Kids build a model house at an early start discovery space in Wollongong, Australia, Sept. 26, 2020. Australia has made a progress in its fight against a second wave of coronavirus infections with strict restrictions in Melbourne to be eased on Monday. Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria, the hardest-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, on Sunday announced that the roadmap for easing restrictions in the state's capital city Melbourne over about a two-month period would be accelerated. (Photo by Hongye Zhu/Xinhua)
CANBERRA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australia has made a progress in its fight against a second wave of coronavirus infections with strict restrictions in Melbourne to be eased on Monday.
Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria, the hardest-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, on Sunday announced that the roadmap for easing restrictions in the state's capital city Melbourne over about a two-month period would be accelerated.
From Monday the citywide curfew between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be lifted and up to five people from a maximum of two households will be allowed to gather outdoors.
As of Sunday afternoon there had been 27,040 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of new cases in last 24 hours is 24.
The national death toll increased by two to 872, with both new deaths reported from Victoria.
Of the new cases, Victoria reported 16 and the average number of cases diagnosed in the last 14 days for metropolitan Melbourne is 22.1, beating the government's goal for the figure to be between 30 and 50 by Monday to ease restrictions.
"Within Victoria, 15 of the new cases are linked to outbreaks or complex cases and one is under investigation," said a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria on Sunday.
"One of today's two deaths are linked to a known aged care facility outbreak. To date, 784 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria."
The department also said there are 209 active cases relating to aged care facilities and 64 active cases among healthcare workers in the state.
