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Australia Orders Six-Week Closure of Melbourne Businesses Amid Outbreak

VOA News

   Australia is ordering non-essential businesses in Melbourne, its
   second-largest city, to close for six weeks starting Wednesday as
   authorities try to control an outbreak that accounts for nearlyall
   ofthe country's new coronavirus cases.

   Health officials reported Monday 429 new COVID-19 infections and 13
   deaths in Victoria state, which includes Melbourne.

   In addition to closingmost stores, other industries such as
   construction and meat production will have to limit their operations
   starting Friday.

   The Victoria government declared a COVID-19 disaster in Melbourne on
   Sunday, and with the new restrictions going into effect, Australian
   Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday that workers in Victoria who
   do not have paid sick leave and have to isolate themselves will be
   eligible to receive a payment of about $1,000.

   Such payments are meant to encourage people to abide by advice that
   they stay home if they test positive, exhibit symptoms or may have been
   exposed to the virus, instead of feeling financial pressure to keep
   working and possibly expose others.

   "It's heartbreaking. This pandemic, this virus is taking a heavy toll
   and now's the time, as it has been throughout this pandemic, that we
   continue to provide support to one another," Morrison said.

   In the United States, which has about one-fourth of the world's 18
   million confirmed coronavirus cases, negotiations are continuing Monday
   between the White House and congressional Democrats on a new aid
   package that would include federal money to help the millions of people
   who are unemployed.

   Many lost their jobs during the pandemic as lockdown restrictions and
   new consumer habits badly hurt the economy, and a previous round of
   federal aid that provided $600 a week to the unemployed expired last
   week.

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