Australia to lockdown its borders completely on March 20

Countries around the world are increasingly adopting sweeping measures to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, including shutting down airports, imposing travel restrictions, and completely sealing their borders.

The outbreak of the coronavirus has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Several countries have taken such measures in recent days, such as Australia. Government intends to lockdown its borders entirely to all non-residents from 6 pm (AWST) tomorrow, Report informs citing the TASS.

After further consultation with the national security committee this afternoon, tonight, we will be resolving to move to a position where a travel ban will be placed on all non-residents, non-Australian citizens coming to Australia, and that will be in place from 9 pm (AEDT) tomorrow,” Mr. Morrison said

“We have about 80 percent of the cases ... in Australia that are either the result of someone who has contracted the virus overseas or someone who has had direct contact with someone who has returned from overseas,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

Australia has so far reported about 600 cases of coronavirus infection. The most significant number of infected people are in Sydney- 307 people. About 2 thousand patients globally wait for the results of the analysis for the virus. The first confirmed case was recorded in Melbourne on January 25. To date, 25 people have recovered, and six have died. 

On December 31, 2019, Chinese authorities announced an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan. The causative agent of the disease is a new type of coronavirus, which has the official name COVID-2019.

More than 150 countries have already reported coronavirus cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic of a new type of coronavirus in the world.