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| Coronavirus in Australia: Melbourne returns to lockdown as cases surge | Coronavirus in Australia: Melbourne returns to lockdown as cases surge |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Five million residents of the Australian city of Melbourne have been told to stay at home for six weeks, amid a surge in coronavirus cases. | Five million residents of the Australian city of Melbourne have been told to stay at home for six weeks, amid a surge in coronavirus cases. |
| Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews announced the lockdown after the state saw 191 new infections, its highest daily number since the pandemic began. | Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews announced the lockdown after the state saw 191 new infections, its highest daily number since the pandemic began. |
| The state's borders with its neighbours, New South Wales and South Australia, will close within hours. | The state's borders with its neighbours, New South Wales and South Australia, will close within hours. |
| Australia has recorded almost 9,000 cases and 106 deaths from the virus. | Australia has recorded almost 9,000 cases and 106 deaths from the virus. |
| But almost all new cases have been in Victoria. | But almost all new cases have been in Victoria. |
| "We are on the cusp of something very, very bad if we don't take these steps," Mr Andrews said. | "We are on the cusp of something very, very bad if we don't take these steps," Mr Andrews said. |
| "I think a sense of complacency has crept into us as we let our frustrations get the better of us." | "I think a sense of complacency has crept into us as we let our frustrations get the better of us." |
| The state had been easing restrictions before the surge in the past fortnight. | The state had been easing restrictions before the surge in the past fortnight. |
| It now has hundreds of active cases, while other Australian states and territories continue to report only small numbers of new infections. | It now has hundreds of active cases, while other Australian states and territories continue to report only small numbers of new infections. |
| What are the new restrictions? | What are the new restrictions? |
| People will be kept to their homes and will only be able to leave for essential reasons, such as for work, exercise and shopping for food and other necessities. | People will be kept to their homes and will only be able to leave for essential reasons, such as for work, exercise and shopping for food and other necessities. |
| Schools will largely return to distance learning and restaurants will, once again, only be permitted to serve takeaway food. | Schools will largely return to distance learning and restaurants will, once again, only be permitted to serve takeaway food. |
| However, shops and hairdressers will remain open. | However, shops and hairdressers will remain open. |
| The measures will come into force from Wednesday. | The measures will come into force from Wednesday. |
| The lockdown covers only Melbourne and an area to the north called the Mitchell shire, but the state as a whole is being sealed off from the neighbouring states of New South Wales and South Australia. | The lockdown covers only Melbourne and an area to the north called the Mitchell shire, but the state as a whole is being sealed off from the neighbouring states of New South Wales and South Australia. |
| Police and troops will be stationed at border crossings and patrol the vast borders with drones and other aircraft. | Police and troops will be stationed at border crossings and patrol the vast borders with drones and other aircraft. |
| Taxing times return for Australia's second city | Taxing times return for Australia's second city |
| By Frances Mao, BBC News, Sydney | By Frances Mao, BBC News, Sydney |
| Two weeks ago, as the cases started to creep up again, some of the fear and unease returned for residents in Melbourne. | Two weeks ago, as the cases started to creep up again, some of the fear and unease returned for residents in Melbourne. |
| Out of caution, people began cancelling interstate trips. Better to wait it out, said my friends who were due to visit. | Out of caution, people began cancelling interstate trips. Better to wait it out, said my friends who were due to visit. |
| Surely it wouldn't get so bad again, right? Australia as a whole had been out of lockdown for over a month. | Surely it wouldn't get so bad again, right? Australia as a whole had been out of lockdown for over a month. |
| We were so close to eradication - everyone could see the light at the end of the tunnel. | We were so close to eradication - everyone could see the light at the end of the tunnel. |
| Desperate to maintain that status, officials were also responding quickly to the outbreaks: locking down suburbs, sending in the military, boosting testing. | Desperate to maintain that status, officials were also responding quickly to the outbreaks: locking down suburbs, sending in the military, boosting testing. |
| But for the first time in Australia, community transmission appears to have gained a hold. The case numbers exploded past 100 at the weekend. Then on Tuesday, nearly 200 new cases were confirmed. | But for the first time in Australia, community transmission appears to have gained a hold. The case numbers exploded past 100 at the weekend. Then on Tuesday, nearly 200 new cases were confirmed. |
| The announcement didn't come until afternoon but by then most Melbourne residents knew. Sliding back into lockdown - after having tasted freedom for a few weeks - is a cruel blow. | The announcement didn't come until afternoon but by then most Melbourne residents knew. Sliding back into lockdown - after having tasted freedom for a few weeks - is a cruel blow. |
| Friends have been scrambling to do their last family visits and shopping trips. | Friends have been scrambling to do their last family visits and shopping trips. |
| A second lockdown, arguably, is even more taxing - mentally and financially. | A second lockdown, arguably, is even more taxing - mentally and financially. |
| What makes it worse is the city will have to bear it alone. The rest of the country has largely eradicated or slowed the virus. | What makes it worse is the city will have to bear it alone. The rest of the country has largely eradicated or slowed the virus. |
| How did it come to this? | How did it come to this? |
| For months Australia had felt optimistic about containing Covid-19, then came the resurgence of the virus in Melbourne. | For months Australia had felt optimistic about containing Covid-19, then came the resurgence of the virus in Melbourne. |
| At the weekend, Melbourne authorities locked down about 3,000 people living in nine housing-estate tower blocks after at least 23 cases of infection were found. Dozens more have been found since. | At the weekend, Melbourne authorities locked down about 3,000 people living in nine housing-estate tower blocks after at least 23 cases of infection were found. Dozens more have been found since. |
| Residents were told not to leave their homes under any circumstances for five days. | Residents were told not to leave their homes under any circumstances for five days. |
| A looser lockdown was placed on about 300,000 city residents, now extended to the whole city. | A looser lockdown was placed on about 300,000 city residents, now extended to the whole city. |
| What concerns the authorities is that local transmission is now the key source of infections. | What concerns the authorities is that local transmission is now the key source of infections. |
| Previously, most cases came from travellers returning from overseas. | Previously, most cases came from travellers returning from overseas. |
| Other Australian states have dramatically slowed or eradicated the virus, but in Victoria private security guards overseeing hotel quarantines reportedly broke the rules. | Other Australian states have dramatically slowed or eradicated the virus, but in Victoria private security guards overseeing hotel quarantines reportedly broke the rules. |
| Mr Andrews described cases of illegal socialising between staff, listing examples of workers sharing a cigarette lighter or car-pooling. Local media also reported claims of sex between guards and quarantined travellers. | Mr Andrews described cases of illegal socialising between staff, listing examples of workers sharing a cigarette lighter or car-pooling. Local media also reported claims of sex between guards and quarantined travellers. |
| The government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the state's quarantine operation and has fired contractors. | The government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the state's quarantine operation and has fired contractors. |
| Have you been placed under stay-at-home restrictions in Melbourne? Tell us about your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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