The Australian Capital Territory has joined the list of states now under lockdown after Canberra recorded its first community case of Covid-19 in more than a year.
On Thursday, a man in his 20s was confirmed as having the virus in the Australian capital. Because the source of the infection was unknown and there were multiple exposure sites, stay-at-home orders were quickly issued to the public, with the state plunged into lockdown at 7pm (NZ time).
Three close contacts of the ACT man were confirmed as having tested positive for the virus on Thursday night, ACT chief health officer told Australian media.
New South Wales
New South Wales reported 345 new locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, at least 60 of whom had been infectious in the community.
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New South Wales recorded 345 Covid-19 cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours.
Two men in their 90s who had tested positive for the virus died in the Australian state overnight. One of the men had one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and the other had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday.
Parts of NSW is already under lockdown due to the large outbreaks across the state. There are now 12 areas of concern in Sydney. In those places, people must get goods and services from within 5km of their homes, and can only travel to other areas for work if they are authorised to.
Berejiklian said lockdowns were being extended for another week in the Hunter and New England areas of the state, after more people in those areas tested positive for Covid.
Three more Sydney local government areas Bayside, Burwood and Strathfield are being considered areas of concern, and will be subject to extra lockdown restrictions from this evening.
A record of nearly 152,000 Covid tests were carried out in NSW in the 24-hour reporting period.
Victoria
Victoria reported 21 new cases of Covid-19 acquired in the state on Thursday, of which 17 were linked to current outbreaks in the Australian state, and four were still being investigated.
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A man is arrested by members of Victoria Police as anti lockdown protesters rallied in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
Fifteen of the new cases had been in isolation throughout their infectious period, the Victoria Department of Health said.
On Wednesday night, Victorian police arrested 73 people who gathered in central Melbourne in breach of health directions, protesting against the extension of the citys Covid-19 lockdown.
On Wednesday, Victoria reported 20 new local cases of Covid-19, and Premier Daniel Andrews announced the initial one-week lockdown would be extended for at least another week in Melbourne.
Police appeared to outnumber protesters on Wednesday night, apparently taking no chances after hundreds marched through Melbournes CBD last Thursday evening to oppose the introduction of the lockdown.
Most of the arrests related to breaches of directions from the chief health officer, with one arrest for offensive language, and three people arrested on outstanding warrants, police said.
The Government’s plan for reopening NZ will be a risk-based, four step system, which makes returning dependent on vaccination status and where the traveller has been.
Queensland
Queensland reported 10 new locally acquired cases on Thursday. All were linked to the Indooroopilly cluster and were in home quarantine, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at a briefing.
It was fantastic news, she said.
The increase had been expected as more than 15,300 contacts isolating at home had day 10 and 11 tests, she said. Similar numbers were expected in the next day or two as people had day 12 tests.
On Thursday night, Queenslands premier announced that ACT would be declared a hotspot from 1am (local time) Saturday, August 14. Anyone who arrives in Queensland from the ACT after that time will be required to go into 14 days of hotel quarantine.
Another Australian state has been thrust into a snap lockdown, as Covid-19 continues to spread across the ditch.
