Infected crew members are medically evacuated in the dead of night from coronavirus-infested Ruby Princess cruise ship and rushed to Sydney hospital - with one in a critical condition
- Crew members on coronavirus-stricken cruise rescued in an overnight operation
- Brought to shore south of Sydney by a police vessel in an hours-long operation
- 'Several' employees rushed to Sydney hospital and all believed to have COVID-19
- The virus-affected vessel has been at sea after docking in Sydney on March 19
- More than 100 infected travellers were allowed to leave the ship without checks
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Crew members on the coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship stranded off the coast of Australia have been rescued in a painstaking overnight medical evacuation.
The employees, who have been rushed to Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, are all suffering from the virus - with one said to be in a critical condition.
The 'several' affected crew members were brought ashore in the hours-long operation by a police vessel at Botany Bay, in Sydney's south, on Sunday night.
Crew members on-board the coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship, who are believed to have COVID-19, have been brought to shore in an hours-long overnight rescue operation
The employees have been rushed to Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital - with one of them believed to be in a critical condition
The 'several' affected crew members were brought ashore in the hours-long operation by a police vessel at Botany Bay south of Sydney on Sunday night
It comes after the ship docked in Sydney Harbour on March 19 and more than 100 infected travellers were allowed to disembark the ship without any checks - potentially exposing thousands.
It was one of four ships to dock in Sydney in the space of a week with infected passengers aboard, with authorities fearing the thousands who disembarked may have contributed to a spike in the number of cases of COVID-19 in Australia.
The cruise ship has been floating off Australia's east coast since docking in Sydney.
On Sunday, a 75-year-old passenger died in Caboolture Hospital in Queensland on Sunday, 10 days after she stepped off the boat.
There are nearly 4,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia. The country recorded its biggest daily rise on Saturday of 460 cases, and 370 and 378 the two days before.
Cruise ship arrivals have been connected to at least 496 coronavirus cases in Australia.
On Sunday it emerged Australians will soon be fined for breaking tough new coronavirus rules that limit public gatherings to two people which come into effect on Monday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced the two-person rule, while urging those over 70 to stay at home and ordering the closure of playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gyms.
Victorians who are caught outside with more than one other person will be slapped with a $1,652 on the spot fine from Tuesday.
New South Wales is expected to follow suit and has warned punishments for flouting the new measures would most likely be in line with previous restrictions, which have been enforced under the Public Health Act.
The ship docked in Sydney Harbour (pictured at Circular Quay on March 19) and more than 100 infected travellers were allowed to disembark the ship without any checks
Breaches of the Act currently carry $11,000 fines, six months in jail or a $1,000 on-the-spot police fine.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday night confirmed the state would enforce the new rules around social distancing.
'Following national cabinet, NSW will move quickly to enforce additional restrictions on gatherings to slow COVID-19,' the Premier tweeted on Sunday night.
Mr Morrison said the states 'aren't mucking around' when it comes to enforcing the new rules.
'They're very, very serious. And states like New South Wales and Victoria will move further down onto those two person rules, is my understanding,' he said.
'But states and territories will make their own announcements about those issues.'
The two-person limit doesn't apply to workplaces, offices, schools and households.
It applies to all indoor settings, including private properties and homes.
Scott Morrison urged those over 70 or with chronic illnesses to stay home, and said state and territory governments are moving to ban landlords from evicting tenants
People who live alone can only invite one friend over, while households of two people or more can't have any visitors.
A family split across two houses can meet in private, allowing people to visit their partner, siblings or parents.
The prime minister urged all Australians to only leave their homes to buy essential supplies, to exercise, to attend personal medical appointments and to go to work or school - if unable to work or obtain an education from home.
'Every single Australian needs to take this seriously or community transmission could get out of control and we could have a situation as terrible as even they are seeing in the US at the moment,' he said.
Mr Morrison also strongly advised that anyone over 70 stay home for their own safety, except for going for a daily walk in the fresh air.
'States and territories will term whether they proceed to make this an enforceable limit in the same way that the 10-person limit is already been enforced,' he said.
Mr Morrison made it clear the advice about gatherings of more than two people was for all circumstances, not just for social occasions in homes.
'That provides, importantly, for those who may be getting daily exercise, particularly for women, that they wouldn't be required to walk on their own and they be able to be walk with another person,' he said.
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