Victoria State Premier Locks Down 9 Housing Complexes Amid Rapid Uptick In COVID-19 Cases

Nine residential complexes in the Australian state of Victoria have been placed in lockdown after public health officials recorded the second-largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began, State Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th July, 2020) Nine residential complexes in the Australian state of Victoria have been placed in lockdown after public health officials recorded the second-largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began, State Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday.

"In recent days, 23 cases across more than 12 households have been identified in the Flemington and North Melbourne public housing estates ... It's why effectively immediately, these estates - encompassing nine sites - will be closed and contained. Residents will be required to stay inside their homes," Andrews said in a statement that was published on Twitter.

According to domestic media reports, the lockdown affects roughly 3,000 people living on these sites. Andrews added that the lockdown has been put into place so that public health officials can test every single resident.

Over the past 24 hours, 108 new cases of the coronavirus disease have been confirmed in Victoria, a dramatic rise from the 66 new positive tests registered on Friday.

The Australian Department of Health has confirmed 8,255 cases of the disease since the start of the outbreak, resulting in the deaths of 104 people.