2024 RT Amination Banner.gif

China Daily

Asia Pacific> Asia News> Content
Saturday, October 31, 2020, 17:45
Melbourne enjoys 1st weekend out of lockdown as COVID-19 wanes
By Reuters
Saturday, October 31, 2020, 17:45 By Reuters

Diners are seen at a restaurant looking out towards St Kilda Beach in Melbourne, Australia, Oct 28, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

MELBOURNE - Residents in Australia’s second largest city of Melbourne on Saturday enjoyed their first weekend of relative freedom after an almost four-month lockdown as coronavirus case numbers continued to dwindle.

Some travel restrictions, however, remain and venues including libraries and cinemas remain closed in Melbourne

As Melburnians have flocked to parks, tennis courts, restaurants and shops, officials reported just one new COVID-19 case in Victoria state and no deaths. That was well down from average daily new cases of around 700 in July and early August.

READ MORE: Melbourne lockdown highlights need to wear masks mandatorily

“We need to enjoy our lives after three months of really constrained activity,” Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said at a press conference on Sunday.

People clink glasses for a drink at a cafe on Melbourne's Yarra River on Oct 29, 2020, as the city slowly reopens after battling a second wave of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (WILLIAM WEST / AFP)

Some travel restrictions, however, remain and venues including libraries and cinemas remain closed in Melbourne. Officials are expected to announce a further easing of restrictions from Nov 9.

Australia has fared much better than many countries in managing the pandemic, recording just over 27,500 cases and 907 deaths since the start of the year. As of Friday, there were just under 200 active cases.

ALSO READ: New lockdown in Melbourne restricts 5 million Australians to home

People line up outside a popular pub and restaurant in St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia, Oct 28, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

The government announced on Saturday it would spend A$500 million (US$351 million) over the next three years to help Pacific and Southeast Asian countries roll out vaccination programs to against COVID-19.

The government has agreements with Britain's AstraZeneca Plc and Australia's University of Queensland for potential vaccines, and has pledged free immunisation to all Australians and donations to regional partners.

A group of men are seen playing sports on the St Kilda beach in Melbourne, Australia, Oct 28, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

This photo shows a general view of Bourke Street as shoppers return to the precinct in Melbourne, Australia, Oct 28, 2020. (PHOTO /AP)

Share this story

CHINA DAILY
HONG KONG NEWS
OPEN
Please click in the upper right corner to open it in your browser !