Australia to lock down 300,000 in Melbourne suburbs after coronavirus spike

Authorities will lock down approximately 300,000 people in suburbs north of Melbourne for a month from late on Wednesday to restrain the risk of contamination after two weeks of double-digit rises in new coronavirus cases in Australia’s second-most populous state.

Australia has done fine than many countries in the pandemic, with about 7,920 cases, 104 deaths and less than 400 active cases, but the recent jump has stoked anxieties of the second wave of COVID-19, repeating concerns expressed in other countries.

From midnight, more than 30 suburbs in Australia’s second-biggest city will return to stage three restrictions, the third-strictest level in curbs to constrain the pandemic. That indicates citizens will be confined to home besides grocery shopping, health appointments, work or caregiving, and exercise.

The restrictions will be accompanied by a testing blitz that authorities hope will extend to half the population of the area affected, and for which borders will be patrolled, authorities said