France, Feb. 12 -- Fans will be barred from watching the tennis at the Australian Open in Melbourne from Saturday after provincial authorities ordered a five day ban on public gatherings in order to fight a coronavirus cluster of the highly contagious UK variant.

The 13 Covid-19 infections were linked to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state.

"We must assume that there are further cases in the community than we have positive results for," said state premier Daniel Andrews.

"And that it is moving at a velocity that has not been seen anywhere in our country over the course of these last 12 months."

As well as public gatherings, weddings and religious services will also be suspended as part of what Andrews descri...