Australia’s Victoria State Declares Emergency to Contain Virus

(Bloomberg) -- Victoria, Australia’s second-most populous state, on Monday declared a four-week state of emergency due to the coronavirus, allowing the enforcement of 14-day isolation requirements for all travelers entering the nation and the cancellation of mass gatherings of more than 500 people as announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday.

The measures are designed to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus cases and give the state’s health system the best chance of managing the virus, Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.

Andrews said the measures will help Victoria eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health by detaining people, restricting movement, preventing entry to premises, or providing any other direction considered reasonable to protect public health.

Cultural institutions including the National Gallery of Victoria, the State Library and Museums Victoria have announced temporary closures. Major events such as the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival have been postponed.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Scott in Canberra at jscott14@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ruth Pollard at rpollard2@bloomberg.net, Edward Johnson

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