Australia’s second most-populous state on Saturday reported one of its highest daily increases in new coronavirus infections and warned the numbers would get worse before they got better as it began its first weekend under a six-week lockdown.
Australia’s national cabinet met on Friday to discuss slowing the number of citizens allowed to return to the country from overseas, as authorities grapple with a COVID-19 outbreak in the country’s second most populous state.
Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, went back into lockdown at midnight on Wednesday, forcing five million Australians to stay home for all but essential business for the next six weeks to contain a flare-up of coronavirus cases.
Australia reported a drop in new coronavirus cases on Friday, with a surge in the second most populated state Victoria appearing to have eased, although more than 10 000 people have refused to be tested in hotspot suburbs of Melbourne.
Australia and Zimbabwe have agreed to postpone three one-day internationals in August because of the difficulty of putting on the series while the new coronavirus pandemic continues, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Tuesday.
SABC © 2020
