Addressing reporters after a meeting of the National Cabinet late Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was experiencing “heart-breaking events” and that the virus could only be defeated through following social distancing guidelines. Weddings must be limited to the couple, celebrant and two witnesses, while funerals could only be attended by about 10 people.

Earlier this week, the government closed pubs, casinos, cafes and restaurants and has already banned indoor gatherings of 100 people or more. Yet still the number of cases keeps growing, reaching 2,136 as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, up 427 from a day earlier. Schools remain open, yet parents have been urged to keep their children home and follow online learnings courses.

Authorities have expressed concern about citizens refusing to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from overseas. The majority of cases in the nation are linked to international travel, in particular Europe and the Americas. The government had previously issued a strong warning against overseas travel, which has now been tightened to a ban.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said he was very worried about the “very, very steep growth” in the rate of infections and urged people to change their behavior.

Australia joins countries worldwide imposing ever tougher measures to contain the outbreak that has infected 382,000 people and killed 16,500. Beauty, tanning and nail salons and other personal services will close, as will theme parks and recreation centers. Morrison was forced to clarify his comments during the press conference, saying that shopping malls will remain open, and only the food courts inside would be impacted by the new measures.

“Following common sense rules and doing the right thing -- that’s how we slow the spread of this virus and that’s how we save lives,” Morrison said. “It also means that when we all do that, that we can potentially limit further economic harm from other measures.”

Parliament rushed through more than A$80 billion ($47.4 billion) in fiscal stimulus for the coronavirus-stricken economy at a special sitting in Canberra on Monday, aimed at saving businesses and jobs as the nation lurches toward its first recession since 1991.

As non-essential services close, waves of newly unemployed workers rushed for financial aid and formed massive queues outside welfare-support offices, placing enormous pressure on government services. Australia’s jobless rate is set to soar in the next three months to 11.1%, just shy of a recession-era peak, according to Westpac Banking Corp.’s Chief Economist Bill Evans.

Popular

Indonesian Muslim groups rally behind Iran amid escalating war

Details on gasoline, diesel rationing remain elusive

Witnesses, activists in Andrie case subject to threats