Yesterday news broke that there were four locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne — the first cases of community transmission in the state for months. These people are all family members — two men, a woman and a child.
One new case has joined the number overnight; this is the one people are most concerned about, as they had been moving around for the past week. However, there is currently no identification on the source of these cases, and contact tracers are racing to find it.
The cases are of the “so-called Indian variant” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said in a press conference, calling for people not to be complacent about it.
Following this news, restrictions are being implemented across metropolitan Melbourne at 6pm tonight — but it is currently not a lockdown. However, the restrictions will last until Friday, June 4.
According to ABC News, the restrictions include:
- Private gatherings being limited to five people per day
- Public gatherings are now limited to 30 people
- Face masks are to be worn indoors by everyone 12 years old and up, unless an exemption applies
Schools and workplaces are remaining open, and those who live in Greater Melbourne can continue to travel to regional Victoria. But the restrictions will apply to them, regardless of where they travel to.
In terms of events, weddings, funerals and bars, there is currently no change to these — excluding the fact masks will need to be worn in these events. If a wedding or funeral is being held in a private setting, the restrictions do apply.
A public health panel is reported to be weighed up whether additional changes are needed for large public events — like football games and cultural events — but currently, there are no further changes required.
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.