NSW records 163 new cases
Military may be used to enforce ‘indefinite’ Sydney lockdown
Thousands of protesters marched through Sydney yesterday against lockdown measures even as New South Wales recorded its highest number of daily infections in its recent outbreak.
The Australian state announced 163 new cases yesterday as an estimated 15,000-strong crowd ignored Covid-19 health orders and chanted “freedom” as they walked shoulderto-shoulder through the city’s CBD. A heavy police presence, including officers on horseback, accompanied the crowd and a number of people were arrested.
Case numbers are climbing alarmingly in Sydney, from the previous day’s record of 136 which prompted state Premier Gladys Berejiklian to declare a state of emergency and openly plead to Prime Minister Scott Morrison for more vaccines.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the figure at yesterday’s daily briefing, saying: “What it is telling us is we have a continuing and growing problem, particularly in southwest and western Sydney.”
Hazzard emphasised Sydneysiders must stay home.
“What we see is transmission particularly as a result of family members getting together when they just should not be getting together.
“We also are seeing transmission in shops and in other workplaces. We don't want you out at all from your home unless you are allowed to for one of the reasons that our chief health officer and her team have
In other words, 45 people were out walking around and potentially spreading the virus which certainly explains why our numbers are going up.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard
advised that you can come out for.”
Of the 163 cases, 66 were household contacts, 25 were close contacts and “very worryingly” 45 were infectious out in the community.
“In other words, 45 people were out walking around and potentially spreading the virus which certainly explains why our numbers are going up,” Hazzard said.
Amid the concerning case numbers, the state's lockdown is set to remain until mass vaccination, and the government is considering military assistance to stop the Delta strain spread.
According to a source quoted by the Daily Telegraph, troops may be brought in to guard barriers set up around Sydney as the government works to “harden the lockdown” and ensure safe travel out of “hot zones”.
Meanwhile, Victoria recorded 12 new locally acquired cases yesterday, all linked to current outbreaks. Ten of those were in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period.
Just under 40,000 tests were carried out.
On Friday, 14 new local cases were identified — all linked to known outbreaks — and there were no new cases in returned travellers.
Premier Daniel Andrews hinted on Friday the statewide lockdown could end on Tuesday night because the results were encouraging.
“It is difficult for us on Friday to be able to predict what will happen next Tuesday at midnight, but I would say that the trend is with us. These results are very encouraging, they are positive. Whether the next few days continue that way we will only know with the passage of time.” —
News.com.au