SYDNEY: As a serious second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections beset Australia — with some 5 million people in Melbourne under lockdown and with higher daily rates of infections than in March — the premier of the worst affected Victoria state said this was a result of job insecurity.

Premier Daniel Andrews said a large proportion of people leaving their homes while sick were in insecure work and had been forced to choose between self-isolating or getting paid. Out of the 3,810 cases recorded in the state between July 7 and 21, he said 3,400 people felt ill yet continued to go to work before undergoing testing.