- Victorians will soon emerge from lockdown, but Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak shows no sign of ending with 172 new cases recorded
- That is the highest daily case number since this outbreak began and NSW authorities say restrictions may have to be tightened further
- In Victoria, the lockdown will lift at midnight tonight, with masks, travelling restrictions and border closures set to ease
- Eleven new cases were recorded in Melbourne on Tuesday, while South Australia recorded zero cases as it gets ready to come out of lockdown
Victorians will soon emerge from lockdown, but Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak shows no sign of ending with 172 new cases recorded.
Tuesday’s figures from NSW were the highest daily case number recorded since this outbreak began last month.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said restrictions might have to be tightened further and an announcement on the city’s lockdown was due tomorrow.
The state is on edge after thousands of people attended a lockdown rally at the weekend and NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty said authorities were waiting to see whether the virus spread at the event.
“Whenever we get people in crowds who are shouting or yelling (and) no social distancing, that is a very dangerous situation for the transmission of COVID. So it depends whether somebody with COVID went and therefore transmitted,” Mr McAnulty said.
“Now we don’t know if somebody who attended had COVID or not. So far we’ve seen no indication of any cases associated with that, but we’re looking very closely at the cases.”
In Victoria, the state’s almost two-week-long lockdown will lift at midnight tonight, with masks, travelling restrictions and border closures set to ease.
Households guests limits and restrictions on capacity at hospitality and retail venues will remain, but schools will re-open.
Additionally, several areas in regional NSW have been declared hot spots, meaning residents will need a permit to enter Victoria.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews argues a ring of steel is needed around Sydney to stop COVID-19 from spreading into the regions and other states.
“A ring of steel will work. It will, and that’s why I called for it. The NSW Government have a different view,” Mr Andrews said.
“I would respectfully say to the NSW Government that you’re not just making decisions for NSW, you’re making decisions for the whole country.”
Eleven new cases were recorded in Melbourne on Tuesday, while South Australia recorded zero cases in the past 24 hours.
South Australian residents are also getting ready to come out of lockdown at midnight tonight, though masks will remain mandatory in some public areas.