New South Wales has recorded 478 new local cases of Covid-19 and eight deaths, taking the death toll in the latest outbreak to 56.
Of the new cases, 141 are linked to known outbreaks and the source of infection for 337 cases is under investigation. There have been 8,218 casesreported since the outbreak began in mid-June.
Yesterday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian all but admitted defeat against the Delta strain, claiming it was no longer possible to eliminate Covid-19 and that the goal would be to keep case numbers down.
"It's not possible to eliminate it completely. We have to learn to live with it," she said. "But the best chance we have to live with it freely and safely is to get the case numbers down as low as possible."
NSW suffered a then-record 466 local cases and four deaths on Saturday, prompting a statewide seven-day lockdown and a police operation to enforce compliance across Sydney.
Operation Stay At Home has seen NSW police and Australian Defence Force officers deployed across the state to enforce public health orders after officials blamed rule-breaking for the continued growth of the outbreak.
Drivers have been told to expect more roadblocks as Highway Patrol officers check identification and proof of address.
NSW Police said yesterday 529 infringement notices for breaches of public health orders had been handed out, carrying with them staggering on-the-spot fines.
"These are some of the strongest laws, with some of the strongest police action coming. I am not apologetic," NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said on Saturday. "Please don't write in and complain to me. We have given ample warnings and cautions, and that time has gone."
According to Fuller, movement within the Greater Sydney region still remains too high, and "getting compliance from some members of the community" has been difficult.
Canberra
The ACT has recorded 19 new cases overnight.
It brings the total number of active cases in Canberra to 28.
One of the new cases is a high school student who attended the campus for four days while infectious.
The ACT lockdown will now be extended until September 2 at the earliest.
The ACT lockdown has been extended. Photo / Mike Scott
Northern Territory
Greater Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory of Australia will be plunged into a three day lockdown at 12pm after a positive Covid-19 case was recorded.
A man in his 30s tested positive for the virus after he travelled to the Northern Territory on Thursday upon completing a 14-day quarantine period in Sydney.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner made the lockdown announcement on Monday morning following an emergency meeting of the Covid-19 management team.
It's the second lockdown in three months for many in the Northern Territory. Alice Springs and Greater Darwin was sent into lockdown in June after a number of workers at the Tanami mine tested positive to the virus.
Victoria today recorded 22 new local cases of Covid-19, with 17 of those cases linked to known outbreaks. Of the new cases, 14 were in isolation throughout their infectious period.
Premier Daniel Andrews today extended the Melbourne lockdown a further two weeks, saying the mystery cases in the latest outbreak left the government with "no option".
There will also now be a curfew imposed from 9pm to 5am every day.
Andrews yesterday pointed to NSW, where new daily cases have begun to surpass 400, and said "I'm determined to make sure that it doesn't happen here".
"I know no one's enjoying this. But what's worse than this is, well, being locked up until the end of October, or indeed the end of November, because that's how long it may well take to get 80 per cent of people through the vaccination programme," he said.
Australia's four-stage roadmap out of Covid points to a 'consolidation' phase once 80 per cent of the eligible population is vaccinated, ending the use of lockdowns to control the virus.
At that stage, according to the national pandemic exit plan that was endorsed by national cabinet, health authorities would manage Covid-19 similar to other infectious diseases like the flu.
Victoria's Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said yesterday the state was at a "tipping point" as authorities seek to contain the outbreak.
"We've now got three, four significant clusters that are being generated that we now have to focus on, and that's the area of concern at the moment, and that is why this is a real tipping point," Weimar said.
"We can deal with those new clusters. We can deal with [the mystery cases] in St Kilda East, we can deal with Middle Park, we can deal with Glenroy, but if there are more cases coming off the back of them, that's where you start to get issues."
Border closures between states look likely to remain in place until next year. West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said on Sunday his state's hard border with NSW could stay until the end of 2021, while Andrews said he would not open up Victoria to its northern neighbour until the Sydney outbreak was completely under control, regardless of vaccination rates.
Queensland
Queensland has again recorded no new local cases of Covid-19.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk thanked residents for their efforts in crushing the Indooroopilly school cluster that prompted a lockdown last month.
No new cases of community transmission recorded overnight. Keep staying safe. Wear masks, get tested if you have any symptoms, and get vaccinated when you can.
It comes as Queensland tightens border restrictions with NSW.
"The situation in NSW continues to be very concerning," Young said on Saturday. "Given the escalation of local restrictions, we have no choice but to put in place a tighter border situation to protect Queenslanders."
NSW border zone residents can now only enter Queensland for obtaining essential goods and services that can't reasonably be obtained in NSW.
In addition, from Friday, any Queensland worker who enters NSW for an essential service will have to have received at least one jab.
Residents won't be able to re-enter Queensland by road and will have to quarantine for 14 days in government accommodation after arriving by air.
