MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) – Authorities of the state of Victoria in Australia said the state recorded the lowest rise in the number of coronavirus infections in two months. But there will be no hasty lifting of social distancing norms.
Melbourne, the capital of the state, has completed four weeks of a strict lockdown which was implemented to contain the spread of second wave of infections.
On Saturday, health officials recorded 94 new cases of infections and 18 fatalities. It is for the first time that the number of daily new infections has fallen below triple digits in eight weeks.
“Every day we see the strategy working is a good day but we just need a bit more time to be able to be confident that we are, in fact, defeating this and that we can open up, gradually, steadily, safely,” state premier Daniel Andrews said.
Melbourne residents are allowed just one hour of outdoor activity a day. Even if the current measures are eased after the end of six weeks, some curbs are likely to remain.
In the bordering state of New South Wales, there are concerns about a resurgence in cases after more than a dozen people were found to be infected at one of the oldest clubs in Sydney.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.