In breaking news, the World Health Organisation has officially declared the worldwide coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
In making their decision , WHO says they’re “deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity” of the disease, and by the “alarming levels of inaction”.
More than 118,000 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 worldwide since the outbreak began late last year.
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Burns and botched laser jobs prompt regulation calls
There are calls for the Government to regulate the beauty industry as more New Zealanders are left burnt and out of pocket due to botched laser treatments .
There are currently no laws around the buying, operating and on-selling of laser machines, something leading beauty experts say has to change.
1 NEWS has spoken to a woman who’s been left with permanent pitting and scarring on her face following a botched laser job and it’s feared her situation could become more common, given anybody can currently buy a laser machine and start treating people.
Other countries have had similar worries about the regulation of such beauty treatments. Germany has changed its rules around tattoo removal by laser, with doctors being the only practitioners allowed to offer the service from the end of 2020.
Concerns were also raised in the UK last month over rogue beauticians leaving customers with burns and scars while removing moles and other lesions, prompting calls for better regulation of their own beauty industry.
Govt unlocks drought relief funds
The Government has this morning announced a $2 million drought relief package to help struggling farmers and growers.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor today classified the current drought in the North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chathams as a large-scale adverse event and said new funding would now be able to support those affected through until June next year.
The money will be used to help with animal welfare, with a feed working group also being formed. The last time drought was classified as a large-scale adverse event was in 2013.
Hefty sentence for Harvey Weinstein
Former Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has this morning been sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault.
His lawyers had earlier sought a five-year sentence, saying a lengthy prison term for the 67-year-old would, in effect, be a life sentence.
But this isn’t the end of Weinstein’s time in court. His lawyers have already indicated they will be going ahead with an appeal and he also faces other similar charges in California.
NZ increases restrictions on travellers
With Italy still in lockdown as it struggles with a steep increase in coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced travellers from anywhere in Italy will need to isolate themselves for 14 days upon arrival in New Zealand. This edict previously only applied to travellers arriving from northern Italy.
Australia has also expanded its coronavirus travel ban to include Italy.
The news comes as Italy’s confirmed cases of Covid-19 soar past 10,000 , with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte labelling the health crisis as the country’s greatest challenge in peacetime.
But why has Italy been so badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic? ITV has rounded up some of the reasons .
Whakaari guide cleared for day leave
The teenage tour guide who was badly injured in last year’s Whakaari/White Island eruption has celebrated a major milestone in his recovery.
Jake Milbank, who suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body, got to enjoy his first visit home since the disaster three months ago.
The 19-year-old shared the news in his first social media update about his recovery, saying “things are finally starting to look up”.
Other news of note this morning:
US stocks are falling sharply again today after the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus pandemic.
The NRL is once again under a cloud as it deals with the Bulldogs’ schoolgirl scandal .
A group of teenagers have been bottled in what’s believed to be a racially motivated attack on Auckland’s North Shore.
And Joe Biden’s bid to be the Democrats’ presidential nominee is on a roll , with big wins in another batch of state primary elections.
And finally...
Talk about news you can use. Auckland’s Watercare has some advice for everyone who went out and panic bought sanitizing wipes in the wake of coronavirus fears a couple of weeks ago: Do not flush them down the toilet.
Auckland’s wastewater systems are currently suffering from unprecedented levels of wipes, causing pumping stations to break down weekly, rather than their usual once or twice a year.
1 NEWS was shown huge mounds of the offending wipes after they were removed from screening machinery – and you can see the damage here . (But maybe not while you’re eating your breakfast.)
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