Australia to shut state border as Melbourne cases surge

Australian authorities were preparing to close border between country's two largest states, as city of Melbourne recorded two deaths and its highest-ever daily increase in infections on Monday.

border between New South Wales, home to Sydney, and Victoria, home to Melbourne, is due to be shut late Tuesday.

New South Wales Premier Glys Berejiklian was a critic of states that closed ir borders to her state when Sydney h Australia's largest number of coronavirus cases.

But she said she changed her stance because situation in Melbourne was unprecedented and indicated pandemic was in a new phase.

overwhelming majority of new infections detected in Melbourne in recent weeks were from community transmission.

Everywhere else in Australia, vast majority of people who tested positive for virus were infected overseas or h been infected by a returned traveler, Berejiklian said.

"What is occurring in Victoria has t yet occurred anywhere else in Australia. It's a new part of pandemic and, as such, it requires a new of response," she told reporters in Sydney.

Victorian government locked down 36 of most virus-prone Melbourne suburbs last week and at weekend ded ar four suburbs because of disease spre.

Victorian officials said of 127 new cases recorded overnight, 53 were among 3,000 people who have been confined by police to ir apartments in nine public housing blocks since Saturday.

infections anunced Monday surpassed first surge of infections in Melbourne that peaked on March 28 at 111 cases recorded in a day.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd confirmed that federal authorities agreed with closure.

federal government h previously opposed any internal border closures aimed mostly at stopping spre from Victoria and New South Wales.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison h urged state leers to open ir borders for good of ecomy.

Kidd said that only 16% of new cases detected in Australia in past week h been infected overseas.

Two weeks ago, 50% of new cases were people infected overseas and detected in hotel quarantine, he said.

" situation in Melbourne has come as a real jolt, t just of people of Melbourne but to people right across Australia who may have thought that this was all behind us. It is t," Kidd said.

Outside of Victoria, ar 13 cases reported in past 24 hours were people infected overseas.

Of those, 10 h been in hotel quarantine in New South Wales and three in Western Australia

New South Wales police will enforce Victorian border closure.

Some flights and trains services would continue for travelers who are given permits and exemptions, Berejiklian said.

New South Wales Police said officers would use drones to detect people who attempt across border via forest tracks to avoid 55 policed ro and bridge crossings.

Nationwide, Australia has recorded more than 8,500 total infections and 106 deaths.

For most people, new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But virus is highly contagious and can be spre by those with mild or visible symptoms.

For some, especially older ults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could le to death.