⁍ Victoria state, Australia’s COVID-19 hotspot, on Sunday delayed the eagerly awaited removal of strict lockdown restrictions.

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⁍ Restrictions have kept most retail businesses in Melbourne providing online services only since early August.

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⁍ State premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday said an outbreak in Melbourne’s northern suburbs would likely delay the reopening of retail and hospitality businesses.

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– An outbreak of coronavirus in Australia has killed 817 people so far this year, most of them in the state of Victoria. Restaurants and cafes in the state have been closed since early August due to the outbreak, which has now spread to 11 households, up from six on Tuesday, Reuters reports. Officials are waiting for hundreds of test results to determine whether the outbreak is connected. “If I could stand here today and make these announcements, I would,” says state premier Daniel Andrews. “There are 1,000 swabs, plus, in the laboratory and we do not have the results for those yet. Once we do get those results we will be in a better position, will have a clearer picture, to be able to make announcements.” Some restrictions will be lifted as early as this week, he says. “We will get them today and tomorrow and hopefully we are able to make, not only announcements but to take the big steps safely around the middle of this week.”