SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) – Officials in the Australian state of Victoria said that the five-day snap lockdown imposed there would end on Wednesday as no new cases were reported in a cluster linked to a hotel quarantine in the city of Melbourne.
Restrictions on movement will be lifted at midnight, said state Premier Daniel Andrews, adding that face coverings will remain mandatory both indoors and outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained.
“In a broader sense, we are safe and open,” he said in a televised press conference, warning that the latest outbreak had not been completely contained.
With the lifting of curbs, at least some spectators will be allowed at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne where players had no option but to play in front of empty stands.
“There will be meetings early this afternoon … where we will go through what is a safe number and will get that decision made as soon as possible,” Andrews said.
As per the pre-lockdown pact with the Victoria government, crowds would have been limited to 25,000 for each day for the final four days, but the premier said that figure might be reduced further.
During each of the first days of the tournament, officials had permitted 30,000 spectators – about half the normal attendance.