Daily News Roundup

AUGUST 31

Queensland’s Wacol COVID-19 cluster grew by one new case overnight, prompting the chief health officer to call on people to start wearing masks 9 on public transport and shopping centres.

“I won’t be moved on this,” she said.

“(Whether the) federal government or Clive Palmer … I won’t be moved.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the chief health officer was setting up a co-ordinated response to assist people navigate border exemptions to access healthcare in Queensland.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the new case had only spent two days in the community before she was quarantined after a close contact tested positive.

It comes as the state’s chief health officer told Queenslanders they should start wearing masks where social distancing wasn’t possible, like on public transport and in shopping centres.

“This is the time to get out those flat surgical masks … or if you’ve made masks with three layers of thickness,” said Dr Jeanette Young.

“It’s really time to start using them,. Shen said.

Dr Young said face masks would not be made mandatory “for a while” but said there may be a time when they will be.

Victoria has recorded 73 new coronavirus cases and 41 deaths overnight, marking the highest number of deaths reported by Australian health authorities in a single day.

However, 22 of those deaths occurred before last Thursday, and were attributed by health authorities to delayed reporting from aged care facilities.

“Today’s deaths total includes 22 people who died in the weeks leading up to 27 August and were reported to DHHS by aged care facilities yesterday,” Victoria’s health department said on Twitter this morning.

The numbers come as the Federal Government and some business community leaders urge the State Government to give Victorians more clarity around what restrictions will look like beyond September 13, when stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne and stage 3 restrictions in regional Victoria are due to expire.

In NSW, 10 new cases have been reported – six from hotel quarantine and four linked to known clusters.

All four locally acquired cases are linked to the CBD cluster and this includes two who are households contacts of previously reported cases and two close contacts of previously reported cases.

After a weekend of sunny weather in Sydney, the city has now been put on alert with a series of worrying virus warnings.

Yesterday, new cases were confirmed at a childcare centre and shopping mall in Sydney’s north shore and an urgent warning was issued for bus commuters to isolate immediately amid a growing cluster in the city’s eastern suburbs.

Investigators are scrambling to track down passengers on the X39 Sydney Buses service that left Pitt Street opposite Australia Square in the CBD at 6.08pm and arrived at Clovelly and Carrington Roads at Randwick at 6.40pm on Thursday August 20 after two commuters later tested positive.

There are now warnings in place across the city after recorded cases visited shopping centres, pubs and gyms. A school and an early learning centre have also closed.

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The US Open starts tomorrow, but it will be a far different tennis tournament than what lovers of the game are used to.

The New York major, typically the final of the big four tournaments in the tennis year, is the second of three grand slams in 2020. 

Nearly as notable as who will be there is who won’t, with scores of talented men and women staying at home.

The 2020 US Open will mark the first grand slam tournament without both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal since the 1999 US Open. Since 2000, Nadal and Federer have combined to win 39 grand slam titles out of a possible 81.

But it’s the women’s side that has seen more quality players drop out, and the field has opened right up more than any time in recent memory.

So how might the US Open shake out and who are the players to watch?

The withdrawals came nearly as hard and fast as the confirmations, with the top two players on the WTA Tour (including Australia’s Ash Barty) and defending champion Bianca Andreescu pulling out.

So far, 29 female players have pulled out — including replacements for other withdrawn players. Fourteen women’s seeds will be missing — the largest number in the last 30 years.

Arguably the biggest beneficiary of the mass absences on the women’s side of the draw is Serena Williams, who is still searching for her record-equalling 24th singles grand slam title. Coming into New York with the number nine ranking, the withdrawals of players above has rocketed her into the third seed slot and a far more favourable draw.

Naomi Osaka is similarly fortunate, jumping from 10th up to be the fourth seed. However, her participation is in doubt with a hamstring injury at the Western and Southern Open last week.

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The three-year-old girl was lifted into the air during the kite accident

A three-year-old girl who was filmed in a terrifying kite accident in Taiwan has not suffered any injuries, media reports say.

The child was filmed being lifted dozens of metres into the air after she was caught in the strings of a kite as it was released on a gusty day.

The unidentified girl was taking part in a kite festival on Sunday in the seaside town of Nanlioao when she was caught up by a giant, long-tailed orange kite.

Video shot at the scene showed her twisting several times above a crowd of adults who struggled to pull the kite back to earth.

The video ends with the tail of the kite relatively slowly dropping to the ground as those people nearby rush to help the girl.

News reports said the girl was frightened but suffered no physical injuries in the incident.