Coronavirus update: The latest COVID-19 news for Monday May 18 | ABC News

More Australians are enjoying re-instated freedoms today with West Australians and Tasmanians back in cafes but it sounds like the Queensland border could still be closed for quite some time.

And there’s been another coronavirus death reported this morning, a man in his 60s from NSW.

On the international front… There’ll be a lot of interest in this meeting tonight in Switzerland with a push for a comprehensive investigation into the origin of COVID-19 and how efforts to stop its spread have been handled.

In this update:

0:32 Restrictions will ease today in Western Australia – up to 20 people are allowed to gather both indoors and outdoors – including at pubs, restaurants and at weddings. From this morning Tasmanians can also dine-in at cafes & restaurants but only ten people at a time. Meanwhile some schools in South Australia and the ACT are re-opening with mixed feelings from parents.

0:58 Fast food giant McDonald’s has closed twelve outlets in Melbourne for deep cleaning, after a delivery driver tested positive for coronavirus. Meanwhile Cedar Meats, the abattoir at the centre of one of the country’s biggest clusters, is set to re-open today.

1:16 62 countries have backed the call for a comprehensive international investigation into coronavirus. The motion will be put to a key World Health Organisation meeting taking place tonight in Switzerland.

1:29 Brazil’s outbreak is now the fourth largest in the world with more than 236,000 cases – behind the US, Russia and the United Kingdom. However, brazil has just a fraction of the testing seen in those countries.

1:45 And India has extended its two month lockdown by two weeks after reporting nearly 5,000 new cases.

In more detail:

1:56 Laura Beavis reports from Tasmania. Tasmania has had no new cases recorded in the past 24 hours. Restaurants and cafes are gearing up to reopen today, but not all are throwing open the doors.

5:16 Stephanie Ferrier reports from Melbourne where fast food giant McDonald’s has closed 12 outlets in Melbourne for deep cleaning, after a delivery driver tested positive for coronavirus.

10:34 New south wales has recorded one new coronavirus death, taking Australia’s total to 99. The man, in his 60s had underlying health conditions and was a close contact of a known case. Just one new infection has been recorded from almost 6,000 tests.

12:12 In Queensland all but one person at a Rockhampton aged care home has been tested and returned negative results after a nurse tested positive last week. An investigation has been launched into how the nurse continued to work while showing symptoms.

14:50 Political reporter Nour Haydar from Canberra – More than 60 countries have now thrown their weight behind a motion that will be considered at a meeting of the world health assembly tonight. Diplomats are still locked in negotiations, but the federal government says it expects the motion to be endorsed.

17:29 Brazil has now passed the total number of coronavirus cases in Italy with more than 230,000 infections.

Hopes of India’s lockdown ending soon have been dashed with restrictions extended by another two weeks in most areas. Schools, restaurants and places of worship will remain closed until at least next month. India has more than 90-thousand confirmed coronavirus cases.

Spain’s daily coronavirus death toll has fallen below 100 for the first time since mid-march – 87 people have died in the past 24 hours. This week, Spain will significantly ease lockdown laws in several areas but not in it’s two biggest cities, Barcelona and Madrid.

And thousands of happy shoppers have been out in force in Thailand after the country opened malls for the first time in weeks.

18:33 Nick Dole reports from London – British prime minister Boris Johnson has admitted new lockdown rules are causing frustration. New polling has shown growing dissatisfaction with his government’s response to the pandemic.

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