APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 3

NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

Trump: Prepare for hard days Virus toll spike ‘deeply shocking’ Virus to peak in coming months

President has warned The family of a 13-year-old boy, the first Australia’s coronavirus co-ordinator is Americans to brace for a “rough two- known child to die in the UK after testing preparing for infection rates among the week period” ahead as the White House positive for coronavirus, said they have community to peak in coming months. released new projections that there been left “beyond devastated”. Ismail Neville Power said once the virus peak could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in Mohamed Abdulwahab’s loved ones said eventually passes, his commission will the US from the coronavirus pandemic to their knowledge he did not have any turn its attentions to rebuilding the even if current underlying health conditions. His death decimated national economy. “But when guidelines are maintained. Public health at King’s College Hospital in London was exactly that is, I think it is very difficult to officials stressed that the number could confirmed by the trust after the UK saw tell,” he said. Power said the organisation be less if people change their behavior. its biggest day-on-day rise in the number was keeping an open mind on how long of deaths since the outbreak began. the recovery would take.

NORTH AMERICA UK NEW ZEALAND

Virus spreads on aircraft carrier Military help to build hospital Virus cases climb, tipped to rise

The captain of a US Navy aircraft Military personnel have been working The total number of cases of Covid-19 carrier facing a growing outbreak of the 15-hour shifts to help build London’s in New Zealand has risen to 708, with coronavirus is asking for permission to new 4000-bed NHS Nightingale hospital. 61 confirmed and probable cases in isolate the bulk of his roughly 5000 crew Construction work to transform the ExCel the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry members on shore, which would take the convention centre in east London into has confirmed. Health Ministry Director warship out of duty in an effort to save a temporary hospital began a week ago, of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay lives. The captain of the USS Theodore with NHS staff and the military involved said there have been 47 new confirmed Roosevelt said that the spread of the in its planning. Seven days on and the cases and 14 new probable cases. disease is ongoing and accelerating and facility is almost ready to begin taking in Fourteen people are in hospital – two that removing all but 10 per cent of the Covid-19 patients from hospitals across are in intensive care but are stable. 82 crew is a “necessary risk” in order to stop the capital. people have now recovered from the the spread of the virus. coronavirus.

1 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6

REST OF THE WORLD UK AUSTRALIA

UN chief: Humankind is at stake New hospital staff need ‘scary’ Caravans pose virus concerns

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres More than 16,000 members of staff could An influx of caravans into regional has warned that the world faces the be needed to run London’s new NHS Australia has sparked grave concerns most challenging crisis since World War Nightingale Hospital to treat coronavirus in country communities as the national II, confronting a pandemic threatening patients should it reach full capacity. The coronavirus death toll rises to 20. Mayors people in every country, one that will new 4000-bed temporary facility at the are pleading with grey nomads and other bring a recession “that probably has no ExCel convention centre in east London holiday-makers to stay home and relieve parallel in the recent past.” There is also is due to open this week despite building pressure on towns under pressure a risk that the combination of the disease work only starting last Week. Split into during the pandemic. A 95-year-old and its economic impact will contribute more than 80 wards containing 42 beds woman has died in Sydney, taking the to “enhanced instability, enhanced each, the Nightingale will become one Australia-wide number of deaths to 20, unrest, and enhanced conflict,” the UN of the biggest hospitals in the world, including nine in NSW. chief said. according to its chief operating officer.

REST OF THE WORLD UK NEW ZEALAND

Nations condemn missile tests Virus testing offer ‘snubbed’ Kiwis furious over cauliflowers

The UN Security Council didn’t issue a Offers of help from some of the UK’s Which supermarket item has New statement after discussing North Korea’s leading scientific institutions to boost Zealanders complaining in droves during latest missile tests but six European Britain’s rate of coronavirus testing have their lockdown supermarket shopping? nations on the council are condemning been ignored by medical officials, it has Not soap, hand sanitiser, bread or Pyongyang’ repeated launches, saying been reported. The Daily Telegraph says toilet paper. Instead, it’s the humble they illustrate its ongoing efforts to officials have repeatedly ignored offers cauliflower. A government-initiated ‘price develop its ballistic missile programs from entities including Oxford University watch’ form set up to get public feedback and expand its arsenal. Belgium, Estonia, and the renowned Francis Crick Institute has revealed the vegetable is the number France, Germany, Poland, and the United involving hundreds of testing machines one issue for Kiwis as they stock up Kingdom said they are deeply concerned and trained personnel. through the lockdown. by North Korea’s continued testing of missiles.

