Quarantine loopholes bring fresh efforts to fight outbreaks

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — An Australian state is toughening its punishment for anyone caught violating coronavirus quarantines, including jailing rulebreakers for up to six months — a warning that follows rising virus cases worldwide and violations of restrictions that are now being further tightened.

The current fines for breaking a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine for some visitors or lying about their whereabouts “appears not to be enough" in some cases, Queensland state's Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

With higher fines and possibly six months’ imprisonment, "I hope that will demonstrate to the public just how serious we are about enforcing these measures,” Miles said.

Queensland shut down its state borders to successfully contain the coronavirus outbreak, but has reopened to all but residents of Victoria, Australia's worst affected region, two weeks ago.

The city of Melbourne in Victoria recorded 270 new coronavirus infections overnight, with more than 4,000 cases now active across the state. Melbourne is one week into a six-week lockdown in an attempt to stop a spike in new cases there.

Health experts have warned that outbreaks that had been brought under control with shutdowns and other forms of social distancing were likely to flare again as precautions were relaxed.

Disney officials announced that Hong Kong Disneyland Park was closing Wednesday until further notice following the city’s decision to ban public gatherings of more than four people to combat newly spreading infections.

Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, announced new coronavirus-related restrictions on Monday after 41 out of 52 newly reported infections were locally transmitted cases. Hong Kong has reported 250 new cases since July 6. Lam urged the private sector to put in place...