Australia will isolate Victoria from the rest of the country and implement unprecedented measures to combat a worrying increase in the number of coronavirus cases, authorities said on Monday. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the boundary separating the two most populous states of the immense island continent - that of Victoria and that of New South Wales - will be closed from midnight at night. Monday through Tuesday, officials from both states said. Victoria reported a record 127 cases on Monday as the virus spread to the city of Melbourne, including several densely populated buildings.
The Prime Minister of this State, Daniel Andrews, described the closure decision as "a good choice at the moment given the considerable challenges we are facing in order to contain this virus" . A plan to reopen the border with the neighboring state of South Australia has been frozen. After weeks of easing restrictions, Melbourne has seen a spike in the number of infections, leading health officials to confine residents of certain neighborhoods. This measure, which must remain in force until July 29, concerns more than 300,000 inhabitants of this city, the second in the country, which has 5 million.
Read also: Coronavirus ignites tensions between China and Australia
Sixteen of the new cases recorded were in nine tall social housing towers whose 3,000 residents have been confined since Saturday. This is the most rigorous measure taken since the start of the pandemic. To date, 53 cases have been identified in these buildings, in which a large number of immigrants live. Officials in this community are concerned about how this "strict confinement" stigmatizes them when hundreds of police have been deployed to enforce these measures. Daniel Andrews said food and toys have been delivered to families, while medical care is provided. An extensive screening campaign for residents has also been launched.
Australia has recorded more than 8,500 cases of coronavirus and 105 deaths. The majority of new daily cases are now recorded in Melbourne, while most of the other regions benefit from a relaxation of the measures.