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 More than 1,000 police set up posts around 36 suburbs, which
returned to lockdown after a spike in new infections.
While the rest of Australia opened state borders and loosened social
distancing restrictions, Melbourne's state of Victoria promised to
fine those in the affected zones that breached curbs on
non-essential movement.
Victoria reported 77 new cases, up slightly from the previous day
and in line with weeks of double-digit daily increases.
The state government has also commenced an inquiry into enforcement
of hotel quarantine for people returning from overseas amid worries
some new infections came from people who had dodged the mandatory
two-week isolation.
"I'm obviously concerned about the outbreak, and I'm pleased that
the premier has taken the action he's taken by putting in place the
lockdown for the outbreak in those suburbs," Prime Minister Scott
Morrison said in a televised news conference, referring to the
Victorian state government.
"We have seen some levelling (in new cases) although they remain at
elevated levels and that is of concern and that means as the
lockdown now is in place, we would hope to see those numbers fall
again."
Victoria police commissioner Shane Patton promised a heavy presence
in "high-volume public places" and said police may even use drones
to track down people travelling for reasons other than work, school,
healthcare and grocery shopping.
"People will not know where we will be, they will not know how long
we'll be there for, but they'll be intercepted," he said.
Australia has fared better than many countries in the pandemic, with
around 8,000 cases and 104 deaths. However, the recent jump in
Victoria has stoked fears of a second wave of COVID-19, echoing
concerns expressed in other countries.
Most states have said they will reopen their internal borders except
to Victoria. Neighbouring New South Wales (NSW), the most populous
state, has kept its border open except to people arriving from the
targeted Victorian suburbs.
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A director at Phat Milk cafe in Melbourne's Travancore, one of the affected
suburbs, said the sudden return to lockdown had left him with a kitchen full of
food.
"What do you do with that stock? You have to close the kitchen because it's
takeaway," said the director, who gave only his first name, Hach.
"From four to six staff, you only have one staff on. It is hard, but you just
got to find the passion, the drive, and be a bit creative and hang in there."
WEAK LINK
The Victorian outbreak has raised concerns about the efficacy of the state's
quarantine procedures.
In neighbouring New South Wales, supermarket chain Woolworths Group <WOW.AX> put
50 staff at a Sydney store into isolation after a worker tested positive to the
virus despite clearing a mandatory two-week quarantine in Victoria, authorities
said.
Meanwhile, remote Northern Territory reported its first infection in two months
after a traveler who had entered the country via Melbourne and completed
quarantine showed symptoms after returning to his home territory.
"People will be anxious hearing this news ... but we have measures in place to
protect our community (and) these measures have been followed," Northern
Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles told reporters.
The infected person, aged in their 30s, has been isolated in hospital, she
added.
Globally, coronavirus cases exceeded 10 million on Sunday, a major milestone in
the spread of a disease that has killed more than half a million people in seven
months.
(Reporting by Byron Kaye and Melanie Burton; Editing by Sam Holmes)
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