This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/coronavirus-numbers-victoria-rise-again-lockdown-suburbs/12422456

Victoria recorded its second-highest ever daily increase in coronavirus cases, with 108 people diagnosed with the virus overnight.

Residents of nine public housing estates in inner Melbourne will be required to stay in their homes due to an outbreak of coronavirus cases.

23 cases had been identified in more than 12 households in the Flemington and North Melbourne public housing estates

the nine towers included 1,345 units of housing and were home to about 3,000 residents.

"No-one will be allowed out of those public housing towers," Mr Andrews said.

I just watched the press conference. This article misses some details.

The residents of these public housing towers will not be allowed to leave their flats/apartments at all, for any reason. They can't even step outside their front doors into the common corridors. The common areas are potential transmission vectors, so these people have to stay inside their flats and not come out at all. And the lockdown starts immediately. Anyone currently inside can't come out. Anyone who comes home can't come back out. (I except some people will decide not to go home).

This is an extreme lockdown, beyond anything done in Australia so far.

Over the next few days, all residents in the towers will be tested for coronavirus. The lockdown is expected to last for at least 5 days, which is how long it's expected to take to test everyone and get the results.

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

Article: 'See it as your civic duty': Testing blitz to target hotspots as Victoria records 33 new cases

I found this part especially interesting:

Health workers going door-to-door to test residents in these hotspots will be using a new type of saliva test developed by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity that is less invasive, and painful, than nose and throat swabs.

There's a new form of coronavirus testing in Australia.

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

News article: Victoria will bring back tougher coronavirus restrictions, limiting gatherings in homes to five people, in a bid to address a recent spike in case numbers.

Statement from Victoria's Premier:

• "around half of [Victoria's] cases since the end of April have come from transmission inside someone’s home."

• "From 11:59pm on Sunday, the number of visitors you can have at your home will reduce to five."

• "Outside the home, families and friends can meet in groups up to ten."

• "restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community halls, libraries, museums and places of worship will all stay at a maximum of 20 people in any one space until 12 July."

• "Businesses that were set to open on Monday like gyms, cinemas, theatres and TABs can do so – but again, only with a maximum of 20."

• "Community sport for kids and non-contact competition for adults can proceed as planned."

• "those who can work from home [should] continue to do so at least until 31 July."