An Australian man living in Bali has died in his girlfriend’s arms after suffering breathing problems consistent with the coronavirus.

Local authorities are awaiting the results of a forensic examination to determine whether David Sparenburg died of COVID-19.

The 53-year-old lay cradled in his girlfriend’s arms as he breathed his last breath in holiday accommodation at Munggu on Wednesday morning.

His Indonesian girlfriend gave him an unspecified “breath” medicine when he complained of shortness of breath, the regency of Badung’s police chief Roby Septiad said.

“At 3am (June 3), the victim complained of shortness of breath and hugged (the woman) until finally his body did not move,” The Daily Telegraph cited Mr Septiad as saying.

“(She) then reported the death to the owner of the boarding house.”

Bali’s coronavirus task force team arrived in protective equipment just before dawn to transfer the man’s body to Sanglah General Hospital utilising the island’s COVID-19 protocol.

The cause of his death is still pending. He may be the first Australian to die of the coronavirus in Indonesia.

Australia’s coronavirus death toll was revised down to 102 after an autopsy revealed Queensland miner Nathan Turner did not have COVID-19.

Universities face $16 billion revenue hit

Education Minister Dan Tehan said the commonwealth was responsible for nearly half the revenue for the nation’s 39 universities. Photo: AAP 

The university sector says its ability to invest in research and development, which is vital for post-pandemic recovery, is facing a $16 billion hit.

The federal government wants universities to focus on reopening campuses to domestic students, but modelling by Universities Australia released on Wednesday predicts the sector could lose $16 billion in revenue between now and 2023, with $12.3 billion attributed to lost international student fees.

Education Minister Dan Tehan on Wednesday cited financial data showing nearly half the revenue for the nation’s 39 universities came from commonwealth funding, which the government has promised to maintain at expected levels.

Almost 87,000 international students enrolled at Australian universities in first semester found themselves stuck outside the country after travel bans came in, plus another 35,000 destined for vocational education and training classrooms.

But universities say nearly half the new intake of students each year – at least 84,000 – begin their studies in second semester, which is about to start.

Victorian unis tighten belts

Victoria’s La Trobe University said it was talking with several banks about accessing more money so it can continue running in the short term.

It has also asked its staff to take a 10 per cent pay cut to protect jobs, as the pandemic leaves it facing “significant revenue losses” for 2020 and the next two years.

It’s also offering a voluntary redundancy program expected to save $20 million in 2020 and $40 million each year in 2021 and 2022.

Staff are due to vote on the proposal on June 15-16.

Its woes come as Swinburne University of Technology told staff it had decided to start consultations for voluntary redundancies until June 12.

Deakin University last week announced about 300 jobs at the institution were at risk as a result of the coronavirus.

NSW coroner to probe Newmarch House virus deaths

The death at Newmarch House keeps rising. Photo: ABC

The NSW coroner announced it will investigate a cluster of 17 coronavirus-related deaths at Anglicare’s Newmarch House aged-care home, on the same day the state recorded no new cases.

Newmarch House became the centre of a virus cluster in western Sydney when about 70 people became infected and 17 residents died after an employee worked six shifts despite having mild coronavirus symptoms.

As of Sunday, all residents and staff who tested positive for COVID-19 at the Anglicare-run facility had been cleared.

Police will prepare a brief of evidence for the coroner.

-with AAP