Fresh Lockdown Affects Millions in Melbourne as Cases Double in 24 Hours
Victoria, Australia’s second most populous state, has been plunged into its fourth lockdown as a new Covid outbreak spreads rapidly, impacting millions of residents in the capital, Melbourne. The seven-day “circuit breaker” lockdown will commence at midnight on Thursday, restricting Victorians to five specific reasons for leaving their homes: shopping for food, vaccination, medical assistance, exercising, and caregiving.
Acting Premier James Merlino announced the lockdown after a significant rise in infection cases, which doubled to 26 within a single day, and the number of exposure sites surged to 150. “We’re dealing with a highly infectious strain of the virus that is spreading faster than ever recorded,” Mr. Merlino stated. The current outbreak is primarily driven by the highly contagious B.1.617 variant, initially identified in India and recognized as a “variant of concern” by both the UK and the WHO.
Mr. Merlino explained that the usual transmission time for the virus is five to six days, but in this outbreak, transmission is occurring in as little as one day. He warned that without drastic measures, the situation could become increasingly uncontrollable. The announcement triggered panic buying across the state, as residents rushed to stock up on supplies, leading to empty supermarket shelves and reports of shortages, particularly of toilet paper.
At least 10,000 primary and secondary contacts have been identified, all of whom must either quarantine for 14 days or test and isolate until they receive a negative result. One elderly patient with a Covid infection is currently in the ICU on a ventilator, adding to the urgency of the situation.
Authorities are struggling to track thousands of contacts linked to those who tested positive for the virus. Despite the chaos, Mr. Merlino urged residents, “There is absolutely no reason to panic buy,” as movement would still be permitted for essential reasons.
In response to the outbreak, state authorities have expanded Covid vaccination eligibility to those aged 40 and above, with Pfizer available for the 40-49 age group and AstraZeneca for those over 50. Following the announcement, the hotline for booking vaccination appointments experienced a crash due to an influx of calls.
Several states, including Western Australia and Tasmania, have closed their borders to residents of Victoria, with Queensland and the Northern Territory imposing a mandatory two-week quarantine for incoming travelers. This lockdown echoes the stringent measures imposed during the previous wave of Covid that resulted in over 800 deaths in Victoria and accounted for 90% of Australia’s total fatalities. The controversial restrictions ultimately led to the country reporting just 30,000 cases and 910 deaths overall.