Melbourne, Feb 12 (AFP/APP): Australia ordered more than six million people into an emergency coronavirus lockdown Friday, throwing a showpiece tennis tournament into disarray as the pandemic’s economic cost was laid bare in badly hit Britain.
The decision to confine the people of Melbourne and surrounding areas to their homes for five days illustrates the tough choices faced by many nations as they struggle to balance reopening and keeping infections under control. “It’s rough. It’s going to be a rough few days for everyone,” said tennis star Serena Williams, reacting to the lockdown news moments after her latest victory. The move comes as the Covid-19 death toll heads towards 2.4 million, with more than 107 million people infected since the virus emerged in China a little over a year ago.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said the lockdown was needed to halt an outbreak of the “hyper-infectious” UK strain of Covid-19, which leaked from a quarantine hotel at Melbourne airport. But the timing for Melbourne could not be worse. The city — Covid-free for three months — is currently hosting the Australian Open Grand Slam, with tens of thousands of socially distanced fans gathering to watch international players. While play will continue under the restrictions, fans will no longer be permitted and players must restrict themselves to biosecure “bubbles”.
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