Oz seals off state as virus spikes

– Australia will effectively seal off the state of Victoria from the rest of the country, authorities said yesterday, announcing unprecedented measures to tackle a surge in coronavirus cases.

For the first time since the pandemic began, the border between Australia’s two most populous states – Victoria and New South Wales – will be closed overnight today, officials from both states said.

Home to more than 6.6 million people, Victoria announced a record 127 new cases yesterday as the virus spread through Melbourne – including a cluster in several densely populated apartment blocks.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described the decision to close off the state as “the smart call, the right call at this time, given the significant challenges we face in containing this virus”.

Police said they will use “drones and other aerial surveillance” to patrol the border, with large fines and up to six months in jail for those who breach the order.

Plans to reopen Victoria’s border with South Australia have been put on ice.

After weeks of easing virus restrictions, Melbourne has seen a huge spike in community transmission, leading health officials to effectively shut off some neighbourhoods to the rest of the city until July.

Sixteen of the new cases were detected in nine high-rise public housing towers, where 3 000 residents were locked in their homes on Saturday. So far, a total of 53 cases have been recorded.

There are concerns the virus could spread rapidly, with one health official likening the crowded conditions inside to “vertical cruise ships”.