NSW sees 30 new Covid cases as Sydney locks down
The Australian state of New South Wales has reported 30 new Covid cases on the second day of Greater Sydney's two-week lockdown.
An expanded lockdown now covers 5m persons in Greater Sydney, along with the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong.
Cases of the highly infectious Delta variant now stand at 110.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Sunday that she expected that figure to go up.
"Given how contagious this strain of the virus is, we do anticipate that in the next couple of days, case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we've seen today because we are since persons in isolation, unfortunately, would have already transmitted to all their residence contacts," she said.
Stay-at-home orders will stay in place until 9 July for most of Greater Sydney and the other specified areas.
Police have said they'll use number plate recognition technology to monitor vehicles and ensure people have not strayed out of their lockdown zone.
Virgin Australia said on Sunday it had been contacted passengers and crew on five recent domestic flights, after a crew member had tested positive in Melbourne.
In the Northern Territory, Darwin and two other towns have entered a 48-hour lockdown after four cases new cases were reported.
On Saturday, New Zealand paused its quarantine-free travel bubble with all of Australia for three days because of the latest outbreak.
The travel corridor between your two neighbors was opened in April. Travel between New Zealand and specific Australian regions has been closed for short periods as outbreaks occurred, but this can be the first time the bubble has been shut with most of Australia.
Australia has consistently maintained very low rates of Covid transmission which is the first lockdown in Sydney - its largest city - since December.
The outbreak of new infections emerged a week ago in Bondi, the famous beach suburb, and spread first into metropolis center and to its western fringes.
It has been linked to a driver who transported international arrivals from the airport.
State Health Minister Brad Hazzard described the Delta variant - which first emerged in India - as a "very formidable foe".
"No matter what defensive steps we're taking at the moment, the virus seems to understand how exactly to counter-attack," he said.
In a video message, Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked residents for their patience and forbearance, adding: "Together, Sydney, we'll get through this."
"This pandemic, sadly, continues to be raging all around the world and every once in awhile it has its impact within Australia," he said.
The latest outbreak has fuelled criticism of the federal government's slow vaccination rollout.
So far, just over 3% of the adult population have already been fully vaccinated and about 25% of Australians have received an initial dose. Government critics have argued that cities will not have to endure lockdowns again if a majority of the population is vaccinated.
