Australia Covid live update: two further Covid cases reported at Sydney aged care home

The Queensland government has provided Canberra with specifications for a 1000-bed quarantine facility near Brisbane airport, reports Marty Silk from AAP.

Last month the federal government offered land currently occupied by the Damascus Barracks at Pinkenba for a hub, but the state has been pushing for an alternative site at Wellcamp airport, near Toowoomba.

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But three days after convincing national cabinet to halve international arrivals due to leaks of the Delta variant of Covid-19 from hotel quarantine, Queensland is reconsidering the Pinkenba project.

The state wants a Brisbane facility to have 1000 rooms, initially able to host 800 people per fortnight and eventually rising to 1450.

Queensland has provided specifications to the federal government but it is understood the commonwealth still needs to conduct a feasibility study on its land, and provide the funding.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement this morning she would continue to push for the 1000-bed Wellcamp facility, which, together with arrangements at Pinkenba, would allow the state to double its intake of returned travellers.

Since September, I’ve argued that we need an alternative to hotel quarantine…

It was great to see that finally the prime minister is starting to listen.

We’ve worked around the clock with the federal government on this proposal.

A fit-for-purpose facility at Pinkenba working in conjunction with another quarantine facility in regional Queensland could be a game-changer in keeping coronavirus out of our community in the future.”

The Wellcamp facility was first proposed by the Wagner Corporation in January, but the state and federal governments have been at loggerheads over the plan.

AAP understands the site near Wellcamp airport does not meet federal expectations because it is about 150km from an international airport and existing hotel quarantine venues.

If international flights were allowed to land there, the commonwealth would have to fund and staff airport firefighting services, international passenger screening and customs.

Virus restrictions in South Australia could soon be eased as authorities continue to monitor Covid-19 cases in other states, reports Tim Dornin from AAP.

SA’s transition committee will provide an update to the current situation on Monday afternoon after deciding against making any changes at a meeting on Sunday.

Police commissioner Grant Stevens says the committee is “closely examining” the situation in all states and territories.

SA beefed up its coronavirus measures about a week ago after cases emerged in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

An NT miner, who returned to Adelaide, also tested positive and passed the infection to the rest of his family.

SA’s virus measures include a reduced-density requirement for most venues, mandatory mask-wearing in high-risk settings and a limit of 10 people at family gatherings.

The crowd at Saturday’s AFL game between the Adelaide Crows and the Brisbane Lions was limited to half the usual Adelaide Oval capacity.

At the same time, SA has hard border closures in place with Western Australia, NSW, Queensland and the ACT.

Some of those arrangements are also expected to be reviewed.

Meanwhile, in New South Wales, health and education officials are reportedly finalising return-to-school plans to ensure all primary and secondary school students are back in the classroom when school holidays end.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting there will be strict pick-up and drop-off procedures and school events and sports will be paused. They also suggested that the government will consider tailoring restrictions in schools dependent on case numbers in particular areas.

Yesterday chief health officer Kerry Chant wouldn’t be drawn on whether schools would open up straight away when the lockdown for greater Sydney is currently scheduled to end on Saturday.

Fingers crossed we can get a bit more information when the NSW leaders step up for their press conference today, which is usually held at 11am.

Good morning and welcome to Monday, and what I can only assume will be a fantastic week. (Well it can’t be a shocking as last week, surely.)

Although that being said, it’s not off to a fantastic start.

The biggest news this morning is two more residents of a northwest Sydney nursing home reportedly testing positive to Covid-19 after two nurses, at least one unvaccinated, unknowingly brought the virus into the facility, according to the ABC.

Yesterday, three residents at the SummitCare home at Baulkham Hills tested positive to Covid-19, raising concerns that the virus could spread throughout the home, even though 96% of its highly vulnerable residents are fully vaccinated.

These new cases bring the total number of infected residents to five.

Yesterday we learned that only one-third of the staff at the facility had been vaccinated, leaving families furious.

Kathie Melocco, the daughter of one of the infected men, spoke with ABC radio this morning:

We assumed they were [vaccinated]. I think it’s a disgrace…

If I had known, that would’ve meant I would’ve made other decisions around my parents. I’m just so angry.

With that, why don’t we jump into the day and I’ll bring you all the updates as soon as they come.

If there is something you reckon I’ve missed or think should be in the blog but isn’t, shoot me a message on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or email me at [email protected].