More Australians are now placed under lockdown restrictions as’s highly infectious COVID variant continues to spread across the country.
Authorities have declared a three-day circuit breaker lockdown in southeastern parts of Queensland, including Australia’s third largest city, Brisbane, which started at 16:00 (06:00 GMT) on Saturday.
Cases In Queensland
It is the latest region in the country to introduce lockdown restrictions with the aim of preventing Covid transmission in the community.
Less than 20% of Australians are fully vaccinated against the virus so far.
Queensland authorities have reported six new cases of the delta variant of Covid. All these cases are related to a high school student who was diagnosed with coronavirus on Thursday.
‘Get Tested Immediately’
Dr Jeannette Young, Queensland’s chief medical officer, told reporters that their health team was looking for any contact with those who had been infected and said she thought there could be “more exposure areas” in Brisbane.
“If anyone has any symptoms at all, this is the time – you must come forward and get tested immediately,” she said.
Restrictions in Queensland are of dire nature this time. People are only allowed to leave home for essential works – ie to buy essential goods or to exercise or for medical treatment purposes.
What Is Happening Elsewhere?
The recent lockdown announcement follows the decision of authorities to deploy hundreds of troops in Australia’s largest city, Sydney, to tighten the Covid restrictions and ensure the lockdown rules are being followed.
Sydney’s restrictions will remain in place until at least 28 August.
New South Wales recorded one death and 210 new infections on Saturday five weeks after lockdown was declared in the region. Last Saturday police arrested dozens of anti-lockdown protesters .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Statement
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced increasing criticism over the slow pace of vaccination in Australia.
On Friday he announced that once 70% of the country had been fully vaccinated, the stay-at-home mandates would be heavily targeted.
Mr Morrison said he believed the country could reach that goal by the end of 2021.
