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Australian government to pump $1bn into health and family violence services as coronavirus spreads

health, News

Telehealth, mental health and national domestic violence initiative to receive major boosts as economic effects of Covid-19 intensify

The Morrison government will expand funding for telehealth, domestic violence support and mental health services, as well as boosting the emergency relief delivered through charities and community organisations, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia passes 3,600 and the national death toll stands at 14.

The government will announce on Sunday morning that it is allocating more than $1bn to a range of support services, including $669m to expand Medicare-subsidised telehealth services and $150m under the national domestic violence initiative. The government says there has been a surge in the number of Google searches looking for support services for domestic violence during the pandemic.

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Coronavirus US live: Biden says Trump plan to relax physical distancing could be ‘catastrophic’

Donald Trump, News, US Congress, US news

Here’s a clip of World Health Organization director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemning calls to bypass or lift social distancing restrictions.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus strongly warns against lifting social distancing measures too soon.

"The last thing any country needs is to open schools and businesses, only to be forced to close them again because of a resurgence." https://t.co/l7BtEcViAu pic.twitter.com/lsyAFYMbRV

The federal agency in charge of nursing homes nationwide confirmed that 140 have at least one confirmed coronavirus case. But the Washington Post reports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are refusing to say which ones.

From the Post:

Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control, the press release tucked the new figure in the seventh paragraph. The release said although “147 is a small fraction of the over 15,000 nursing homes across the country, given the disproportionate effect on our nation’s older population, this is a cause for concern.”

A CDC spokesman, Scott Pauley, told The Post he was “not sure [the list] will be released at this time.”

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Coronavirus US live: stimulus bill fails in Senate as experts urge Trump not to roll back social restrictions

Donald Trump, News, US news, US politics
  • What to know about the US bailout
  • Dr Anthony Fauci counters Trump’s claims
  • Trump signals change in strategy that could clash with health experts
  • Panic-buying disrupts food distribution
  • See all our coronavirus coverage
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6.36pm GMT

The Washington Post reports on a growing rift in the Trump administration as the president weighs l...

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