

Supermarkets, pharmacies, freight and retail will continue to trade.

Listed Australian companies severely exposed to the curbs on public life, including casinos and retailers, started requesting share trading halts early on Monday.

The benchmark index plunged more than 8% at the open, a day after the government pledged an extra A$66.4 billion ($38.06 billion) to combat the impact of the coronavirus.

While parts of the package require parliamentary approval, the opposition Labor party said it will support the legislation.

With scores of people already unemployed, hundreds of Australians lined up outside government offices in Sydney and Melbourne on Monday to register for social security payments, according to two Reuters' witnesses.

Many tried to practice social distancing as lines stretched around the block.

Several Australian states have taken further precautionary measures, with Western Australia and South Australia announcing tighter border restrictions at the weekend.

On Monday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that schools would be closed from Tuesday, and plans were in place for remote learning.

"If people simply behave as normal, if they don't take this seriously, if they act selfishly, then people will die," Andrews said on Monday.

"I can't be any clearer than that."

Schools will remain open in New South Wales, although parents have been encouraged to keep their children at home.

In neighouring Papua New Guinea, a state of emergency has been declared after the country recorded its first case of the virus, while the tiny island of Guam, an American island territory in Micronesia, recorded the Pacific islands region's first coronavirus fatality.

 

 

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/australia-starts-lockdown-measures-coronavirus-cases-jump