Summary
- Pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and places of worship will close from noon Monday, in restrictions on indoor gathering announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday night
- NSW schools will remain open, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian has called on parents to keep children home if they are able
- Italy’s death toll surpasses 5000 as the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide climbs above 328,000
- Germany bans gatherings of more than two people, Italy bans domestic travel and Spain seals its borders to most foreigners as Europe grapples with the spread of the disease. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine after her doctor tested positive
- The International Olympic Committee says it’s preparing for a postponement of the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Cancellation is not on the agenda
Australia is shutting down non-essential services as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country.
Pubs, clubs, gyms, cinemas and places of worship will be shut from midday on Monday, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to takeaway only.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the restrictions after a national cabinet meeting.
The number of cases in Australia has risen sharply in recent days, reaching 1,315.
New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, is the worst-affected state with 533 confirmed cases. Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has 296 cases, while Queensland has 259.
The new restrictions will see many businesses close but supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and home delivery services will continue running.
The prime minister said he wanted to keep schools open but parents would be able to keep their children at home if they wished to do so.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Parliament the country must prepare for long-term shutdown of non essential activities, closing pubs, gyms, theaters and cinemas for at least the next six months.
“It could be longer. There is no three or four-week shutdown that makes it all go away,” he said.
“There is no short-term solution to this. We have to steel ourselves for the next six months and work together to slow the spread in order to save lives, to protect the elderly and vulnerable Australians. They are counting on us.”
“I don’t want to see our children lose an entire year of their education,” he said.
Some states, including Victoria, have signalled that they want to close schools.