Melbourne's Covid-19 Lockdown Extended by a Week

A coronavirus lockdown of Australia’s second-biggest city will be extended by another seven days, the authorities announced on Wednesday (June 2), as they attempt to stamp out a cluster of cases in Melbourne.

Five million Melbourne residents were due to exit a seven-day lockdown just before midnight on Thursday (June 3) but were ordered to remain at home because of concerns about the spread of the virus, reports AFP.

“We’ve got to run this thing to the ground otherwise people will die,” Victoria’s acting state Premier James Merlino said, adding they were dealing with a virus variant “quicker and more contagious than we have ever seen before”.

The outbreak is believed to have begun when a traveller infected with the Kappa, or B16171 variant, which originated in India, returned to Australia.

Thousands of close contacts have been identified and the list of venues visited by the 60 confirmed cases has grown to about 350.

Mr Merlino said stay-at-home orders were expected to be lifted for Victorians living outside Melbourne as planned, though a swathe of restrictions would remain, including caps on wedding guests and mourners at funerals.