Covid-19 Australia: NSW records 345 new cases, Canberra lockdown looms
NSW’s Covid death toll has grown as the state recorded 345 new local infections, as more Sydney residents face tougher restrictions.
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New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed 345 new Covid-19 cases and two more people in the state have died from the virus.
Surging infections has meant more local government areas have been added to NSW areas of concern - meaning more Sydney residents face tougher restrictions.
“In relation to the local government areas of concern in the Greater Sydney region, as we have said, Fairfield and Canterbury Bankstown to remain the areas which are generating the most cases but we are seeing some stabilisation as local government areas,” the Premier said.
“However can only the front has moved into Cumberland, and we are in particular concerned about Merrylands, Auburn and Granville. So to date there are nine local government areas included in those extra areas of concern with the additional restrictions this morning based on health advice there will be three additional local government areas which we had foreshadowed yesterday to be included which brings the total local government areas in the Greater Sydney area to a dozen,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“From five o’clock this evening, Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood local governor areas will also be included in those areas of concern.”
She added: “In Strathfield and Burwood, which are geographically smaller areas, but we are noticing relative to the population an increasing number of cases and as a precaution, those additional council areas have been brought into those areas of concern,” she said.
Of the new cases, at least 60 were infectious in the community.
The suburbs of particular concern were Bexley, Banksia and Rockdale “where additional cases have been identified overnight”, Ms Berejiklian said.
Of the new cases, 128 were linked to a known case or cluster – 101 were household contacts and 27 were close contacts.
But the source of 217 cases remains a mystery.
The deaths include a man in his 90s who died at Liverpool Hospital and seventh death linked to the hospital outbreak.
Another man in his 90s died at Royal North Shore Hospital. He was a resident at Wyoming Residential Aged Care Facility in Summer Hill.
Sixty-two people were in ICU with 29 of those needing ventilation.
NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale said 10 of those were younger than 40 with three in their 20s and seven people in their 30s.
CANBERRA LOCKDWN LOOMS
Canberra has been ordered into lockdown after a positive case of Covid-19 was detected in the territory.
The infection is the first case of coronavirus in Canberra for more than a year.
ACT has not faced a lockdown since April last year, which lasted for five weeks.
It’s understood the ACT government’s cabinet has been in an emergency meeting for most of the morning.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed the lockdown will last seven days and begin at 5pm tonight.
In a statement, Mr Barr said the lockdown was triggered by a positive case who was infectious in the community and positive wastewater detections. The source of the infection is still unknown.
“This is by far the most serious public health risk the ACT has faced in the past 12 months, and that’s why the ACT is introducing a strict lockdown in response to this positive case,” Mr Barr said.
“We have said throughout the outbreak in greater Sydney that we would act quickly and decisively. We have seen that a short and immediate lockdown limits the potential spread of the virus, and is the best path to avoiding longer and more damaging lockdowns.”
Under the lockdown, Canberrans will only be allowed to leave home to shop for essentials and medical supplies, to undertake essential work or study if it cannot be done at home, and to be vaccinated.
Childcare will remain open for parents and guardians who need to undertake essential work or study.
Outdoor exercise will be limited to one hour per day.
General retail will be closed and hospitality venues will only be able to operate takeaway services.
Mandatory mask wearing will also be reintroduced.
“We will be asking any businesses that has to remain open to actively prevent any browsing in their stores,” Mr Barr said.
A new testing clinic is being set up and will be available later today at the Brindabella Business Park, and capacity and operating hours will be significantly increased at the Weston Creek Walk-In Centre and EPIC drive through clinic.
More than half of Canberrans aged 15 and older have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 25.9 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated.
VICTORIA HAS 21 NEW CASES
Victoria has recorded 21 new local cases of coronavirus on Thursday as Melbourne’s sixth lockdown rolls on for at least another seven days.
“Of the locally-acquired cases, 17 have been linked to current outbreaks and 4 are still under investigation. 15 have been in quarantine throughout their infectious periods,” Victorian health officials confirmed.
On Wednesday, Victorian officials said there was no other option but to extend Melbourne’s lockdown due to “too many” mystery cases being out in the community.
Three of Wednesday’s five mystery infections were from a family in Melton in the city’s western suburbs – two parents and a child.
The child was already in isolation as a contact of another primary close contact, but health officials were yet to find a direct link.
The remaining two mystery cases were a father and a son in the City of Melbourne.
The son was a student in Grade 1 at St Michael’s Primary School, but he was not at school while infectious.
His father was a health care worker who last worked at the Melbourne Royal Children’s Eye Clinic last Monday.
The classmates of the student were being tested as having tier 1 coronavirus exposure, while the health facility where the father worked was deemed a tier 2 exposure site.
QLD RECORDS 10 NEW LOCAL COVID CASES
Two weeks after the first case in Queensland’s largest Covid-19 cluster was detected, the state has recorded just 10 new local cases in what the Premier has heralded as “more good news”.
