Sydney, Nov. 18, (dpa/GNA) – After seven months of no community transmission, a sudden Covid-19 outbreak in South Australia will see the state go into a strict six-day lockdown as a “circuit breaker” to get the virus under control, premier Steven Marshall announced Wednesday.
“As of midnight tonight we need our community to pause for six days,” Marshall told reporters in Adelaide.
“A series of wide-ranging restrictions will be implemented to significantly reduce mobility in the community to stop the spread, to stamp out this virus.”
The state of around 1.7 million people recorded two new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total confirmed cases to 22.
All the infections are linked to a cluster in the north of the capital city Adelaide.
From midnight, the state will come to a standstill, with pubs, cafes, takeaway food, and universities to shut.
Wherever South Australians are when the restrictions come into force is where they must remain for six days.
“If you are in a location at the commencement of these restrictions you will be required to stay there,” police commissioner Grant Stevens said.
Residents will not be permitted to leave their home to exercise and only one person per household will be allowed to visit a supermarket per day.
Face masks will be mandatory outside the home.
Smith warned against panic buying at supermarkets and said police would be on standby.
Authorities would take action if there is any civil disorder, he said.
Schools and childcare will only be open to essential workers.
Regional travel, weddings and funerals will be banned.
“We must act swiftly and decisively,” the premier said.
“No effort is being spared to stamp out this virus in our state. We are going hard and we are going early.”
On Monday, South Australia saw cases jump from three to 17 overnight, prompting nearly all other states and territories to immediately close internal borders to the country’s new “hotspot.”
The Adelaide cluster is thought to have spread from a hotel quarantine worker who passed the virus on to family members.
Australia’s acting chief medical officer on Wednesday announced that all surveillance will be increased at all quarantine hotels across the country and all workers will be tested at least weekly.
Nicola Spurrier, South Australia’s chief public health officer, said once the virus is reintroduced to the community “it takes off very quickly.”
“That’s exactly what happened in Victoria. I don’t want that to happen in South Australia and I’m going to do everything possible to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Australia’s second most populous state of Victoria has only recently emerged from one of the world’s longest and toughest lockdowns.
The 4.9 million residents of the state capital Melbourne were under “stay at home” orders for 112 days.
On Wednesday, Victoria recorded its 19th consecutive day of no coronavirus deaths or new cases.
Australia, a nation of around 25 million people, has recorded just over 27,700 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic – significantly fewer per capita than most developed countries.
The country has taken a lockdown approach combined with rigorous testing and tracing to contain the virus.
South Australia’s wide-ranging restrictions will be the country’s swiftest and most stringent lockdown.
GNA