Sydney’s 5.3 million residents have been told to wear masks indoors, and many have been banned from travelling out of the city, as health authorities respond to a fast-growing outbreak of what they have referred to as the ‘extremely contagious’ Delta variant of the coronavirus.
The BBC reports that a new cluster of cases emerged in Sydney’s beach suburbs. Authorities reported 16 new infections on Wednesday, bringing the cluster there to 37 cases. This marks the largest rise in infections in Sydney since December.
Sweeping new restrictions were imposed yesterday, with households being limited to a maximum of five visitors, and other measures being put in place at dining venues, gyms, sporting arenas and other areas where people come together.
People living and working in central and eastern Sydney were banned from travelling out of the city.
New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the virus risk had escalated to a ‘very real and present danger’ right across Sydney.
In a plea to residents, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: ‘Please abandon non-essential activities, please don’t attend social gatherings unless you absolutely must.’