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Australian State Reintroduces Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Increase

Phil Mercer

   SYDNEY - Increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 have forced the
   Australian state of Victoria to bring back tougher restrictions
   beginning Monday. New infections over the past two days have been at
   their highest for two months. A state of emergency has also been
   extended.

   Most of Victoria's new coronavirus cases are linked to clusters, often
   within extended families. Other larger groups of infections have been
   detected at two hotels in the city of Melbourne. Community transmission
   of the virus, rather than those infections acquired overseas by
   citizens who then returned home, is of great concern to health
   officials.

   They are advising Australians to stay away from six COVID-19 hotspots
   in the Victorian state capital, while residents are being urged to
   remain at home. Authorities want to set up so-called 'rings of
   containment' around localized outbreaks.

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