Tag Archives: oceania

headline

Investigations launched into Perth COVID-19 case

Almost deserted on an otherwise perfect beach day in Perth: playgrounds were yesterday shut and streets cleared on day one of a lockdown prompted by a single coronavirus case.

Premier Mark McGowan said the state recorded no new cases of COVID-19 on Monday after a security worker at the Four Points Sheraton tested positive on Saturday evening.

But the most crucial period remains ahead for the state in fear of an outbreak of a more contagious strain of the virus.

https://twitter.com/MarkMcGowanMP/status/1356088860631986176?s=20

"The advice is he has the UK strain," Mr McGowan said.

"We don't know which person in the hotel he acquired it from."

WA Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances that caused the new case to emerge.

"It is not a criminal police investigation but we must know what went on," Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said.

"We need to establish very clearly not only what happened at the hotel but his movements when where and with whom."

One potential failing seems obvious. Chief Health Officer Dr Andy Robertson today could not confirm whether WA Department of Health were notified the quarantine worker had phoned in sick on December 28.

READ MORE: Infected security guard's neighbours 'kept in the dark' amid WA outbreak

So far, the Maylands man in his 20s has been traced to 66 people he was in contact with leading up to testing positive.

The closest contacts on that list are so far clear of the virus.

But there's a long way to go and the next 48 hours will be crucial because coronavirus has an average five- to seven-day incubation period.

"If they're still coming up negative then that would be a good sign," Dr Robertson said.

But anxiety grows for some doing quarantine inside the Ground Zero city hotel.

Yanti Yardie says she doesn't trust the system in place.

"If I get it I'm going to die. That's just a simple fact," Ms Yardie said.

"I have every risk factor apart from age and it's quite (a) concern."

READ MORE: Perth returned traveller adds to warnings on hotel air ventilation

Ms Yardie has asked to be moved from the Four Points Sheraton as she fears the potent UK strain is circulating through the hotel's air conditioning.

But the premier said this wasn't the case.

"The advice we have is the air conditioning system is safe and there is no evidence there's any problem with the air conditioning system," Mr McGowan said.

It was the premier's snap five-day lockdown that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had a problem with.

"In terms of an elimination strategy it might be a great political slogan, but it's not a realistic approach to this virus," Mr Dutton said.

"You'll send businesses broke, the surge in domestic violence when people are in lockdown for a long period of time."

But Mr McGowan said Mr Dutton shouldn't be criticising "when we're doing the task we should be".

headline

ASOS buys Topshop and three other brands

Online fashion seller ASOS has bought Topshop, which once boasted designs by Kate Moss and Beyonce, along with three other brands for £265 million ($476 million) as rivals scoop up bargains after the collapse of Britain's Arcadia retail group.

The deal, announced on Monday, puts thousands of jobs at risk because ASOS acquired the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge's and HIIT brands but none of their stores.

ASOS said it plans to keep only about 300 of the brands' employees.

READ MORE: Topshop empire of UK retail billionaire Philip Green enters administration

In addition to the purchase price, ASOS will pay £30 million ($54 million) for pre-ordered stock.

Arcadia, built by controversial retail tycoon Philip Green, went into bankruptcy on November 30 as the COVID-19 pandemic closed stores and accelerated the shift to online shopping, compounding troubles for a group that was slow to embrace the internet.

Arcadia is arguably the biggest British retailing casualty of the pandemic.

Others such as Debenhams, Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Oasis Warehouse also slid into insolvency after lockdown measures were first imposed last year.

Arcadia struggled to respond to increased competition from low-cost rivals like Primark, as well as from online disrupters such as ASOS and Boohoo.

The four brands acquired in Monday's deal posted sales of £1 billion ($1.8 billion), ASOS said.

Boohoo, said last week it was in exclusive talks to buy three other Arcadia brands — Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burton — in a deal that also won't include any stores.