Australia's Victoria state orders large parts of economy to close

Australia's second most populous state will close retail shops, limit construction projects and curtail manufacturing around the city of Melbourne in order to slow the spread of coronavirus, the state premier said on Monday. Victoria state said on Sunday it would impose a nightly curfew and tighten restrictions on people's movement. State Premier Daniel Andrews, however, said large industries would have to close for the next six weeks.

Australia's second most populous state will close retail shops, limit construction projects and curtail manufacturing around the city of Melbourne in order to slow the spread of coronavirus, the state premier said on Monday. Victoria state said on Sunday it would impose a nightly curfew and tighten restrictions on people's movement.

State Premier Daniel Andrews, however, said large industries would have to close for the next six weeks. Victoria has recorded several hundred new COVID-19 infections each day for the last few weeks.