Australia’s battle with an outbreak of the COVID delta strain is getting more intense, as lockdowns extend in Melbourne and Sydney records its deadliest day

Australia’s biggest CBD’s are in lockdown. Sydney and the state of New South Wales has been rocked by a further eight deaths and a staggering 478 new cases of COVID today — with at least 91 of them circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period.

As the largest state in Australia by population, all of New South Wales is now in lockdown – including rural and regional areas.

The state will continue a grim lockdown, which was hoped to end at the end of the month.

Melbourne lockdown extended with rules tightened

Melbourne’s lockdown has been extended for two weeks and residents of metropolitan areas will be subject to a new 9pm to 5am curfew.

The harsher restrictions come as Melbourne recorded 22 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the lockdown would now end on September 2, meaning the state would have by then faced one month in lockdown six.

The curfew will take effect at 11.59pm on tonight, Monday 16th August.

From 9pm to 5am, residents of metropolitan Melbourne will not be allowed to leave their homes unless they have a permit to conduct essential work, among other limited reasons.

Masks will also no longer be able to be removed to consume alcohol outdoors. The strict new move comes as people were seen ordering takeaway alcohol outside inner-city pubs in an attempt to dodge restrictions at the weekend.

Darwin and Katherine plunged into three-day snap lockdown from midday today

Parts of the Northern Territory have gone into a snap lockdown from 12 noon (ACST) today.Darwin, and the town of Katherine will be in a three-day lockdown, after a new case of COVID-19 was detected.

The positive case is from a man understood to be in his 30s and it is assumed the man has the Delta variant.

Australia’s Capital of Canberra remains in lockdown

The ACT’s lockdown has been extended to September 2, after the territory recorded 19 new cases on Monday.

Among the new cases included an aged care worker and a high school student.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said this was a “serious situation.”

The lockdown was originally due to lift at 5pm this coming Thursday.