2 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

President Donald Trump. - AP The USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Trump tells Americans Virus keeps spreading to for hard days aboard aircraft carrier

President Donald Trump has warned Americans to brace The captain of a US Navy aircraft carrier facing a growing for a “rough two-week period” ahead as the White House outbreak of the coronavirus is asking for permission to released new projections that there could be 100,000 to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5000 crew members on 240,000 deaths in the US from the coronavirus pandemic shore, which would take the warship out of duty in an even if current social distancing guidelines effort to save lives. are maintained. In a memo to Navy leaders, the captain of the USS Theodore Public health officials stressed that the number could be less if Roosevelt said that the spread of the disease is ongoing and people change their behavior. accelerating and that removing all but 10 per cent of the crew “We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said Dr. is a “necessary risk” in order to stop the spread of the virus. , the coordinator of the White House coronavirus The ship is docked in . task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously Navy leaders are scrambling to determine how to best their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said. respond to the extraordinary request as dozens of crew Trump called American efforts to slow the spread of the members tested positive. coronavirus “a matter of life and death” and urged the public “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do to heed his administration’s guidelines. He predicted the not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in trusted asset our sailors,” said Navy Captain Brett Crozier the pandemic that has killed more than 3500 Americans and in a memo. infected 170,000 more. A Navy official said Crozier alerted commanders on the “I want every American to be prepared for the hard days weekend of the continuing challenges in isolating the virus. that lie ahead,” Trump said. “We’re going to go through a very The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss tough two weeks.” internal deliberations, said that Crozier wants more isolated Dr. , the government’s top infectious disease housing for the crew and that Navy leadership is reviewing expert, said the numbers are “sobering” and called on options to ensure the health and safety of the crew. Americans to “step on the accelerator” with their collective US Pacific Fleet commander Admiral John Aquilino said the mitigation efforts. Navy is working to get as many sailors as possible on shore, “We are continue to see things go up,” Fauci said. “We cannot while still maintaining a core crew to monitor the nuclear be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually reactors and keep the ship running. He said the pace may working and will work.” not be as fast as the commander would like, but it will be Birx said pandemic forecasts initially predicted 1.5 million to done on a rotation, with sailors staying on shore in isolation 2.2 million deaths in the US But that was a worst-case scenario, for 14 days, then returning to the ship virus-free so that others without efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus through can go ashore. social distancing. Asked about efforts to isolate sailors on shore, he said the Birx said states that have not yet seen a spike in cases as Navy is doing what it can with facilities that are available. New York has could take action to flatten the curve of rising Officials are working with the government of Guam to hospitalizations and deaths. ■ try to get hotel rooms that will allow for greater isolation, Aquilino said. ■

3 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

- PA Military personnel at the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital. - PA

UK UK Coronavirus death toll Military’s ‘long hours’ spike ‘deeply shocking’ to help build hospital

The family of a 13-year-old boy, the first known child to Military personnel have been working 15-hour die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, said shifts to help build London’s new 4000-bed NHS they have been left “beyond devastated”. Nightingale hospital.

Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab’s loved ones said to their Construction work to transform the ExCel convention centre in knowledge he did not have any underlying health conditions. east London into a temporary hospital began a week ago, with His death at King’s College Hospital in London was confirmed NHS staff and the military involved in its planning. by the trust after the UK saw its biggest day-on-day rise in the Seven days on and the facility is almost ready to begin taking number of deaths since the outbreak began. in Covid-19 patients from hospitals across the capital. A total of 1789 patients had died overall in UK hospitals, the Colonel Ashleigh Boreham, from the Army Medical Services, Department of Health said, up by 381 on the day before. said plans for the hospital were only conceived on March 21 in NHS England confirmed that a 19-year-old had died after a meeting between the NHS and military. testing positive for Covid-19. Since then, up to 200 personnel, including infantry from the The Italian chef, named by news website La Repubblica 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, have been assisting as Luca Di Nicola, was at that stage believed to be England’s contractors and NHS staff with its construction. youngest victim who died in hospital with no existing Col Boreham, who is the project’s senior military lead, medical issues. supporting the advisory mentoring team, said: “I arrived on site Ages of victims are not being routinely released in Scotland, and met with the NHS last Saturday. Wales or Northern Ireland. “We literally sat down with a piece of paper and some Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology drawings and came up with a concept that the NHS and us at the University of Reading, said the first known death of thought would work well. a child in the UK following a positive test for Covid-19 was “From that point there, we have re-purposed this wonderful “particularly significant”. building into an NHS hospital.” He said: “The lesson from countries such as China is that He said the number of military personnel on site has while the old are much more likely to die from coronavirus expanded from eight to 60 over the past week, ranging from infection, the young are certainly not immune from it.” medical advisers, engineers and logistics staff. Cabinet minister Michael Gove described the sharp rise However, the numbers increased further when infantry in UK deaths from coronavirus as “deeply shocking” but soldiers were brought in to help at the peak of the facility’s said he could not say exactly when the peak of the epidemic construction. would come. “It’s long hours,” Col Boreham said. NHS England’s medical director Professor Stephen Powis “It’s like what they would normally do on operations. warned that while there are “green shoots” signs that the “It’s longer hours than what people are used to working in rate at which people are becoming infected with Covid-19 is some parts of the organisation. slowing, the country is still “very much in the woods”. “We start at about 7am in the morning and will finish at Powis, who joined Gove at the daily Downing Street press 10pm at night and we have been here since the start.” conference, said: “We have had a rise in the number of new Col Boreham said all military staff were on a rotation system UK cases but recently there is a little bit of plateau. ■ to ensure they are given time to rest and recuperate. ■

4 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

- AAP - AAP

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Virus number to peak Coronavirus cases climb, in coming months tipped to keep rising

Australia’s coronavirus co-ordinator is preparing The total number of cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand for infection rates among the community to peak has risen to 708, with 61 confirmed and probable cases in coming months. in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry has confirmed.

Neville Power says once the virus peak eventually passes, Health Ministry Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay his commission will turn its attentions to rebuilding the said there have been 47 new confirmed cases and 14 new decimated national economy. probable cases. “But when exactly that is, I think it is very difficult to tell,” Fourteen people are in hospital – two are in intensive he said. care but are stable. 82 people have now recovered from the Power said the organisation was keeping an open mind on coronavirus. There have been no further deaths. how long the recovery would take. McElnay said a new case definition will be issued today as a In the meantime, more beds and staff will be available to guide for clinical practitioners. care for Australians infected by COVID-19 after the federal It says those with respiratory illness consistent with Covid-19 government struck a deal with private hospitals. should be considered for testing, “regardless of travel history The $1.3 billion deal with 657 private hospitals will provide or contact with a confirmed case”. an extra 34,000 beds and more than 100,000 staff. “But we do rely on clinical judgement at all times for any Efforts are underway to double the number of ventilated assessment of any patient.” intensive care beds to 4400, as part of an overall target Dr McElnay said this would result in more testing, and health of 7500. authorities were prepared for that. At the same time, Australian manufacturers have intensified “Our testing capacity is currently 3700 tests, and we are their efforts to shore up medical supplies including surgical currently doing an average of 1843 tests per day, based over masks and hand sanitiser. the last seven days,” she said. The federal government’s $130 billion JobKeeper package By the end of next week, there will be 10 laboratories has attracted almost 300,000 business subsidy registrations carrying out tests, up from eight currently, and the Health in the first two days. Ministry hoped to raise testing capacity to 5000 tests. The package will provide businesses with a $1500 fortnightly Dr McElnay said that while the lower reported numbers wage subsidy to be distributed to each employee. looked encouraging, they still expect cases to rise in the next More than 4500 cases of coronavirus have so far been few days. She said the broadening of the case definition meant detected across Australia and 19 people have died. numbers were likely to rise. Two customs officers – one from NSW and one from “It’s much to early to read into those tests,” she said. Queensland – are among those who have tested positive. She said there was still a strong link to overseas travel and The daily infection rate has slowed to nine per cent over links to confirmed cases. Community transmission is about the past three days, down from a high of 25 to 30 per cent. ■ one per cent. “However we continue to focus on getting better information on the data for community transmission.” ■

5 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. - AP A North Korean missile launcher carries out a military exercise at an undisclosed location in North Korea. - AP

REST OF THE WORLD REST OF THE WORLD UN chief: Virus puts Nations condemn North humankind at stake Korean missile launches

