Victoria becomes the first Australian state or territory to revert back to tighter COVID-19 rules as of Monday 22 June, pushing back on plans to increase the number of patrons allowed in restaurants and venues, including places of worship.

Premier Daniel Andrews explained the decision was made in a bid to prevent a second wave, following double digits recorded this week. The numbers revealed on Saturday with 25 news cases confirmed overnight were the highest in the last two months.

On the Sunday morning update, the state’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said 19 news cases were recorded overnight.

Speaking to the media, Police Minister Lisa Neville stressed that police checks will continue to ensure self-isolation is practised when required and that current coronavirus rules are followed.

On the spot fines of up to $1,652 could be imposed for individuals and up to $9,913 for businesses.

Mr Andrews said that since April, half of all new cases were attributed to transmission among families, pointing to incidents of large home gatherings with people flouting social distancing and hygiene protocol.

“I’m frustrated by it. I’m disappointed by it.

“Unless we can break this cycle … then we are going to see more and more of these cases, ” he said.

“We have even had people who had tested positive and have been told to go home and isolate and instead they have gone to work, instead they have gone and visited loved ones in large numbers,” he said.

“It is pretty clear that behind closed doors when one family comes together in large numbers … they are not practising social distancing.”

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Tightening of the rules – Hardship fund established
Effective from 11.59pm on Sunday, the number of allowed visitors in home settings is reduced to five from 10 that is currently and outdoor gatherings are capped at groups of 10 down from 20.

Businesses that were set to reopen on Monday, including cinemas, gyms, theatres and TABs are still able to do so but with a maximum of 20 patrons.

The same limit of 20 people will remain for restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community halls, libraries, museums and places of worship until 12 July.

State authorities reiterated the importance of getting tested for anyone presenting even mild symptoms and the “stay at home” directive if feeling unwell.

The State of Emergency in Victoria will be extended for another four weeks until 11.59pm on 19 July.

The Victorian government has also announced a new $1500 hardship payment available to anyone who tests positive or are a close contact and lack access to paid sick leave, “to prevent them from going to work with coronavirus.”

“This is about making sure there’s no financial reason for these people not to isolate,” Mr Andrews said.

Work from home arrangements are to continue until at least 31 July, with businesses instructed to have a zero-tolerance approach to sickness.

Authorities might also examine imposing localised lockdowns for areas identified as hotspots.

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“Extreme vigilance”
Meanwhile, the global picture of the virus remains alarming with a single-day record 150,000 cases reported on Thursday.

The Director General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the we are entering a “new and dangerous phase” of the pandemic.

“Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies, but the virus is still spreading fast. It is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible,” he said calling on world leaders and the public to “exercise extreme vigilance”.

As of the latest available tally, cases globally have surpassed 8,753,000 with the virus accounting for more than 463,000 so far.