NUMBERS
• Confirmed cases in Australia: 4,980. NSW remains the worst hit with 2,298
• Australian deaths: 21 (10 in NSW, four in Vic, two in WA, two in Qld, two in Tas, one in ACT).
• Five people have died at Sydney nursing home Dorothy Henderson Lodge, nine from cruise ships, including five from the Ruby Princess.
• Three babies under 12 months and a one-year-old are in isolation at home in Victoria.
MEASURES
• Unprecedented $130 billion package to subsidise wages at $1,500 a fortnight for six million workers, paid via employers. Parliament to be recalled to approve this package.
• Federal parliament has also passed packages worth $17.6 billion and $66 billion.
• More than 34,000 extra hospital beds have been made available under a $1.3 billion deal struck with the private sector.
• Victoria announces $1.3 billion investment to secure 4000 more intensive care beds
• Borders closed in Queensland, Tasmania, SA, NT and WA. Freight and essential travel excepted.
• Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest to import $160 million worth of medical equipment and supplies to WA
• Australians returning home from overseas will be quarantined for two weeks in hotels or other accommodation before being allowed home.
• Australians, excluding aid workers and compassionate cases, are banned from international travel.
• Gatherings of more than two people have been banned indoors or out.
• People flouting social distancing, isolation or quarantine orders face fines of $1000 or more in most states, up to $13,345 in Queensland.
• People aged over 60 with chronic illness are discouraged from leaving their homes unless they need medical care.
• All elective surgery in public facilities put on hold.
• People will be able to access Medicare-funded online consultations.
• Pinprick blood tests which detect COVID-19 in minutes to be imported within days.
• Air freight flights will start exporting Australian produce and import urgent medical supplies again.
• Still open: supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, public transport, some schools, hairdressers, petrol stations, postal and freight services, bottle shops, newsagents, retail shops. Restaurants restricted to take-away/delivery in most states.
• Closed: schools in Victoria and ACT, gyms, indoor sports venues, pubs, cinemas, nightclubs, casinos, places of worship, theme parks, auction houses, food courts in shopping centres, beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spas and tattoo parlours, galleries, museums, libraries, youth centres, community halls, clubs, RSL clubs, swimming pools, amusement parks, arcades, indoor and outdoor play centres, social sports that involve large groups, outdoor and indoor markets, outdoor playgrounds, outdoor gyms, skate parks.
• School holidays in Queensland, SA and WA also brought forward with only children of parents who have essential jobs allowed to stay.
ECONOMICS
• Federal government’s economic and health support packages total $320 billion, equating to 16.4 per cent of gross domestic product.
• The Australian share market has rallied against recession fears with the ASX200 up 3.58 per cent to close at 5,258.6. The All Ordinaries index also jumped 3.52 per cent to 5,290.7.
• Moratorium on renters being evicted for the next six months. Commercial renters will see new rules released in coming days.
• Major retailers have closed their brick and mortar shops but continue to trade online.
• Virgin Australia is seeking a $1.4 billion bailout from the federal government. Its subsidiary TigerAir will make more than 200 pilots redundant.
• Economists predict unemployment will soar above 10 per cent by Easter.
GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS
• Cases: at least 859,395
• Deaths: at least 42,328
• Recovered: at least 178,136