Australia’s second-largest city Melbourne reinstated COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday as authorities scrambled to find the missing link in a fresh outbreak that has grown to 5 cases.
Home gatherings will be limited to 5 guests, only 30 individuals allowed at public meetings, and face masks will be necessary for restaurants, pubs, and other indoor venues from 6 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Tuesday until June 4.
“This is a responsible step that we need to take to get on top of this outbreak,” James Merlino, Victoria state’s acting premier, informed reporters in Melbourne.
The latest outbreak ends Victoria state’s run of zero cases for nearly three months.
Victoria was the hardest-hit state during a second wave late last yr, accounting for about 70% of total cases and 90% of deaths in Australia. The state, the nation’s second-most populous, only controlled the outbreak after one of the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns.
One new locally acquired case has been reported in Melbourne, Merlino stated on Tuesday, a day after 4 infections were reported within the city.
All 5 cases belong to 1 prolonged family throughout different households and could be traced back to the variant found in an overseas traveler who returned to Melbourne early this month after completing quarantine within the city of Adelaide.
Authorities, however, stated they could not yet find how the latest cases contracted the virus from the overseas traveler.
Thousands have been ordered to self-isolate and undergo COVID-19 tests with health alerts issued for several sites, including one of the largest shopping centers within the nation.
One of the cases had a high viral load whereas he visited some venues prompting authorities to warn Melbourne’s 5 million residents to brace for more positive cases within the next few days.
