Harsher lockdown warning
SYDNEY: Australia’s most populous states will impose harsher restrictions on movement if a Covid19 outbreak is not quickly bought under control, state premiers said yesterday.
Australia has been heralded as a global leader in containing Covid19, its total death toll lower than what Florida reported on Tuesday alone. But it has had 10 days of tripledigit rises in new cases.
Victoria state reported another 238 cases in the past 24 hours, even after reimposing a lockdown last week on about five million people in Melbourne.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews singled out a minority of people for defying lockdown orders and warned restrictions could be extended.
More than 500 people have been fined for not abiding by the lockdown.
Nationally, Australia has now recorded about 10,500 cases. The death toll rose to 111 yesterday after a woman in her 90s died from the virus.
In New South Wales, which has had several dozen cases in the past week, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state would probably need new restrictions but ruled out a blanket lockdown.
Australia’s remote Northern Territory said it would keep its borders closed to NSW and Victoria.
In the United States, Alabama, Florida and North Carolina reported record daily increases in Covid19 deaths yesterday, a trio of grim milestones that follows the first nationwide increase in fatalities since midApril as some states rushed to reopen.
The number of new cases reported daily began rising about six weeks ago, especially in southern and western states which have been quick to lift restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
New cases rose in 46 of 50 states last week over the previous week, according to data from The Covid Tracking Project.
So far in July, 28 states have reported record daily increases in new cases.
With more than 3.3 million cases, the US ranks first in the world in cases per capita along with Peru. With more than 136,000 deaths, it ranks seventh in fatalities per capita among the 20 countries with the most cases.
Schools from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Fort Bend County, Texas, joined California’s two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, in announcing plans to keep teachers and pupils from the close contact that classrooms demand.
The decision puts the districts at odds with President Donald Trump, who has threatened to withhold federal funds or remove taxexempt status if they refuse to reopen classrooms, even though most schools are financed by state and local taxes.
Trump’s campaign views the reopening of classrooms as a key to economic recovery and a boost to his reelection chances on November 3. — Reuters
MELBOURNE: The New Zealand Warriors will be left scrambling for loan replacements in the National Rugby League as four players set to return home from Australia at the end of the month to reunite with their families.
The Warriors will farewell Ken Maumalo, David Fusitu’a, Agnatius Paasi and King Vuniyayawa from their Central Coast base in New South Wales state on July 27.
Paasi has four young children in Auckland, while Maumalo is also a young father and Fusitu’a’s partner is expecting their first child.
The players had intended to return to
New Zealand after Sunday’s match against Cronulla Sharks unless the NRL succeeded in securing travel exemptions for their families to enter Australia, the club said yesterday.
‘‘Due to the unavailability of flights, the four players will now remain with the team another week until after the encounter with the Sydney Roosters on . . . July 25.’’
The Warriors have been based in Australia due to travel restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid19.
Forward Leivaha Pulu left the Warriors two weeks ago to return home for family reasons.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said the players had the total support of players, staff and club.
‘‘We can’t say enough about the sacrifice they have made being away from their families so long,’’ he said.
‘‘We fully understand the predicament they have been in and we’re so appreciative of what they have done in committing to the cause for as long as they have.
‘‘When we travelled to Australia we promised the players everything possible in our control would be done to secure travel exemptions for their families to join them there,’’ he said.
‘‘Ultimately the decision lies with government agencies to approve the applications the NRL made on our behalf.
‘‘There hasn’t been any sign of a favourable result, which we accepted was always a possibility.’’
Whether they will be paid or not is another issue, but George is remaining tightlipped.
‘‘We’ve talked confidentially through our employment obligations with the player and their agent and the ARL PA, and those discussions will remain confidential. The most important thing for us is to look after the welfare of the player and their family, and we will certainly not negate those obligations.’’
The Warriors, 13th of 16 teams with a 36 record, have suffered a slew of injuries since the competition resumed in lateMay after a twomonth suspension.
They have already drafted in Penrith forward Jack Hetherington on loan and hope other clubs will offer players.
‘‘We’ve just got to continue to work with the active lists that are out there and see whether we can get the right person to come and help,’’ George said. — Reuters