Covid 19 coronavirus: Melbourne headed for New Zealand-style lockdown

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Photo / Getty Images

Victoria is set to move to stage 4 coronavirus restrictions within days.

Reports are swirling that the stricter measures will come into force in the early hours of Wednesday.

Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to announce the changes today.

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According to The Herald Sun, only supermarkets, pharmacies and service stations will be allowed to keep trading in Melbourne, with a possible exception carved out for hardware stores, which could stay open for tradies only. Cafes and restaurants will be able to provide takeaway services.

There will be a huge increase in police patrols, and police are expected to use licence plate recognition technology to crack down on non-essential travel.

The Age reports there will be a "near total shutdown" of Melbourne's public transport network.

Some measures are apparently still up for debate. For example, there may end up being restrictions on how many people per household can visit a supermarket.

All of the measures are expected to last for at least six weeks.

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