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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Australian states to consider draconian measures to enforce social distancing

FILE PHOTO: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a joint press conference held with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia, February 28, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that states and territories will consider draconian measures to enforce social distancing to combat the coronavirus.

The potential measures, which he said would be discussed later on Sunday, came after thousands of people flocked to Australia's beaches in recent days amid an unusually warm autumn spell.

Most of Sydney's main beaches, including Bondi Beach, were closed on Sunday.

"The measures that we will be considering tonight means that state premiers and chief ministers may have to take far more draconian measures to enforce social distancing particularly in areas of outbreaks than might otherwise be the case," Morrison said in Canberra.

(Reporting by Jonathan Barrett; Editing by Chris Reese)

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