⁍ Victoria state, Australia’s COVID-19 epicentre, on Sunday delayed an expected announcement on the easing of lockdown restrictions.

---

⁍ Restrictions have limited most retail businesses in the state’s capital to providing online services only since early August.

---

⁍ State premier Daniel Andrews told a media conference the outbreak in Melbourne’s northern suburbs threatened to push the reopening date closer to Nov. 1.

---

– Victoria state, Australia, is the epicenter of the H1N1 virus, with 90% of the country’s reported 27,500 cases occurring in the state. Most of those have been in the state’s capital of Melbourne, which has been locked down since early August due to the H1N1 outbreak, Reuters reports. Most retail businesses in the state’s capital have been closed since early August, and 5 million people in the state are under stay-at-home orders. The state’s premier, Daniel Andrews, was expected to announce the easing of the lockdown Sunday, but he delayed the announcement until test results are in from the latest outbreak, which has involved 39 infected people across 11 households. “We will get (the test results) 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,” Andrews said. “I know everyone will be disappointed we’re not making that move today. I am too.” The Business Council of Australia has been pressuring Andrews to fully reopen the city and state. “We cannot go on like this,” the council’s chief executive said in a statement. “Victorians cannot hang on week to week. People are at a financial and mental breaking point.’ Australia has recorded nearly 27,500 infections and more than 900 deaths, a fraction of those in some other countries. Victoria accounts for over 90% of those in some other countries.