Victoria said on Tuesday that anyone breaking COVID-19 isolation orders will face hefty fines, as high as $20,000, and that more military personnel will be deployed to fight the spread of the virus.

Australia, once heralded as a global leader in containing COVID-19, is desperately trying to slow the spread of the virus in Victoria to prevent a national second wave of infections.

Victoria earlier this week imposed a night curfew, tightened restrictions on peoples daily movements and ordered large parts of the local economy to close to slow the spread of coronavirus.

But nearly a third of those who contracted COVID-19 were not home isolating when checked on by officials, requiring tough new penalties, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday.

Fines of nearly $5,000 will be issued to anyone breaching stay at home orders. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $20,000.