January 4, 2021, A new variant coronavirus outbreak in Sydney is believed to have spread to the city of Melbourne, breaking its two-month run of zero community infections.

Melbourne endured a heavily-policed lockdown from July to October, which succeeded in eradicating a second wave.

But on Thursday, officials announced eight new cases with a link to a traveler from New South Wales.

A mandatory mask-wearing order and gathering limits have been re-imposed on Melbourne by officials in the state of Victoria, who described the outbreak as a “dire situation.”

They have also expanded a travel ban to include all neighboring New South Wales (NSW).

Since December 21, every Australian state and territory has had a travel ban on people from Sydney. However, Melbourne cases are believed to be linked to a woman who visited before the restrictions came in, Victorian officials said.

Australia has 165 active local infections, with almost all of them tied to the Sydney outbreak, which has worsened in recent days.

The re-emergence of the virus there two weeks ago prompted the NSW state government to impose swift restrictions on its capital, including limiting gatherings and locking down a city section.

“This is a very unpredictable, contagious disease, but we also appreciate that we don’t want to put more burdens on our citizens than we need to. It’s a wonderful line,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.

Australia has recorded 909 deaths and about 28,300 cases since the pandemic began, a number far lower than many other weal