The Australian state of Queensland warns of a possible blockade of COVID-19

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

The state of Queensland, where more than 5 million people live, said it had 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 blockade is guaranteed, authorities said.

“If we start to see any sowing, we may have to take very quick and quick action. But for now, it’s content for the family,” said State Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The family lives in Brisbane, the state capital. It was unclear whether a blockade would be limited to some parts of the state, such as previous orders.

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

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

Authorities on Saturday warned people to continue social distancing, but Sydney’s hot weather saw dozens of people heading to the beach.

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said police would be checking to see if people were within 5km (3 miles) of their home, as permitted by emergency regulations.

Police and military personnel have been patrolling the streets of Sydney for weeks, issuing fines to those who break health orders, such as wearing masks.

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

“I think I was well within the law, interpreted reasonably. But I won’t challenge the fine because I don’t want to waste any more police time,” Abbott told the Sydney press.

“I never thought that bending over and cheating was part of the Australian character and I think the sooner we can leave behind this state health policing mindset, the better for everyone.”

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

Australia has now reported close to 73,000 cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of 1,084.

(1 $ = 1.3596 Australian dollars)

Colin Packham Reports; Edited by Edwina Gibbs and William Mallard

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