Melbourne eases lockdown as coronavirus cases decline

From midnight Sunday, Melbourne residents will no longer face limits on the time they can spend away from their homes. (AFP)

• From midnight Sunday, Melbourne residents will no longer face limits on the time they can spend away from their homes

MELBOURNE: Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has loosened lockdown restrictions as new and active COVID-19 continue to decline.
From midnight Sunday, Melbourne residents will no longer face limits on the time they can spend away from their homes for education or recreation. Previous restrictions allowing Melburnians to travel only 5 kilometers from home will increase at midnight to 25 kilometers.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people from two households will be allowed and golf and tennis can resume.
Victoria state reported only two new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and no deaths. The rolling 14-day average of cases dropped to eight, the lowest in four months.
There were only 137 active cases across Victoria state on Sunday with 12 people receiving hospital treatment, none in intensive care.
Regulations will be further loosened on Nov. 2 with the partial reopening of shops, bars and restaurants.