Australia’s second-most populous city could be placed under a five-day snap lockdown, local media reported, potentially limiting crowds at the Australian Open major tennis tournament.

A fresh Covid-19 cluster linked to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne, capital of Victoria state, reached 13 cases as of Thursday midnight as authorities rushed to quash the spread of the virus.

The state cabinet will consider plans for the hard lockdown with restrictions to be put in place on leaving home for non-essential services and gathering at homes, the Herald Sun newspaper reported, citing a government source.

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