Health authorities in Australia’s most populous state is scrambling to prevent the spread of cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to the highly contagious Delta variant.
New South Wales reported 22 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19, its highest daily increase of infections, bringing the total of cases linked to the Bondi cluster of infections to 65.
The highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant has been spreading through the state’s Sydney for over a week, prompting the state government to place four areas in Sydney under lockdown, state-owned ABC News reported.
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Health officials were able to trace all but one new infection.
“Given how absolutely contagious the virus is, we expected household contacts already in isolation were likely to get the virus,” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
According to New South Wales Health, the first case in the state in over a month is linked to a driver who transports overseas airline staff and visited several places, including a shopping centre in Bondi, a popular tourist hotspot.
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Parts of Sydney, home to a fifth of 25 million Australians, has been placed under lockdown beginning 11:59 pm tonight, June 25.
Masks will be mandatory indoors and on public transport in Sydney until July 2.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has paused its quarantine-free travel bubble with the state. (RA)
