Covid-19: Frightening surge hits Melbourne, Victorian Premier orders lockdown

The Victoria state’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, has disclosed plan to impose stringent lockdown in Melbourne following a surge in the coronavirus cases in the city.

The plan to lockdown Melbourne on Wednesday night was disclosed on Tuesday, hours before the busy border between Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, and New South Wales is scheduled to close for the first time in a century.

While justifying the lockdown, Premier Andrews said he was extremely scared about the current situation.

“I know a lot of people aren’t scared because this feels like something happening to other people in other parts of the world,” he said.

“But you should be scared of this … I’m scared … we all should be,” he added.

Victoria was responsible for 191 of the 199 new cases reported nationally on Tuesday, the biggest one-day rise since early April.

The spike has worried officials, even though the national total of almost 8,800 cases and 106 deaths is far below many other countries.

“Yesterday, we reached a grim new milestone, the most cases in a single day. Today, we surpassed it.

“It’s clear we are on the cusp of our second wave – and we cannot let this virus cut through our communities,” Andrews said.

Melbourne residents will be required to stay home unless travelling to work, studies or shopping for food.

Nearly five million Melbourne residents will be put under another lockdown after coronavirus cases surged in Australia’s second-largest city.

From midnight on Wednesday, residents will be confined to their homes for six weeks – unless undertaking essential business such as travelling to work, studying, shopping for food or attending medical appointments – as officials scrambled to contain a coronavirus outbreak.

Restaurants, cafes and bars will be able to provide takeaway service only, gyms and hair salons closed, household gatherings limited to two people and the current school holiday extended.