Australia’s third-largest city Brisbane extends lockdown as Covid clusters grow

Australia’s largest city, Sydney, and surrounding cities in New South Wales state are in their sixth week of lockdown.

Australia has introduced emergency lockdown for at least three days in more than 10 territories in the state of Queensland. (AP File Photo used for representation) 

BRISBANE: A lockdown of Australia’s third-largest city Brisbane was extended until Sunday because of a growing COVID-19 outbreak.

Brisbane and several surrounding municipalities in Queensland state were due to end a three-day lockdown on Tuesday. But the Queensland government on Monday announced the extension after 13 locally acquired infections of the highly contagious delta variant were detected in the latest 24-hour period.

Australia’s largest city, Sydney, and surrounding cities in New South Wales state are in their sixth week of lockdown. The New South Wales government on Monday reported 207 new locally acquired infections.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Peter Dutton said he was quarantining at home in Brisbane and would attend Parliament remotely. He said in a statement he has tested negative but must quarantine because of a virus cluster at his sons' school.

Dutton was infected with the coronavirus in March 2020 during a trip to Washington, D.C. He has since been fully vaccinated.

Lawmakers who attend Parliament in person face daily saliva tests for COVID-19, must wear masks and must practice social distancing.