The 10 new cases are linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
Annastacia Palaszczuk said while the numbers appear high, authorities “were expecting” to see an increase in numbers because people are testing positive on their day 10-12 tests.
“We expect similar numbers over the next couple of days as the cluster keeps progressing through,” she said.
It comes as thousands of Indooroopilly State High School students, staff and families prepare to leave home quarantine on Thursday night after 14 days of isolation.
The state’s Delta outbreak was first detected in a 17-year-old high school student two weeks ago.
There are 130 cases linked to the cluster.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said the more than 15,000 people who have spent time in home quarantine have “absolutely kept Queensland safe”.
“We are still seeing cases pop up towards the end of the incubation period. This is really important. Stay the distance,” Dr Young said.
Dr Young has also thanked teachers and high school students, who have to wear a mask at school.
“You are going to prevent the next outbreak in a school by wearing them,” she said.
“Thank you to the teachers. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you, wearing masks at school all day, every day.
“Just the strain on your voices, the difficulty communicating. It is really hard work but please, we just need to persist and hopefully we will be able to remove the mask requirement on Sunday week.
“We will see how we go.”
PM FACES PRESSURE TO ‘MAKE CALL ON MANDATORY JABS’
Unions and business are calling on Scott Morrison and the national cabinet to take control of workplace vaccinations.
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus warned the shifting of responsibility for mandatory jabs to employers is a “recipe for division, resentment and confusion,” The Australian reports.
The Prime Minister will not endorse compulsory vaccination and has left individual employers to test in court the legality of any vaccine mandates they implement, telling parliament it was a matter for premiers to take the “necessary decisions” to thwart the Delta strain.
The push for greater guidance on vaccine mandates comes after food processor SPC recently announced that all its staff must be vaccinated, sparking tensions between the company and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.
Ms McManus told The Australian that employers should not be given free reign to make decisions on mandatory jabs, and that governments, businesses and unions needed to come together and discuss how to achieve an 80 per cent vaccination rate.
“We have two paths to get to 80 per cent vaccination rates,” Ms McManus said. “The first (is) to act in a united way – employers, unions and government – to support and encourage people to get vaccinated by ensuring adequate supply and easy access, removing barriers that exist for people without paid leave entitlements and an effective public health education campaign.
“The other choice appears to be the one the Prime Minister is taking, which is to leave it to individual employers to push or mandate the vaccine. This is a recipe for division, resentment and confusion, and undermines the role of health experts.”
Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash accused the labour movement of trying to “hijack” the debate over mandatory vaccines to criticise the government.
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox on Wednesday rebuked unions for their concerns over compulsory jabs.
“While there will be consultation with unions in the workplaces where they have members, at the end of the day the employer has the responsibility for workplace safety,” he said
The hospitality, retail and meat processing sectors on Wednesday all expressed interest in a higher level discussion about rolling out vaccines in the workplaces and clearing up advice on whether employers could make jabs compulsory, according to The Australian.
MAN CHARGED OVER BYRON BAY BREACH
A Sydney man who police say sent Byron Bay and surrounding areas into lockdown is set to be charged for breaching public health orders.
Zoran Radovanovic, 52, who is currently in Lismore Base Hospital, will be served with a court attendance notice on Wednesday after a police investigation.
In a statement NSW Police said it would be alleged in court the Rose Bay man travelled without a reasonable excuse and in contravention of the public health orders.
Mr Radovanovic will have strict bail conditions imposed on him and will front Lismore Local Court on September 13.
Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.
Mr Radovanovic tested positive to Covid-19 after arriving in the holiday destination.
The man’s alleged trip sparked lockdowns in Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire local government areas, which will remain in place until at least August 17.
His two children, who travelled with him to the north coast, have also tested positive to the coronavirus.
NSW Police assistant commissioner Peter McKenna has appealed for all members of the community to abide by the public health orders “regardless of where you come from”.
“It’s the only way we’re going to stop this virus spreading in regional NSW, and keep our communities safe,” he said.
QUEENSLAND HAS FOUR NEW CASES
Queensland has recorded four new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, in what the Premier has heralded as “excellent news”.
All new cases are linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “so proud” of Queenslanders for working together to beat the Delta cluster.
“A week ago, I think everyone was worried about where we would end up with this cluster. It was our biggest challenge,” she said.
“Queenslanders absolutely rose to that challenge, and it’s through your hard work that we’re in this fantastic situation.
“Every single person in the community needs to be commended.”
Thousands of close contacts linked to the schools caught up in the cluster, including Indooroopilly State High School, Brisbane Grammar School, Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Ironside State School will be allowed to leave their home quarantine between Wednesday and Saturday, provided they test negative on their day 12 tests.
A total of 120 cases have been linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
Cairns businesses have breathed a sigh of relief and will welcome back customers from 4pm today after Premier confirmed the city’s lockdown would lift as scheduled.
However, as a precaution, Cairns will still face the same restrictions as southeast Queensland – including mandatory masks – until August 22.
– additional reporting by Jack Paynter, Anthony Piovesan, Heath Parkes-Hupton
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