Australia may impose further curbs if coronavirus outbreak not quickly brought under control

Most populous states in Australia will impose harsher restrictions on movement if a coronavirus outbreak is not quickly brought under control, according to state premiers.

Australia has seen a surge in new cases, culminating with 10 days of triple-digit gains as of Wednesday. Victoria state reported another 238 cases in the past 24 hours, even after reimposing a lockdown last week on about five million people in Melbourne, Australia’s second-biggest city.

The country has now recorded about 10,500 cases, while the death toll rose to 111 on Wednesday, Reuters said.

In New South Wales, which has seen several dozen coronavirus cases in the past week, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state will likely need new restrictions. However, she ruled out a blanket lockdown, citing the economic damage.