MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australian health officials said on Saturday they were on high alert after cases of new highly transmissible variants of the coronavirus, discovered in Britain and South Africa, arrived in the country.
Brisbane, Queensland’s capital, on Saturday underwent a strict three-day block after the discovery of a virulent strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, linked to Britain. A variant that emerged in South Africa was found in Sydney, Australia’s largest city, in a hotel quarantine.
Australia has been more successful than most advanced economies in managing the pandemic, with total infections of around 28,600 and 909 deaths, while each state recorded some zero-point COVID-19 transmissions.
But given the new variants, the government cut the number of overseas travelers on Friday and demanded negative COVID-19 tests of boarding planes and more tests at local quarantine facilities.
“While people are traveling, the risk of the virus infiltrating the community already exists,” New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian told a news conference.
“Anything we can do to reduce this risk is very important, especially now that we understand what these strains are doing and all experts advise in due course that these mutant strains will become the dominant strain.”
Australia closed its borders in March, but has allowed a limited number of Australians to return, placing them in a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine upon arrival.
New South Wales, the largest state, reported a new case transmitted by the community on Saturday, when a three-week blockade is set to end for about a quarter of a million people in northern Sydney after an outbreak there in December.
Queensland, where a case of the British-linked variant was reported last week, reported no new cases. But officials said they cannot rule out the extension of the three-day blockade if more cases arise.
“This is because of this new variant and because it is the first time that this new variant has been launched in a community anywhere in the country,” said Queensland health director Jeannette Young.
Reporting by Lidia Kelly; William Mallard edition