In Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, the authorities have tightened the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most shops, pubs and hotels must be closed from Wednesday.
Only shops for groceries, supermarkets, pharmacies, post offices and petrol stations are allowed to open further. Citizens are urged to work from home, with the exception of workers who cannot, said Victoria Prime Minister Daniel Andrews today. The measures should apply for at least six weeks.
In the metropolis of millions, the capital of the state of Victoria in southeast Australia, the number of cases has risen sharply for weeks. Victoria is the worst affected region in the country.
At the weekend, Andrews had already announced a curfew that had been in place since yesterday. This should start every evening at 8:00 p.m. and is valid until 5:00 a.m. the following day. There are exceptions for people who drive to or from work or who take care of someone else.
In addition, Melbourne residents have only been allowed to go shopping once a day since the weekend and do not exercise outside for more than an hour – and that only within five kilometers of their home. Andrews had also declared the state of the disaster, adding additional powers to the police and other agencies.
