WEDNESDAY, OCT 21
A cargo ship has been forced to anchor off the Sunshine Coast amid concerns a previously undetected strain of COVID-19 is on board.
The ship, Sofrana Surville, sailed into Australian waters from New Zealand via Noumea on Monday.
An engineer who worked on the Sofrana as well as another ship tested positive to coronavirus in New Zealand on the weekend.
Genomic testing of the engineer’s virus found it had never before been detected in New Zealand.
The New Zealand health department was also examining the other ship the engineer worked on, but said it was unlikely to be the source of the infection, given it only sails in domestic waters with a local crew.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said it was not yet clear if the crew was potentially infected with a new strain of the virus.
“We wouldn’t have that kind of information to hand yet,” he said.
“We will continue to seek advice from New Zealand.
“It’s not unusual for a virus like this to mutate into different strains.”
Queensland Health says there are currently no confirmed cases on the ship, but the 19 crew will undergo testing and, if necessary, be brought to hospital for treatment.
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Spencer Davis, a British guitarist and bandleader whose eponymous rock group had 1960s hits including Gimme Some Lovin’ and I’m a Man has died at age 81.
Davis’ agent, Bob Birk, said he died in a hospital while being treated for pneumonia.
He didn’t give a location, but British media reported Davis lived in California.
Born in Swansea, Wales, in 1939, Davis began working as a musician while he was a student at the University of Birmingham.
Influenced by the burgeoning British blues and skiffle scenes, he performed in bands with future stars including the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman and Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie.
He formed the Spencer Davis Group in 1963, with a teenage Steve Winwood on keyboards and guitar, his brother Muff Winwood on bass, and Pete York on drums.
With Steve Winwood as lead vocalist, the band had two Number One UK singles — Keep on Running in 1965 and Somebody Help Me in 1966.
They also had seven British top 40 hits before Steve Winwood’s departure in 1967.
Davis released several solo albums without recapturing his 1960s fame, and later reformed the Spencer Davis Group without the Winwood brothers.
In later years he was regarded as an influential elder statesman of British rock.
Davis is survived by his partner June and three adult children.
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Melania Trump’s return to the campaign trail has been put on hold because of a lingering cough from her bout with COVID-19.
The US first lady decided against accompanying husband President Donald Trump to a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to her chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham.
It was to be Mrs Trump’s first public appearance since recovering from coronavirus, and her first time out on the campaign trail in more than a year.
The first lady’s announcement served as yet another reminder for the President that, as much as he said he wishes the virus would “just disappear”, it remains a powerful presence in everyday life.
This week Mr Trump said people are tired of hearing about COVID-19.
More than 58,000 Americans a day are testing positive for the virus, and more than 700 a day are dying from the disease.
Mrs Trump continues to feel better every day.
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