MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) – Lockdown restrictions in Victoria will be relaxed very slightly as of Monday, said state officials. The number of daily coronavirus cases continued to come down in the country’s hotspot.
Officials said that a A$3 billion ($2.2 billion) package as financial aid has been announced to businesses in Victoria, where a quarter of Australia’s population live. They added that there were 41 new coronavirus infections on Sunday and seven more deaths.
The city will remain under hard lockdown, but regarding how long people will be able to spend outside, it will be made double to two hours per day, while the overnight curfew will be cut down by an hour as of Monday.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said, “They are small steps, but that’s what’s safe, absolutely appropriate, with numbers still coming down, but (remaining) too high to open up.”
Businesses, primarily hospitality, retail and tourism firms, which have been affected, will be provided grants and tax relief through the state’s largest business support package so far, he announced.
Andrews said, “It is unprecedented because the challenge we face is unprecedented. No one is enjoying the reality we face, but none of us have the option of ignoring the reality that we face.”
In Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, the restrictions are relaxed, and officials recorded nine new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday.