Australia: Victoria state government must declare a state of disaster due to Covid-19
The Covid-19 situation in Melbourne continues to be worrying as the number of new cases increases, forcing the Victorian government to declare a state of disaster.
Today (August 2), Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that from 6pm this afternoon, the state will begin applying a state of disaster lasting 6 weeks to give police and authorities more authority to intervene in civil activities and handle violations of lockdown regulations.
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| Even before the government declared a state of disaster, Melbourne residents were lining up outside supermarkets to stock up on supplies. Source: Wendy Touhy |
The Victorian government has also imposed a curfew from 8pm to 5am to limit people from going out during this time. Only those going to work or caring for someone who is sick are allowed out during this time.
In addition, the Victorian government has also tightened control measures in Melbourne by requiring all residents in the area to stay at home. Only one person per family is allowed to leave the house to buy essential items within a 5km radius. Exercising outside the house is also strictly limited. Starting August 5, all students in Victoria will return to online learning. For service establishments, only those serving essential activities such as supermarkets, post offices, etc. will be open, while non-essential service establishments will have to close.
The Australian state of Victoria has tightened its Covid-19 control measures after lockdowns imposed on Melbourne and Mitchellshire failed to stem the spread of the disease. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said further tightening of controls was “the only way to protect people’s health and get through this situation”.
The Victorian government has stepped up measures to control the Covid-19 epidemic as new cases have increased rapidly in recent days. In the past 24 hours, the state has recorded 671 new Covid-19 cases and 7 deaths. Notably, the state has recorded 766 cases of untraceable infection so far. As of today, the number of Covid-19 infections in Victoria has exceeded 11,500 cases, accounting for two-thirds of Australia's nearly 18,000 Covid-19 cases.
Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt supported Victoria's declaration of a state of disaster, saying the measures the state was taking were not only to protect Victorians but also people in other parts of Australia.
Currently, in addition to Melbourne and the MichellShire region of Victoria, which require people to wear masks when going out, some other localities in Australia such as Queensland and New South Wales, although not mandatory, are encouraging people to wear masks not only on the street but also in stores, supermarkets, and on public transport.
However, experts also recommend that wearing a mask can help protect yourself and public health, but ensuring a safe distance of 1.5 meters from others in public places is the most important measure to limit the spread of Covid-19./.
