Queensland shut down its borders to Victoria, after its capital Melbourne saw fresh outbreaks. Melbourne recorded 270 new infections overnight, with over 4,000 cases now active across Victoria
Soldiers patrol the streets after a strict quarantine was declared due to an 'alarming' increase in cases, in Bogota, on Monday. Pic/AFP
Queensland in Australia is toughening its punishment for anyone caught violating coronavirus quarantines, including jailing rule-breakers for up to six months, while several US states are lockding down again — a warning that follows rising virus cases worldwide and violations of restrictions that are now being further tightened.
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Queensland shut down its borders to Victoria, after its capital Melbourne saw fresh outbreaks. Melbourne recorded 270 new infections overnight, with over 4,000 cases now active across Victoria.
Disney announced that Hong Kong Disneyland Park was closing on Wednesday until further notice after the city banned public gatherings of more than four people to combat a third wave of COVID-19 outbreaks.
In Thailand, where there has been no reports of locally transmitted cases for seven weeks, health authorities were rushing to trace the contacts of two recent foreign arrivals in the country who were infected with the coronavirus and may have violated quarantine rules.
The two cases involved an Egyptian military officer and the 9-year-old child of a diplomat from Sudan. All other recent cases have involved Thai nationals repatriated from abroad confined in mandatory state quarantines. The cases arose as Thailand is considering how and when to reopen to normal foreign tourists.
In the US, flaring outbreaks have led officials to mandate mask wearing, and states, including California, to close bars, indoor dining, indoor religious services, gyms and hair and nail salons to once again try to bring the pandemic under control. Hawaii's governor pushed back by another month plans to waive a 14-day quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers who test negative for COVID-19.
Brazil has reported 20,286 new cases in past 24 hours taking the country's total to 1.8 million. WIth 733 new casualties, the death toll has touched 72,833.
France honours frontline workers
France on Tuesday honoured ambulance drivers, supermarket cashiers, postal workers, medics who died fighting COVID-19, on its biggest national holiday, recalibrating Bastille Day's usual grandiose military parade to celebrate heroes of the pandemic instead. The French government on Monday agreed to give a pay raise of €8bn ($9bn) to the health workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 battle, BBC reported.
UK govt announces £100 fine for not wearing masks in shops
The UK government ended days of speculation and declared on Tuesday that wearing a face mask or face covering will become mandatory in shops across England from July 24, as part of efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 as the country eases out of lockdown. The enforcement powers for the new policy will be handed to the police and anyone failing to wear a face covering while shopping will be subject to a fine of up to 100 pounds, or 50 pounds if paid speedily within 14 days.
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