Melbourne students back to remote learning as cases soar in Victoria

MELBOURNE • Most students in Australia's second-biggest city will go back to remote learning as officials grapple with coronavirus outbreaks.

All prep to Year 10 students at government schools across Melbourne will return to learning from home starting July 20 until at least Aug 19, Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews told a press conference yesterday.

Students with special needs or who are children of essential workers will be able to attend school in person.

"If we simply allow all of our kids to move around, parents doing drop-offs and pick-ups, if we pretend that this isn't real, then that will put at risk this strategy," Mr Andrews said.

Melbourne is in the midst of a six-week lockdown imposed last Thursday to curb growing infections.

Victoria recorded 273 new coronavirus cases and one death yesterday, making a week of triple-digit increases in infections.

"This is a dangerous time," Mr Andrews said. "I know we are asking a lot of Victorians, but we simply have no choice but to acknowledge the reality that we face and to do what must be done, and that is to follow those rules, to only go out when you need to."

Yesterday's cases, the second highest for Victoria, home to a quarter of Australia's 25 million people, follow a record 288 infections reported last Friday. The increase partly reflects increased testing, with the state conducting more than 30,000 tests daily.

There have been multiple outbreaks of the virus, with cases recorded at some public and private hospitals, aged-care facilities, public housing complexes and supermarkets.

A man in his 70s died of Covid-19 over the weekend, taking the national toll to 108.

Australia's other seven states and territories have banned travellers from Victoria amid concern that community transmission was causing a second wave of the virus.

New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, recorded five new cases yesterday, as it moved to charge all travellers flying in from overseas A$3,000 (S$2,900) for a mandatory two-week quarantine in hotels.

The decision to charge travellers, including Australian citizens, came after the federal government on Friday announced caps on the number of people arriving in Australia.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian cautioned that action could be taken against large gatherings and businesses if people are found ignoring social distancing rules.

"Do not be surprised if the government takes decisions to further reduce the risk, in the next month in particular, of community transmission getting to a stage where it's out of control," she said at a press conference yesterday.

The authorities also warned of a cluster of infections linked to a hotel in Sydney's south-west, and urged anyone who visited the venue from July 3 to 10 to self-isolate. Nine cases have been connected to the hotel, according to New South Wales health officials.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS