Zero tolerance.

The 400,000 residents of Canberra confined themselves for seven days on Thursday, after the discovery of a person who tested positive for Covid-19.

The Australian government clarified that the latter had been in contact with the population when it was contagious.

Unlike many Australian cities, the capital, where the government is located, has never been confined since the pandemic began in 2020.

The inhabitants therefore join the millions of Australians in the south-east of the immense island continent already forced to stay at home.

More than ten million people, living in the country's two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney, are currently in confinement.

Sydney could also be confined for at least nine weeks and several suburbs were subjected to more severe restrictions on Thursday.

"This is the most serious health risk encountered by the territory since the beginning of the year and even since the start of the pandemic," said Andrew Barr, Prime Minister of the Australian Capital Territory.

Is the “zero Covid” strategy running out of steam?

Containment of much of western New South Wales was also declared on Wednesday, as authorities worried about the consequences of an epidemic among the indigenous population who would be more vulnerable to the coronavirus. . "I am asking our entire Aboriginal community to stay home, get tested for symptoms and of course get the vaccine as soon as possible," said Marianne Gale, from the New Wales Department of Health. South. In this state, nearly 6,500 cases have been recorded since this epidemic resurgence in mid-June which killed 36 people.

Australia has adopted the “zero Covid” strategy.

For nearly 18 months, it fought against the virus, through an intense screening and tracing campaign, containments and a virtual closure of its borders, has borne fruit.

With these new confinements, the authorities hope to reduce the number of cases of contamination.

But the highly contagious Delta variant appears to have been a game-changer and Australians are tired of these repeated lockdowns.

In addition, the vaccination campaign is slow, just over 20% of Australians have received two doses.

The country has so far recorded more than 37,500 cases of Covid-19 and 946 deaths linked to this disease in a population of 25 million inhabitants.

Society

Coronavirus: Airbnb suspends a host a host who refused a couple because they were vaccinated

Sport

FIFA World Cup: Australia plans to host the competition in 2030 or 2034

  • Covid 19

  • epidemic

  • Australia

  • Confinement

  • Coronavirus

  • Health