Australia's Victoria state to ease COVID-19 restrictions as cases slow

Australia's Victoria state, the second most populous state and the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, reported 16 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. It has placed nearly 5 million residents of its capital Melbourne under one of the world's most stringent lockdowns since early August.

With cases well below the record one-day high of more than 700 cases reported in August, state Premier Daniel Andrews Sunday said some curbs, including a night curfew and social distancing restrictions, will be removed almost immediately.

The remaining curbs could be relaxed earlier, with restrictions eased when case numbers hit certain triggers. Victoria state previously said most restrictions would remain in place until the end of November.

The accelerated timetable for removing restrictions across Victoria is a boost to Australia's ailing economy. The outbreak in Victoria dented any hope of a quick economic rebound as Australia enters its first recession in three decades, and effective unemployment tops 10 percent.

In an immediate boost to the economy, Victoria state said 127,000 workers will be allowed to return to work on Monday, a rise of 30,000 on its previous plan announced earlier this month.