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AUstralian health officials reported Monday that there are no new coronavirus cases or deaths in the state of Victoria, which has spent months under heavy restrictions after becoming the epicenter of the country’s second wave.
It was the first 24-hour period with no new cases reported in the state since Melbourne’s five million residents were locked up after security gaffes at quarantined hotels housing returned international travelers sparked a major outbreak in July.
Under the lockdown, people in the city, Australia’s second-largest, have been banned from leaving their homes for non-essential reasons and have spent months under a night curfew.
Some restrictions were lifted last week, allowing haircuts and golf games to return, but additional easing planned for Sunday was delayed to evaluate thousands of test results after a small outbreak in the north of the city. city.
Pressure is mounting on authorities to allow the city more freedom, with a litany of rules still in effect despite the decline in the number of cases.
Masks are mandatory, restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery, non-essential stores must remain closed, and there is a ban on travel outside of the Melbourne metropolitan area or more than 25 kilometers (16 miles) from home.
The city’s second round of stay-at-home restrictions began in July, when the state of Victoria saw about 190 new cases a day, and increased to 700 in August.
The rest of the state of Victoria already enjoys fewer restrictions, with gyms reopening and live outdoor music resuming starting Tuesday.
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