Madeleine Raine
Yesterday, Sydney entered a two-week lockdown after a significant rise in Covid-19 cases.
New South Wales’ largest city, Sydney, has seen an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases linked to the new Delta variant.
Today (Tuesday 29th), New South Wales recorded 143 cases alone. A number that is increasing by the day with 17 of these cases, linked and currently under investigation.
From 12:01 on Wednesday 30th, anyone arriving from Queensland, Western Australia, or the Northern Territory must complete a declaration form and isolate for 14 days.
Health Policy Adviser, Bill Bowtell, said: “We really face the most serious crisis in the Covid pandemic since the early days in February-March last year.”
“Do not travel to New South Wales if you have attended a venue of concern,” the Health Policy Adviser added.
Cases are spreading from Sydney
Darwin, in the Northern Territory, have entered a two-day lockdown after a gold miner tested positive. The miner became infected while in hotel quarantine in Brisbane, Queensland.
Authorities suspect he then transmitted the virus when he travelled to the Northern Territory.
Australian officials have searched for 900 miners who could be infected.
Around 70% of Australians are now under lockdown or living with restrictions as cases continue to rise.
“We have to be prepared for the numbers to bounce around,” said New South Wales Premier, Gladys Berejiklian.
“We also have to be prepared for the numbers to go up considerably.”
Only 5% of the population are fully vaccinated.
“Australia’s Covid-19 committee will hold an emergency meeting on Monday”
Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, warned officials that Australia has entered a new and more contagious phase of the pandemic.
Australia’s Covid-19 committee will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss strategy and next steps.
Featured image courtesy of Chaz McGregor on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence is available here.
Madeleine Raine
Mads is a 23-year-old History graduate from Newcastle University. She is passionate about current affairs and British news, with a keen interest in investigative features. Aside from this, she is an avid reader, photographer, and yogi.