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned The UN Security Council didn’t issue a statement that the world faces the most challenging crisis since after discussing North Korea’s latest missile tests but World War II, confronting a pandemic threatening people six European nations on the council are condemning in every country, one that will bring a recession “that Pyongyang’ repeated launches, saying they illustrate its probably has no parallel in the recent past.” ongoing efforts to develop its ballistic missile programs and expand its arsenal. There is also a risk that the combination of the disease and its economic impact will contribute to “enhanced instability, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Poland, and the United enhanced unrest, and enhanced conflict,” the UN chief said Kingdom said in a statement after a closed council discussion at the launch of a report on the socioeconomic impacts of that they are deeply concerned by North Korea’s continued COVID-19. testing of missiles, using ballistic missile technology. Guterres called for a much stronger and more effective The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the country’s global response to the coronavirus pandemic and to the social official name, has conducted 17 sets of missile launches since and economic devastation that COVID-19 is causing. May 2019 including four this month, the latest on March 29. He stressed that this will only be possible “if everybody “We condemn such provocative actions,” the Europeans comes together and if we forget political games and said. “They undermine regional security and stability, as well as understand that it is humankind that is at stake.” international peace and security, and are in clear violation of “We are facing a global health crisis unlike any in the unanimously adopted UN Security Council resolutions.” 75-year history of the United Nations – one that is killing Germany’s deputy UN ambassador Juergen Schulz told the people, spreading human suffering, and upending people’s council it was sad that North Korea is giving priority to its illegal lives,” the report said. “But this is much more than a health weapons programs instead of making global solidarity and crisis. It is a human crisis. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cooperation a top priority and working with the World Health is attacking societies at their core.” Organization and the UN on “the unprecedented global threat The secretary-general said: “The magnitude of the response faced by the COVID-19 pandemic.” must match the scale of the crisis – large-scale, coordinated “Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of transparency in and comprehensive, with country and international responses DPRK’s cooperation with the UN over COVID-19 which we find being guided by the World Health Organization.” dangerous and cynical,” he said. He stressed that “we are still very far from where we need to The Security Council committee monitoring sanctions be to effectively fight the COVID-19 worldwide and to be able against North Korea which Germany heads has granted to tackle the negative impacts on the global economy and the “all COVID-19 related humanitarian exemption requests global societies.” with unprecedented speed and urgency,” Schulz said. He said many countries are not respecting WHO guidelines, “The sanctions are therefore no impediment to effectively with each tending to go its own way in dealing combating COVID-19 in the DPRK.” with the pandemic. Talks to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program have “Let us remember that we are only as strong as the weakest stalemated since the collapse of the second summit between health system in our interconnected world,” he said. ■ the North’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in early 2019. ■

6 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

Work at the ExCel centre which is being made into a temporary hospital in London. - PA - AP

UK UK New hospital staff Offer to boost virus requirements ‘scary’ testing ‘snubbed’

More than 16,000 members of staff could be needed Offers of help from some of the UK’s leading scientific to run London’s new NHS Nightingale Hospital to treat institutions to boost Britain’s rate of coronavirus coronavirus patients should it reach full capacity. testing have been ignored by medical officials, it has been reported. The new 4000-bed temporary facility at the ExCel convention centre in east London is due to open this week despite building The Daily Telegraph said officials have repeatedly ignored offers work only starting last week. from entities including Oxford University and the renowned Split into more than 80 wards containing 42 beds each, the Francis Crick Institute involving hundreds of testing machines Nightingale will become one of the biggest hospitals in the and trained personnel. world, according to its chief operating officer Natalie Forrest. While other nations including Germany, South Korea and The facility will be used to treat Covid-19 patients who Australia have already tested hundreds of thousands of their have been transferred from other intensive care units (ICU) citizens, Britain has been lagging behind. The number of daily across London. tests in fact fell on Tuesday to 8240, for a total of 143,186 tests Forrest said a “scary” number of staff would be needed to since the end of February, according to government figures. run the facility at full capacity and appealed for volunteers to The paper said senior health sources had warned the come forward. window for the UK to launch a successful mass community “If we have to use this facility, which I really hope we don’t testing programme may already have been lost. because everyone is staying home and washing their hands Professor Matthew Freeman, head of Oxford’s Dunn School and social distancing, we will need thousands of doctors and of Pathology, one of Britain’s leading disease research centres, nurses and volunteers to run this facility,” she said. said his repeated offers to provide dozens of specialised Asked to clarify how many are required, Forrest said: machines and expert staff had been largely ignored by Public “The numbers are scary, but if I tell you that to run one Health England (PHE). ward, including all of our ancillary staff, we need He said his department had 119 of the crucial PCR machines, 200 members of staff.” or thermal cyclers, used to identify tell-tale genetic signs of The hospital will initially aim to care for 42 patients, before its coronavirus, but health officials had accepted only one. expansion is “ramped up” to ensure it can meet its full 4000- Hundreds of specialist workers and trained graduate bed capacity in two weeks’ time if needed, the Nightingale’s students were poised to help increase testing, he added, but chief medical director Alan McGlennan said. despite initial signs of enthusiasm he had heard nothing more He said coronavirus patients who are transferred to the from PHE. hospital will already be on a ventilator and will remain at the “We’re clearly not doing as well as we could be doing as a Nightingale until their course of ventilation is finished. nation when it comes to testing, and therefore people like us Coronavirus patients suffering from other serious conditions feel a bit frustrated,” he said. – such as cardiac issues – will be better cared for at other Freeman said some two weeks ago PHE had issued a specialist centres, McGlennan said. request for “a very specific model” of PCR machine. His While the Nightingale will be able to provide up to 4000 department had one, which was duly collected, but he added: ventilator beds if they are needed, NHS London will still have “We have another 118 that can broadly do the same job, but control over the “most precious resources”, he added. ■ they don’t appear to be part of PHE’s plans.” ■

