More than 15m Aussies in lockdown across NSW, Queensland and Victoria

Australia’s Covid-19 crisis has rapidly escalated again with more than half the population now living under lockdown, sweating on daily case figures.

More than half of the Australian population are now living under tough stay-at-home orders after Victoria was plunged into a record sixth lockdown overnight.

Just one day after Premier Daniel Andrews and chief health officer Brett Sutton boasted about recording zero new cases and beating the Delta variant for the second time, they sent the state back into lockdown after a sudden spike in Covid-19 infections.

Victoria joined Sydney and southeast Queensland in lockdown on Friday, as the deadly Delta variant continued to wreak havoc across the nation’s east coast.

About 15.28 million Australians across three states – NSW, Queensland and Victoria – will begin the weekend in lockdown after more than 300 local cases were confirmed around the country on Friday.

More than 15 million Australians are now in Covid-19 lockdown across NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

Pressure continues to mount on the federal government and Prime Minister Scott Morrison to get the nation vaccinated amid the recurring lockdowns and escalating case numbers.

Australia has almost 4000 active cases, with 308 locally acquired infections announced in the past day.

VICTORIA

A sudden spike in local cases and three mystery infections has sent Victoria back into a record sixth lockdown just nine days after the state emerged from its fifth one.

Victoria recorded four new locally acquired infections on Friday with Mr Andrews saying authorities had to act fast to stop the spread of the Delta variant.

As of 8pm on Thursday, there are only five reasons Victorians can leave their home – shopping for essential goods and services, work or study if it can’t be home, caregiving, exercise for up to two hours a days and to get vaccinated.

The 5km travel limit is also back in force and face masks remain mandatory in all settings.

“We only get one chance to act fast, only one chance to make difficult decisions that are the right decision,” Mr Andrews said.

Daniel Andrews announced a snap seven day lockdown at Parliament Gardens on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

“I would prefer to wait two or three days, I would prefer we didn’t have to make this decision now.”

The lockdown is expected to last at least seven days until 8pm on August 13.

NSW

Two more NSW regions – the Hunter and Upper Hunter – were thrown into lockdown on Thursday, joining greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour living under stay-at-home orders.

The state recorded 291 locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Friday, with greater Sydney to remain in lockdown until at least August 28.

NSW now has 3924 active cases as Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the state’s deadly Delta outbreak will likely “get worse before (it) gets better”.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the outbreak would get worse before it gets better. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Gaye Gerard

People living in the locked down areas in NSW must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave, which includes receiving medical treatment, to get vaccinated, shop for food or essential goods and services, and for exercise.

People in greater Sydney can only travel within their local government area or within 10km of their home, with only one person per household allowed to leave the home to obtain food or other goods and services each day.

People must also carry a face mask when they leave home and they must be worn indoors, on public transport, construction sites, hospitality venues and certain outdoor gatherings.

Tighter restrictions apply for those living in eight LGAs of concern, with those residents ordered to stay within 5km of their home for shopping and exercise.

Residents can only go to work if their workplace is in their local area, unless they are an authorised worker. Health and aged care workers from these areas must submit to surveillance Covid testing every three days.

QUEENSLAND

Southeast Queensland is also battling a Covid-19 outbreak with 11 local government areas under lockdown.

There were 10 new local cases recorded on Friday, with the state’s Delta cluster that began at a west Brisbane high school last week rising to 89 cases.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said earlier in the week the state was “so far in front of the virus” with 7766 people now in home quarantine.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is still in quarantine after returning from the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jono Searle

Southeast Queenslanders can only leave home for essential purposes, including to get essential goods or services, for healthcare, attend essential work if it can’t be done from home, caregiving, to get a Covid-19 test or vaccination and in an emergency situation.

Exercise is only permitted within 10km of the home with one other person or members of your household.

The lockdown is expected to last until at least 4pm on Sunday.

TASMANIA

Tasmania has recorded its first case of Covid-19 in a year on Thursday after a 31-year-old man travelled to the state from NSW after crossing the Victorian border.

The state is not in lockdown, but has slammed its border shut with Victoria.

Premier Peter Gutwein said the community should not be alarmed as the new local infection had been in quarantine, did not spend any time in the Tasmanian community and posed minimal risk.

On Friday, Mr Gutwein said there had been no new cases linked to the 1643 tests conducted overnight, but there were still 20 people of the 200 believed to have been exposed to the man who had yet to come forward.

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Originally published as More than 15m Aussies in lockdown across NSW, Queensland and Victoria