Single case Shuts Perth for five days

CANBERRA About two million Australians begun their first full day of a strict coronavirus lockdown on Monday after the discovery of one case in Perth, capital of Western Australia, but no new cases have since been found.

Authorities ordered a fiveday lockdown of Perth after a security guard at a hotel used to quarantine people returning from overseas contracted the virus.

The state government said 66 people have been deemed close contacts of the unidentified guard and none of those already tested were infected.

Australia has managed to largely contain its novel coronavirus epidemic — limiting cases to nearly 29,000 and deaths to 909 — with the sort of decisive action seen in Perth, and tight border controls.