Melbourne, the country's second city, again confined due to Covid

The measure will take effect from night, from Tuesday to Wednesday, and will last at least six weeks. More than five million people on Tuesday were ordered by local authorities to remain confined to Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, following an outbreak of coronavirus cases.

The Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, made the announcement while this city in the south-east of the country has identified 191 new cases in twenty-four hours, which makes it difficult to trace the contacts of people infected with the virus. "These are numbers that cannot last," he said.

Statement from the Premier on Stay at Home restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. pic.twitter.com/7tc3esHZnH

While acknowledging that "nobody wanted to find themselves in such a situation", he considered that "it will be very difficult" for the population. Most of the pupils will again follow distance education, while restaurants and cafes will only be able to serve take-out meals.

According to Daniel Andrews, this is the only possible alternative because otherwise, "potentially", there will be "thousands and thousands of cases" more, he told reporters.

Police and military to monitor Victoria state borders

These measures concern the metropolis of Melbourne while since midnight Tuesday, the State of Victoria is isolated from the rest of the country after the closure of its borders. Police and military guard dozens of crossings with other states while drones and planes have been deployed.

Last week, around 30 Melbourne neighborhoods were confined, a measure that affected more than 300,000 residents. It must remain in effect until July 29. Since then, it has been extended to other parts of the city. On Saturday, around 3,000 residents living in several apartment buildings were ordered to stay locked up in their homes for at least five days after the outbreak of an epidemic outbreak in a tower.

This is the most stringent measure ever in force in Australia since the start of the pandemic. The country has recorded nearly 9,000 cases of coronavirus and 106 deaths. The majority of new daily cases are now recorded in Melbourne, while most of the other regions benefit from a relaxation of the measures.

World

Coronavirus: Australia isolates its state most affected by the pandemic

World

Coronavirus: Spain does not reopen its borders to Morocco, Algeria and China

• Covid 19
• Melbourne
• Confinement
• Australia
• Coronavirus
• World