COVID-19: Australia's Victoria to close borders for 1st time in 100 yrs

In a major step to contain rising number of COVID-19 infections, Australia's hard-hit state Victoria on Monday anunced to close its borders with country’s most-populous state New South Wales for first time in 100 years.

Marking a new phase in Australia's fight against dely contagion, Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews said that effective Tuesday night, state's borders with New South Wales (NSW) will be shut.

anuncement came as Victoria registered yet ar big jump of 127 new coronavirus cases -- its highest daily increase since pandemic began -- and two deaths in last 24 hours.

new fatalities have taken death toll of state to 22 and that of country to 106.

“We have – all of us – agreed that best thing to do is to close border. ''That closure will be enforced on NSW side, so as t to be a drain on resources that are very much focused on fighting virus right w across our state,” Andrews said.

Victorians will require a permit to enter NSW, he said.

He said that decision to close border followed talks with NSW Premier Glys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has confirmed state's second death with a man in his 60s passing away on Monday morning.

Over weekend, state government has anunced strict lockdown measures for nine public housing towers for five days in Melbourne's inner rth which house over 3,000 residents.

restrictions on residents of se buildings have been me stricter than stay-at-home orders in place in 12 Melbourne postcodes, where people can only leave reasons such as work, study, to provide care or buy groceries.

residents of buildings are t allowed to leave ir homes with police patrolling area to enforce lockdown.

Meanwhile, in a press briefing, NSW Premier Berejiklian said that “all of Melbourne will be defined as a coronavirus hotspot under NSW public health order from Monday”.

“ health minister will... be ensuring that come midnight tonight -- so for next 24 hours -- that hotspots will extend to all of Melbourne, so body from Melbourne will be able to cross border in next 24 hours," she said.

A permit system will be put in place for people who need to cross border as y live in a border community or are an essential worker.

Berejiklian said that anyone could apply for a permit if y “feel y will be impacted by closure”.

She said that an overwhelming majority of new cases in Melbourne in recent weeks were from community transmission.

This is first time in 100 years that state governments have to close ir borders, according to officials.