Photo: 123rf.com
The restrictions kicked in at 5pm (local time) this evening.
Meanwhile, Western Australia has closed its border to travellers from Victoria following the reporting of locally-acquired cases.
Acting Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said that meant people who had planned New Year s Eve gatherings for tonight based on the existing limit of 30 guests would need to reduce their numbers. We certainly do apologise to people who have put plans in place, who were looking forward to having events… but this is a necessary step, it s on the advice that we ve received overnight, she said.
Allan said the only people who should be travelling into Melbourne s CBD for New Year s Eve were those who had already made reservations at a hospitality venue.
WA reintroduces hard border with Victoria after more new Melbourne coronavirus cases
ThuThursday 31
updated
ThuThursday 31
DecDecember 2020 at 12:50pm
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Watch
2
Share
Print text only
Cancel
Western Australia is closing its border to travellers from Victoria and has ordered thousands of recent arrivals to self-quarantine, after the re-emergence of locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne.
Key points:
Only exempt travellers from Victoria will be allowed into WA
All arrivals into WA from Victoria since December 21 must self-quarantine
It means people coming from Victoria will no longer be able to enter WA from midnight on Thursday, unless they are an exempt traveller.
Victoria reclassified from a ‘very low risk’ State to a ‘medium risk’ State
Hard border with Victoria effective from 12.01am January 1, 2021
Only exempt travel from Victoria will be permitted
Recent Victorian arrivals required to self-quarantine and be tested on day 11 in WA
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria, Western Australia will strengthen its border controls to reduce the risk of the virus coming into the WA community.
This morning, WA’s Acting Chief Health Officer consulted with the Victorian Government and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) to help provide updated health advice to the Western Australian Government.
Victoria closes border with NSW over new COVID-19 cluster
Five of those cases were linked to Sydney s northern beaches, taking the so-called Avalon cluster to 144 infections.
Another three locally acquired coronavirus cases were identified in Victoria, on top of three women whose positive tests ended a two-month streak without infections.
It s believed all six cases are tied to outbreaks of the virus in Sydney.
The increase in cases in New South Wales and Victoria has prompted states to re-impose border restrictions.
Western Australia
The government has revised Victoria s status to one of medium risk, effectively barring travel to WA.
Only people granted exemptions will be allowed to enter, while West Australians returning home will be required to quarantine for 14 days.