Australian state of Queensland warns of possible COVID-19 lockdown

CANBERRA, Sept.11 (Reuters) – Australia’s third most populous state said on Saturday it could order an instant lockdown after a cluster of COVID-19 cases, as the country saw a record increase of one daily infections day.

The state of Queensland, home to more than 5 million people, said it detected five new infections in the past 24 hours after a family tested positive. The next few days would be critical to see if a lockdown was warranted, authorities said.

“If we start to see seeding, we may have to take very quick action. But for now, it is in the family,” said State Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The family lives in Brisbane, the state capital. It was not clear whether a lockdown would be limited to parts of the state like previous orders.

New South Wales, home to Sydney and Australia’s most populous state, is under lockdown, as are the cities of Melbourne and Canberra. A Queensland lockdown would be another blow to Australia’s $ 2 trillion ($ 1.5 trillion) economy, which could slide into a second recession in as many years.

Australia recorded 2,077 infections on Saturday, surpassing the previous day’s record of 1,903. New South Wales, which has been under strict stay-at-home orders for nearly three months, said it had detected 1,599 new infections.

Authorities warned people on Saturday to pursue social distancing, but the hot weather in Sydney saw dozens of people heading for the beach.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said police would check to see if people are within 3 miles of their homes, as emergency rules allow.

Police and military personnel have patrolled the streets of Sydney for weeks, fining those who violate health orders, such as wearing masks.

One person fined was former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who confirmed on Saturday that he was ordered to pay A $ 500 after being photographed not wearing a mask.

“I think I was well within the limits of the law, reasonably interpreted. But I’m not going to challenge the fine because I don’t want to waste police time anymore,” Abbott told reporters in Sydney.

“I never thought that dobbing and snitching was part of the Australian character and I think the sooner we can put that sanitary mindset behind us the better for everyone.”

In nearby Victoria, authorities reported 450 new locally acquired cases, the largest one-day increase in locally acquired cases in more than a year.

Australia has now recorded nearly 73,000 cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of 1,084.

($ 1 = 1.3596 Australian dollar)

Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and William Mallard

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