Police site crashes as Kiwis turn into shutdown snitches
Wellington: New Zealanders have become so keen to report their neighbours for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules that police on Monday said a website dedicated to addressing the issue crashed soon after going live. The South Pacific nation is in the midst of a four-week COVID-19 lockdown, with residents under orders to stay at home or remain at least two metres (6.5 feet) apart if they must go outside. Police commissioner Mike Bush said that a police website www.police.govt.nz/105support opened on Sunday afternoon and received such heavy traffic that it temporarily crashed. “We’ve had 4,200 reports of people believing others weren’t complying,” he told reporters. “It shows how determined Kiwis are that everyone complies with us.” Bush said breaches included a party of about 60 people at a backpacker hostel in Queenstown and tourists continuing to travel the country in campervans. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern backed the informants and also urged the public to report any price gouging at supermarkets via a dedicated email address. “Now is not the time to bend the rules. This is a time to stay at home and save lives,” she told reporters. New Zealand, with a population of about five million, has 552 confirmed COVID-19 cases, one of them fatal. (AFP)
Vietnam govt uses TikTok for COVID-19 information
Hanoi: Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has launched a TikTok account in a bid to raise public awareness about preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic, it was reported on Monday. The move also aims to call people to follow health recommendations and regularly update related information for TikTok users, Xinhua news agency reported citing local media as saying. The Ministry started a campaign on the platform last Sunday to call on users to share their happy moments when staying at home, as part of the efforts to encourage people to refrain from making crowds and avoid community transmissions. The Ministry’s TikTok account, which has drawn more than 1 million views with over 20 animated films, will help spread its messages quickly to an active and growing community of TikTok users in Vietnam, local media reported. Vietnam has so far confirmed 194 COVID-19 cases, with 52 patients cured, according to the country’s Health Ministry. There has been no deaths in the country due to the disease. (IANS)
Aus cruise ship passengers to be quarantined on famous island
Canberra: An idyllic island off Australia’s west coast, known for its native marsupials, will now host nationals who were onboard a cruise ship and have been forced to quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Australians who had been onboard the Vasco da Gama cruise liner arrived at Rottnest Island on Monday for two weeks of isolation, joining the local population of quokkas — a marsupial species which became world famous for appearing in celebrity selfies, reports Xinhua news agency. In the past, thousands of visitors to the West Australian (WA) island, including Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer and Australian superstar Chris Hemsworth, have tajen selfies with the quokkas and posted them online. However, last week the white sandy beaches and rich nature-topped dunes were closed for tourists, allowing authorities to set up local accommodation options and establish a quarantine centre. “The intention is that we take people out there who are well, they isolate for 14 days and hopefully they come off at the end of that time and they can go back home,” WA Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said. Meanwhile, all crew and non-Australians would remain on the ship until arrangements could be made to fly them home. (IANS)
UK medical fetish site donates equipment to NHS staff
London: A UK medical fetish company has donated its entire stock of scrubs to the National Health Service after claims frontline medical staff do not have enough protective equipment during the coronavirus crisis. MedFet UK announced on social media it had made the donation after being contacted by NHS bosses. “Today we donated our entire stock of disposable scrubs to an NHS hospital,” MedFet UK — which describes itself on its website as an “online store for all your needle play medical fetish and roleplay supplies” — announced on Twitter. “It was just a few sets, because we don’t carry large stocks, but they were desperate, so we sent them free of charge.” It added: “We have been contacted this week by representatives of NHS procurement all over the country, trying to source basic protective equipment and clothing.” (AFP)