COVID-19 daily wrap: WA records 8th virus death

Roger Cook has urged Western Australians to only leave home for essential purposes. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira

• Western Australia has reported one new death as a result of the coronavirus after a 70-year-old Artania cruise ship passenger passed away at Sir Charles Gairdner hospital yesterday.
• It is the eighth COVID-19 death in the state, and fourth death linked to cruise ships.
• Health Minister Roger Cook said the German passenger was in intensive care for a long period of time. “This is a really difficult period for both his family in Germany but also for the health staff that provided care for this gentleman,” he said.
• The news comes as WA recorded two new COVID-19 cases overnight, bringing the state’s total to 548.
• Of the new cases, one is a returned traveller from the UK who had been isolating in a Perth hotel. The other case is currently being investigated.
• The number of active COVID-19 cases has improved, falling from 81 to 76 in the past 24 hours. There are 20 patients in Perth hospitals, including four in intensive care.
• There have been 464 recoveries from the virus in WA.
• The health minister encouraged Western Australians to only leave their homes for essential purposes over the Anzac Day long weekend.
• “We know that it’s a long weekend, we know the weather’s been great and that these low numbers are encouraging people to believe that perhaps we’re getting through this,” Mr Cook said.
• “We’re not. The virus will be with us for a long time to come. Only once we have a vaccine will we have an exit strategy.”
• Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Australians to download the COVID-19 contact tracing app, to be released soon. Mr Morrison wants at least 40 per cent of the population to sign up.
• The prime minister said today social distancing rules would not apply to Australian classrooms when students begin Term 2 next week. “The 1.5 metre in classrooms and the four-square-metre rule is not a requirement of the expert medical advice in classrooms,” Mr Morrison said. Schools have remained open for children of essential workers.
• Enrolments for the federal government's $130 billion JobKeeper payment opened at the start of the week. Around 900,000 businesses covering around 2.4 million employees have registered for scheme, which will see $1,500 per fortnight paid to employees.