As far as overreactions go, it was a whopper.On November 10, two days after being released from prison, 39-year-old Lionel James Apanui Tuwairua went to Burger King with a friend.”I didn’t want to be in trouble. I just wanted…
Tag Archives: oceania
Covid 19 Omicron: Government 'dropped the ball' on rapid antigen test access, GP says
By Jean Bell of RNZ A South Auckland GP thinks the government has dropped the ball on ensuring doctors have access to Covid-19 rapid antigen tests.An Omicron outbreak is looming and the Ministry of Health says it is hustling…
Police report reckless driving at gang-related tangi on North Shore
Police say a gang-related tangi on the North Shore has been marred by dangerous driving and hostile behaviour. The large funeral procession was heading from Beach Haven to Schnapper Rock Cemetery this afternoon. Auckland police…
Car rolls on SH1 near Paekākāriki, Wellington, injuries reported
A car has rolled on State Highway 1 in Wellington, blocking a southbound lane.Emergency services are at the scene of a crash on SH1, near Paekākāriki, police said at 11.40am.”Initial indications are there have been injuries,”…
Covid 19: Samoa to go into nationwide lockdown after Brisbane flight cases rise
Samoa will move into a nationwide lockdown from 6pm today.It comes after the number of confirmed Covid cases in quarantine off a flight from Brisbane on Wednesday increased from 10 to 15. Read More Covid 19: Ten cases recorded…
Covid 19 Omicron: Government's red traffic light for outbreak not enough – Dr Siouxsie Wiles
By Craig McCulloch of RNZ Prominent microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles is “really worried” about the Government’s plan for an Omicron outbreak, warning the red traffic light setting will not be enough to slow the variant.Prime…
North Otago murderer Anthony Phillip Hitchcock not fit for release, Parole Board says before new bid
After 25 years in prison and 336 counselling sessions, a North Otago killer is still not fit for release, the Parole Board says.But Anthony Phillip Hitchcock — one of the first people in New Zealand to be sentenced to life imprisonment…
Momo diplomacy: Nepali festival in Auckland to use dumplings to unite communities
Auckland’s Nepalese community want to use momos to break down barriers and build an affinity with other dumpling-loving communities.Its business community is organising the first “Dumpling and Music International (DAMI) Festival”,…
NSW records significant drop in COVID-19 cases
New South Wales has recorded yet another day of decreasing COVID-19 cases, reporting 20,148 new infections.
The state reported that 30 people have died with the virus.
There are 2762 people in hospital with the virus, a slight increase from yesterday's admissions, while there are 204 people in intensive care.
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Premier Dominic Perrottet repeated today the state is "tracking below" in ICU presentations in comparison to predictions made in modelling.
He said many of the people in ICU are unvaccinated, and called for NSW residents to get vaccinated.
"Close to 50 per cent of people in ICU are unvaccinated," he said.
"The facts and evidence speak for itself."
Meanwhile, some NSW doctors are cutting the interval between vaccine doses for children as concerns grow about returning to school.
The interval between the first and second dose of the vaccine for five to 11-year-olds is eight weeks.
However, some doctors are reportedly cutting the interval down to just three weeks to try and have children fully vaccinated by the beginning of term one.
Otherwise some children who received their first vaccine dose this week will wait until mid-March to be fully vaccinated, which is almost the Easter holidays.
Doctors said cutting the interval down is important for immunocompromised children.
"Any child who might be immunocompromised or who has another chronic illness such as asthma, who you might think is higher risk, that's the population we want to protect," Charlotte Hespe, a doctor, said.
"They're the ones we want to target."
Around 22 per cent of children aged between five and 11 have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Supply of the vaccine is also preventing the roll-out from speeding up, some doctors have said.
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NSW recorded its deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic yesterday with 46 deaths.
The state reported 25,168 new infections yesterday.
There are 2743 people being treated with the virus in hospitals across NSW.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said yesterday NSW is "tracking better than our best case scenario" in terms of hospitalisations and the number of people in ICU.
"In respect of our intensive-care capacity, we currently have 209 people with COVID in our intensive-care units," he said.
"That is once again tracking better than our best case scenario from the modelling that we released two weeks ago … that was at a height where we were expecting 270 on our best case scenario and 600 on our worst-case scenario."
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Australia scraps PCR testing requirement for overseas arrivals
People coming to Australia from overseas will no longer be required to produce a negative PCR test result to enter the country, and can instead do so with a negative RAT test within 24 hours of departure.
The Federal Government announced the new rules on Friday evening, saying they will come into effect at 1am on Sunday, January 23.
In a statement, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Home Affairs counterpart Karen Andrews said the changed requirements would allow greater flexibility for travellers.
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"While PCR tests remain the gold standard test, a RAT within 24 hours is an acceptable indicator of whether a traveller has COVID-19 before flying to Australia," the statement read.
"This is consistent with moves within Australia to accept RATs for diagnostic purposes."
For those who test positive to COVID-19 overseas, the required time to wait before travelling has been halved.
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Rather than wait two weeks from their positive test result, travellers to Australia must now wait seven days pre-departure.
"This will reduce wait times for travellers who contract COVID-19 overseas to return to Australia in line with the new domestic isolation requirements," the statement read.
"The pre-departure testing requirements will continue to be reviewed regularly, taking into account the domestic and international epidemiology."
Travellers to Australia must continue to wear a mask in airports and on aircraft, and obey each state's regulations for testing and isolation.
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