Melbourne lockdown is worse than WUHAN, says health minister as he lays into Daniel Andrews for 'locking people in their homes'
- Melbourne will be locked down until October 26 under Victoria's current plan
- That is four weeks longer than lockdown in Wuhan from January to April
- Wuhan is the Chinese city of nine million where coronavirus was first identified
Melbourne's coronavirus lockdown is longer than Wuhan's and should be ended sooner than October 26, Greg Hunt said today.
The health minister said Victoria 'can do better' and should adopt a more ambitious target towards getting back to normal.
'We want Victorians to be able to open their businesses safely, in a staged way, to return to life and to be free of a curfew which has profound mental health consequences,' Mr Hunt told the ABC.
'This situation is longer than Wuhan. Melbourne's lockdown is four weeks longer than Wuhan. I am sure we can do better.'
Melbourne's coronavirus lockdown is longer than Wuhan's and should be ended sooner than October 26, Greg Hunt said today. Pictured: Melbourne
The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus was first identified late last year, was locked down on 23 January when nine million residents (pictured) were prevented from leaving the city
He later told the Today show that the the government would continue to support Victoria, but 'the last thing you do is lock people in their homes'.
Under premier Daniel Andrews' plan, released on Sunday, lockdown will only end when there are an average of five cases per day, which is not expected until October 26.
Until then, a curfew will be in place from 9pm to 5am and residents can only leave home for exercise, shopping, school and work, and caregiving.
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The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus was first identified late last year, was locked down on January 23 when nine million residents were prevented from leaving the city.
The area was put under a system of 'sealed management' where residents were forbidden from leaving their homes except for essential reasons.
Officials and volunteers sealed off buildings, erected barricades and stepped up surveillance to ensure compliance with the ban on movement.
In Wuhan (pictured) officials adopted a system of 'sealed management' where residents were forbidden from leaving their homes except for essential reasons.
Officials and volunteers in Wuhan (pictured) sealed off buildings, erected barricades and stepped up surveillance to ensure compliance with the ban on movement
The virus reproduction rate dropped significantly and the lockdown was withdrawn on April 8, after 11 weeks.
If extended until 26 October, Melbourne's lockdown will total 15 weeks.
Mr Hunt urged Victoria to bolster its contact tracing regime so future cases can be suppressed effectively.
New South Wales has managed to remove lockdown and keep its economy going while suppressing cases to an average of less than 10 per day this month.
'NSW is the gold standard but we can get Victoria there and if they need more help,' Mr Hunt said.
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