Sydney’s COVID-19 Cases Grow as More Restrictions Announced

By Staff, Agencies

Sydney’s streets were nearly deserted on Saturday as more than five million people across the city are subject to movement restrictions.

Saturday’s lockdown in New South Wales [NSW], the country’s most populous state – will also include the regions of Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, which surround Sydney.

More than 80 Covid-19 cases have been reported so far in an infection surge linked to an international flight crew transported to a quarantine hotel from the airport. The flare-up was a shock for Sydney, the capital of NSW, which had returned to relative normality after months with very few local cases.

The lockdown had originally only applied to Sydney’s business district and affluent eastern suburbs, but the spread of the outbreak elsewhere pushed authorities to take a more drastic step.

Australia has been more successful in managing the pandemic than many other advanced economies through swift border closures, social distancing rules and a high community compliance with them, reporting slightly more than 30,400 cases and 910 COVID-19 deaths.

But the country has struggled significantly with the vaccination rollout and small outbreaks continue.

On Friday, the government granted provisional approval for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, potentially expanding its supply options.

Under the rules in place through July 9, people can leave home for essential work, medical care, education or shopping. The rest of the state will have limits on public gatherings and masks will be obligatory indoors.

Her conservative state government was reluctant to impose the lockdown, but a growing number of health experts called for it, as Australia remains largely unvaccinated.