A third Australian city will go into lockdown tonight as restrictions tighten across the nation in a race to contain a growing number of Covid-19 outbreaks

South Australia in lockdown

Health authorities have confirmed South Australia’s outbreak is the Delta strain, prompting the state to tighten restrictions.

From 6:00pm, there will be just five reasons to leave your home.

It follows the state recording FIVE new infections in its latest reporting period.

Premier Steven Marshall is providing a coronavirus update, he says “we have to act decisively, we have to act quickly.”

He says “there is no need for panic buying”, and there are plenty of supplies across the state.

“This is a dangerous time,” Mr Marshall said.

“I’m 100 per cent convinced that South Australians will rise to the challenge, will make sure they can abide by these new restrictions, and make sure we get through this in as short a time as possible.”

Victoria’s lockdown extended

Melbourne will extend its COVID lockdown by seven days.

It follows the state nine new cases of COVID-19 overnight, but authorities remain concerned about the rampant spread of the Delta strain of the virus.

That’s midnight next Tuesday, July 27.

“There are chains of transmission that are not yet contained, that we don’t know about.”

Premier Daniel Andrews has also announced any travel to Victoria using red zone permits will be temporarily paused. 

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says “the signs are positive” but the state needs more time to be certain as too when it can open up again.

Sydney and the state of New South Wales also remain in lockdown today

NSW is in the midst of a 5-week lockdown.

NSW recorded 78 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.

Cheif Health Officer Kerry Chant said authorities were seeing more hospitalisations, admissions to ICU and people on ventilators.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the spread of the virus in workplaces and households remains a concern but that it is “always pleasing when we see a drop in the [day-by-day] numbers”.

“That 78 figure would have been much higher had people not been doing the right thing and we just need everyone to stick with it and make sure you protect yourself and your family and your work colleagues in particular. ”

Where did it all begin?

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant confirmed on Thursday that the Sydney driver who tested positive for COVID-19 had the Delta variant.

According to the ABC, while the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria also involved the Delta variant, that outbreak was linked to a different source of infection.

The Delta variant was first detected in India in October last year.

UK authorities have estimated the Delta variant is 40 per cent more infectious than the Alpha variant that sent Britain into lockdown at the start of the year.

Matt Grudnoff from the Australia Institute says there is a possibility of a ‘double dip recession’ due to the variant causing cities to lockdown.