CANBERRA, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) closed its borders to the state of Victoria “indefinitely” to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Michael Gunner, chief minister of NT, declared all of Victoria a COVID-19 “hot-spot” on Wednesday, following a significant spike in cases across Melbourne, the state capital.
It means that Victorians will not be allowed into the territory, when it re-opens its borders to the rest of Australia on July 17.
“The Territory’s borders will stay closed to all of Victoria, until further notice. They are shut indefinitely,” Gunner said.
“Melbourne is out of control. That makes it harder for the rest of Victoria to stay in control. And that is not a risk that we in the Territory are prepared to take. So to the rest of Victoria, I’m sorry, you haven’t done anything wrong, but it’s my job to put the Territory first.”
Authorities in Victoria have confirmed 134 new cases on Wednesday. It is the third day in a row when the state recorded more than 100 cases.
Daniel Andrews, premier of Victoria, said, based on the advice of the chief health officer, Stage 3 “Stay at Home” restrictions will be reinstated across metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, from 11:59 p.m. local time yesterday.
Greg Hunt, Australia’s minister for health, said on Wednesday morning that it was a “step backwards” for Victoria.
“Their hotel quarantine was the main and central problem. We know that there were significant breaches there in Victoria that weren’t present in other states and territories,” he told Nine Entertainment radio.
“We know we can do this, it’s difficult, it’s hard, we’ve done it as a country once, we have to do it as a state a second time.”
Michael Kidd, Australia’s deputy chief medical officer, said, while the new restrictions only apply to Victoria, they could save lives around the country.
“It was very important that these measures be taken and this will be protecting, of course, everybody, not only in Melbourne, this is a national issue,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation yesterday.
“After the Stage 3 restrictions were lifted the first time, many people felt that COVID-19 perhaps was over in Australia and clearly it is not.
“It remains a very serious risk for us all.”
He said, it was important that people in Melbourne go back to lock-down.
The Department of Health said, there has been an average of 106 new cases reported each day in Australia. Of the newly reported cases, the majority have been from Victoria.– NNN-AGENCIES
