The border between Victoria and New South Wales will be shut indefinitely on Tuesday night as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in Melbourne.
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A new daily Victorian record has been set for new coronavirus confirmations, with 127 cases confirmed on Monday morning.
There are now 645 active COVID-19 cases in Victoria.
WATCH: NSW premier gives update on border closure
Thirty-four of the new cases are linked to confirmed outbreaks, 40 were discovered through routine testing and 53 cases are being investigated.
As well, 53 cases have been now detected in the nine locked-down public housing towers at Flemington and North Melbourne.
A Victorian man in his 90s has died, becoming 105th Australian victim of the coronavirus pandemic.
The dramatic decision was made at an early morning hook-up between Premier Daniel Andrews, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.
The border closure will come into effect at midnight on Tuesday, with a permit system to be put in place for communities such as Albury-Wodonga.
In other news
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to provide more details on the permit system and the closure, which is indefinite, at a midday press conference.
"This is one of those precautionary measures which will help us in broader terms contain the spread of the virus," Mr Andrews said.
"It is the smart call, the right call at this time given the very significant challenges we are facing in containing this virus."
It will be the last state border to close in Australia, following the remaining states that have remained closed for weeks.
Twelve Victorian postcodes and nine public housing towers have been put into lockdown in order to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, which now has 2536 confirmed cases.
More than 500 remain active.
The border between the two states has remained open throughout the health crisis, as towns share infrastructure, including the Albury-Wodonga Health public hospital.
"I'm not interested in closing our borders I don't think that makes a lot of sense for us," Mr Andrews said in March.
On Monday morning, NSW Opposition leader Jodi McKay called for a hard border closure.
"NSW and Victoria must work together and as all options are considered, prudent and reasonable arrangements will be needed for our border communities," the state Labor leader said.
"Until now I have supported the Premier's decision not to change NSW-Victoria border arrangements.
"But school holidays are now underway and the NSW Government's actions so far to prevent infectious arrivals in our state have been inadequate.
How the border closure will work
- The border will close from 11.59pm Tuesday night
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW Premier Gladys Berejikilian agreed the measure on Monday morning
- Border will be enforced from the NSW side
- Permit system will be used for people with unavoidable travel to NSW
- People living in border communities will be able to travel for work and essential health services
- Specific arrangements will be set up for healthcare in Albury-Wodonga - Victoria runs the Albury Hospital even though it is located in NSW
More to come