4pm. That’s a wrap.
That’s all from us today for the #ipswichtogether COVID-19 blog.
We’ll be back again tomorrow from 8am with more important community information and updates.
3.40pm. Twenty people now allowed in library at one time
2.22pm. Further easing of restrictions welcome relief for Ipswich residents
Ipswich City Council has responded to the earlier easing of COVID-19 restrictions and increased the number of people having access to various facilities.
Stage 2 was scheduled to come into effect on 12 June. But the Queensland Government brought that forward to 1 June.
Read the full story here: Further easing of restrictions welcome relief for Ipswich residents
1.22pm. The hero-grams keep coming for our health workers
11.45am. Your old laptop could change a young person’s life
Students have returned to the classroom and the home-learning period is done, for now, but the need for laptops to improve the access of vulnerable students to education remains.
Earlier this month, Ipswich City Council and the Ipswich Hospital Foundation (IHF) – with the support of Rotary Club of Ipswich City – launched Operation Education as part of the Ipswich Together program.
It was about supplying Year 11 and 12 students with laptops and/or the internet during COVID-19 and beyond.
Within 48 hours of the launch, the State Government announced an earlier than anticipated return to the classroom for students, which contributed to a perception across the city that these laptops were no longer needed.
While offers of donated laptops and tech expertise quickly dried up, requests for support did not, with a number of families, schools and community groups registering their needs with IHF.
Now, council and IHF have decided to widen the scope of the project to include any high school student in need, with a focus on children facing considerable hardship or disengagement from traditional schooling options.
Here’s how you can help: Do you have an unused laptop? It could change a life
10.55am Life under the ‘new normal’
Changes we’ve made during coronavirus to help stop the spread will continue to play an even bigger part into the future.
As cafes, restaurants, gyms and other public areas start to open up this week, here’s a reminder of why you should continue physical distancing and practising good hygiene.
10am. Queensland update: one new case, Blackwater update
Queensland has recorded one new confirmed case of COVID-19 overnight, with five active cases currently across the state.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the new case was acquired overseas.
“It’s a woman who has travelled through Africa recently, and was therefore confirmed to be an overseas acquired case not local transmission,” Mr Miles said.
“That leaves us with five active cases in Queensland, two of those are in hospital, one on the Gold Coast and one in Metro North.”
The 41-year-old woman was tested while in quarantine on the Gold Coast. She was infectious on the plane, however the other individuals who were on that plane are also in quarantine.
Mr Miles said a coroner overnight confirmed a 30-year-old man who died in Blackwater last week did not have COVID-19.
“Overnight the coroner confirmed that they had multiple negative tests of COVID-19 post mortem on the man who died in Blackwater tragically,” he said.
“Our ability to control this virus requires us to respond rapidly to every single positive test.
“We have to treat every positive test as though it is a positive case.
“However, I would like to personally apologise to his partner and his family for any distress that our actions in responding rapidly have caused them.”
The coroner is currently conducting more tests to identify a cause of death.
9am. Busting COVID-19 myths
Myth: Gargling salt water will prevent coronavirus. Myth: If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds, you’re OK. Myth: Ibuprofen exacerbates coronavirus.
You may have seen information on social media about cures and treatments for coronavirus, but a lot of it is not true.
Sort fact from fiction at: www.australia.gov.au/covid-19-mythbusting
8am. Tuesday, 2 June 2020. Zero active cases in Ipswich
There are currently zero active cases of COVID-19 in the West Moreton Health region with all 38 cases recorded, now recovered according to Queensland Health information issued at noon yesterday.
There were 24 overseas acquired cases in Ipswich and four locally acquired for a total of 28 in Ipswich.
Of the 1058 confirmed cases in Queensland, five remain active.
Two of the five active confirmed cases are in hospital, and are being treated in intensive care.
The remainder of active cases are currently recovering at home.
As of yesterday, 1,013 of the 1,058 confirmed cases had recently travelled overseas or interstate, or had close contact with a confirmed case, such as their partner or flatmate.
A total of 197,367 tests for COVID-19 have been undertaken in Queensland, with 1,930 tests undertaken in the previous 24 hours.
Most Queenslanders who have contracted COVID-19 have experienced mild symptoms.
A total of 1,046 Queenslanders (99 per cent of total cases) have now recovered from COVID-19.
Contact tracing continues for recent cases.
The message from Queensland Health remains the same: continue practising good hygiene and stay home if you’re sick.
Washing your hands properly and often is the gold standard of health advice that can help prevent viruses from entering your body.
