Repatriation flight from India lands in Melbourne hours before snap lockdown

A repatriation flight from India has touched down in Melbourne just hours before Victoria is plunged into a seven-day lockdown.

A repatriation flight from India has landed in Melbourne hours before the state is plunged into a seven-day lockdown.

About 150 people on Qantas flight QF112 arrived in the Covid-19 stricken city just before 5pm on Thursday after travelling from New Delhi via Darwin.

All passengers who boarded the plane returned negative tests and will begin their two weeks of hotel quarantine.

Victoria’s acting Premier James Merlino announced the snap week-long lockdown on Thursday after the state recorded 11 new locally acquired cases.

Qantas flight QF112 landed in Melbourne this afternoon via Darwin. Picture: Steven Hoare/Getty Images

This will be the state’s fourth lockdown in 12 months.

As health authorities race to contain the Whittlesea cluster, stage-three restrictions will be imposed from 11.59pm.

There are only five reasons a Victorian can leave their home:

• Shopping for necessary goods and services
• Authorised work or permitted education
• Exercise – a 2-hour limit with one other person
• Care giving, compassionate and medical reasons
• To get vaccinated

Mr Merlino said the “circuit breaker” lockdown was a reminder for people eligible to get the vaccine to do so.

“The reason why we are dealing with this outbreak today is because of a hotel breach in South Australia - that is not a criticism, it is just a fact,” he said.

“The only way through this pandemic is everyone getting vaccinated as quickly as you are eligible.”

The variant spreading in Victoria originated in India as the country experienced an unprecedented surge in cases, killing thousands.

Leading disease expert Professor Sharon Lewin of The Doherty Institute said the “highly infectious” Indian variant was “of concern”.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said it was “not one to be complacent about” because it was at least as infectious as other mutant strains.