Australia's capital and the country's second most populous state declared states of emergency while large, non-essential gatherings were banned in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus after the national death toll rose to five, Reuters reported.
After a 77-year-old woman and a 90-year-old woman died in New South Wales, Victoria state and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) — home to the capital city of Canberra — both declared a state of emergency that will give health officials sweeping powers.
The proclamations allow chief health officers near unchecked powers to contain the spread of the virus and reduce the risk to the public.
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