7 APRIL 1 (GMT) – APRIL 2 (AEST), 2020

Caption here… - AAP

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Caravans ‘could become Price of cauliflowers next virus cruise ships’ have Kiwis up in arms

An influx of caravans into regional Australia has sparked Which supermarket item has New Zealanders grave concerns in country communities as the national complaining in droves during their lockdown coronavirus death toll rises to 20. supermarket shopping?

Mayors are pleading with grey nomads and other holiday- Not soap, hand sanitiser, bread or toilet paper. makers to stay home and relieve pressure on towns under Instead, it’s the humble cauliflower. pressure during the pandemic. A government-initiated ‘price watch’ form set up to get public A 95-year-old woman has died in Sydney, taking the feedback has revealed the vegetable is the number one issue Australia-wide number of deaths to 20, including nine in NSW. for Kiwis as they stock up through the lockdown. Deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud, whose Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in the first day of its sprawling electorate covers 729,000 square kilometres operation, 990 submissions were made and one message was of regional Queensland, said people must not seek refuge coming through loud and clear. in country towns. “The most common complaint was … the high price of “Otherwise, these caravans could turn into the cruise ships cauliflower,” Ardern said, struggling to deny her smile of the outback,” he said. at the news. Littleproud said despairing mayors were reporting Kiwis have told the government they’ve been asked to pay supermarket shelves being stripped by city-dwellers looking to $NZ13 ($A12.65) for a single cauliflower during the lockdown. escape urban centres as the virus spreads. “We are taking these complaints seriously,” Ardern said. “You don’t have to be Agatha Christie in one of these towns Supermarkets are on the front line of New Zealand’s to know why they’re there,” he said. shutdown, with butchers and greengrocers all shut down, Infection rates appear to be slowing, with an average of nine along with restaurants, which have not even been allowed to per cent increase in cases over the past three days compared offer takeaway or delivery. to 25-to-30 per cent a week ago. That’s placed a huge burden on the major retailers, Deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said officials which have employed thousands of extra workers to manage were treating the figures with caution. the demand. “It’s clear that we’ve landed a punch on COVID-19, but it’s by Around the country, supermarkets have set up lines in their no means on the canvas,” he said. car parks for people to wait for entry. “This is a promising sign but we need to be very cautious and During peak times, Kiwis are waiting – with a two metre it is no time to take out foot off the accelerator.” distance either side of them in line – for up to an hour to head Coatsworth said health authorities had been working in and buy their goods. diligently behind the scenes to boost Australia’s intensive care And while the government and eagle-eyed New Zealanders capacity since horrific scenes in China and Italy emerged. are on high alert for price gouging during the lockdown, There are about 60 coronavirus patients in intensive care, industry sources suggest there’s little sinister about the with scope for 4400 beds to be made available immediately. cauliflower price. The national target is 7200 beds. A relatively hot summer in New Zealand, with little rain on “I’m comfortable at the moment with our capacity,” much of North Island’s agricultural land, has reduced supply Coatsworth said. ■ of the Mediterranean favourite. ■

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