The immediate lockdown of nine public housing estates in Melbourne has been compared to the dramatic shutdown of the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic first began.
The world watched on as 11million residents in Wuhan, China’s Hubei province, were shut off from society in January for more than two months following the outbreak.
The deadly virus quickly spread across the rest of the globe and other nations were forced to implement their own versions of the quarantine.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Saturday afternoon announced the immediate lockdown of nine public housing estates in Melbourne’s inner-city for at least five days as the state battles a second wave in COVID-19 infections.
A ‘total’ or ‘hard’ lockdown where residents are completely confined to their homes is a first for Australia during the health crisis but has echoes of Wuhan residents being sealed in their homes during the first outbreak of the pandemic.
Residents watch from their window as police enforce a lockdown at public housing towers on Racecourse Road in Flemington, Melbourne, on Saturday
The picture shows an elderly man standing on a balcony at a residential complex in Wuhan, Hubei Province of central China
Pictured: A woman hangs laundry up to dry in front of a woman sitting on a roof of a building in Wuhan in March
Within an hour of Mr Andrews’ 4pm press conference, police had swarmed the public housing buildings – where about 3000 Melburnians reside – and blocked all driveways and doorways.
Residents were seen confronting police about why they were being targeted while others sought information from gathered media.
Residents bunkered down in the high-rise buildings were photographed peeking out of their windows during their first night cut off from the city.
‘Not long ago people were expressing horror at the news of people being locked in their buildings in Wuhan, now this is the approach in Melbourne,’ one person wrote on Twitter.
‘Oh my goodness Melbourne! Locking people into towers with police on every floor. Remember what our news said about Wuhan when they did this?’ said another.
In March, fascinating pictures were snapped of Wuhan residents holed up in their apartments after more than 50 days of lockdown.
A resident is seen through their window at public housing tower on Racecourse Road in Flemington after the lockdown on Saturday
Men look outside the window of their buildings at a residential compound in Wuhan, China, during lockdown in March
A man stands on a terrace in Wuhan during the city’s lockdown in March. Residents were holed up in their homes for months
The lockdown of nine public housing towers in Melbourne was quickly compared to Wuhan’s drastic lockdown on Twitter
Taken through windows and on balconies and rooftops, children were seen playing as other residents ate noodles and hung their laundry.
Residents were forbidden from venturing out of their homes even to buy food. Schools, most shops and public transport was shut, while roads were virtually empty.
The coronavirus is believed to have emerged at a market that sold live animals in the central city of Wuhan late last year.
In Melbourne, the residents of high density public housing towers in 3031 (Flemington, Kensington) and 3051 (North Melbourne) were not given the opportunity to buy last-minute groceries and supplies ahead of the unprecedented shutdown.
The lockdown will require an unprecedented level of help from police but Mr Andrews said the residents will be supported and fed throughout the shutdown.
A residential building is seen in Wuhan, China, in March amid the coronavirus outbreak
About 3000 residents in Melbourne were put into immediate lockdown on Saturday. Pictured: One of the nine public housing estates
‘There will be no one going in other than residents who are returning home and no one will be allowed out of those public housing towers,’ Mr Andrews said.
‘There will be a massive logistical task to make sure those people are fed, given the support that they need.
‘I think we’re equal to that task and I don’t for a moment underestimate how challenging, how traumatic in some respects that will be for those 3,000 residents.’
Mr Andrews said the hard public housing lockdowns will affect approximately 3000 residents who live in 1,345 units.
‘You will not be allowed to leave your unit, your dwelling within that tower for any reason,’ the premier said.
Victoria recorded another 108 coronavirus case on Saturday. It’s second biggest spike since March 28, when 111 cases were reported.
A woman is seen drying food outside a laundry rack by the window of a building in Wuhan, China, in March
Police talk with public housing residents following the announcement of immediate lockdown on Saturday
Police stand at the entry of 130 Racecourse Road in Flemington, Melbourne, following the announcement of lockdowns on Saturday