MELBOURNE (REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) - Australia's Victoria state on Saturday (Aug 29) reported its lowest rise in new coronavirus cases in almost two months, but authorities warned there would be no rush to lift social distancing restrictions.
The Victorian state capital of Melbourne is four weeks into a six-week hard lockdown that was spurred by a second wave of infections in Australia's second-largest city.
State officials on Saturday reported 94 new Covid-19 infections and 18 deaths.
It was the first time new daily case numbers have fallen below 100 in eight weeks, and continues a steady trajectory downward this week.
"Every day, we see the strategy working is a good day but we just need a bit more time to be able to be confident that we are, in fact, defeating this and that we can open up, gradually, steadily, safely," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said at a televised news briefing.
The hard lockdown has restricted most people in the city to one hour of outdoor activity per day.
Even if the current measures are eased at the end of the six weeks, some restrictions are expected to remain.
"There's still a way to go so stay strong and keep going," Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on his Facebook page. "Australians all around the country are backing you."
In bordering New South Wales state, concerns were rising about a resurgence in cases after a cluster of more than a dozen people was identified at one of Sydney's oldest fitness clubs in the central business district.
Eight of the cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday were linked to the Sydney CBD cluster, bringing to 23 the total number of infections in that group, Dr Christine Selvey of the New South Wales Health Ministry said in a video announcement on Saturday.
Three of the new cases involved people who attended the Tattersalls Club Fitness Centre.
The NSW government asked anyone who visited the club between Aug 4 and Aug 18 to get tested.
The authorities previously said those who had been at the gym on certain hours between Aug 19 to Aug 24 needed to get tested.
"Because the CBD cluster has spread to multiple suburbs in the Sydney metropolitan and central coast, New South Wales is strongly advising people who live or work in these areas to not visit aged-care facilities at this time," Dr Selvey said in the video announcement.
"Covid-19 continues to circulate in the community, and we must all be vigilant."
The authorities also flagged testing for a bowling club and two other gyms, and said a Fitness First branch on Bond Street in the city centre was one location whose patrons should monitor themselves for symptoms.
The Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday that three workers from JPMorgan Chase & Co's Sydney office tested positive for Covid-19, citing unidentified people from the company.
On Friday, they issued new guidelines "strongly advising" against visits to aged care facilities in Greater Sydney and along the state's Central Coast until Sept 12.
Australia has recorded a total of around 25,500 cases and 601 deaths so far in the pandemic.
Neighbouring New Zealand, which has also seen a second wave of infections after three months of respite, reported 11 new community transmission cases on Saturday and two new infections in managed quarantine.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce on Sunday whether a short-term lockdown imposed in Auckland, the hot spot of the outbreak, will be lifted.
Earlier this week, Ms Ardern made masks mandatory on public transport across the nation.
New Zealand has reported a total of around 1,400 cases, including 22 deaths.
