MELBOURNE (BLOOMBERG) – Australia’s Victoria state recorded 403 new coronavirus cases as it struggles to stem a second wave that has put the city of Melbourne into lockdown.

The daily tally announced on Thursday (July 23) followed a record 484 new cases announced the previous day in Victoria. There were five additional fatalities, State Premier Daniel Andrews said at a press conference.

The spike in Victoria has forced around 5 million people in Melbourne back into a six-week lockdown. The shutdown of the nation’s second-biggest city, which contributes about one-quarter of gross domestic product, could prolong the nation’s first recession in almost three decades.

Andrews on Thursday announced plans for a A$300 (S$296) payment to encourage those feeling unwell to get tested and self-isolate.

Andrews has implored people not to flout the lockdown rules. In the two weeks to July 21, almost 90 per cent of people feeling unwell didn’t isolate between first feeling sick and getting a test, and more than half continued to go out for work, shopping or socialising while waiting for their test results.

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