Reports said that the outbreak in Melbourne involved the B.1.617 variant, which is a “highly contagious strain.”
The second wave of COVID-19 hit Victoria last year. While things seemingly started to go back to normal in Australia, the country’s success now faces a “threat” due to the outbreak in Melbourne.
On Thursday, reports learned that the second most populous state would enter another lockdown. The effort comes as a way to counter the “fast-spreading” transmission of the coronavirus in its capital, according to BBC.
The seven-day lockdown in Victoria
The lockdown began on Friday, AEST. As noted, it will last for seven days as a measure to decrease the risk of further transmission of the virus.
Prior to the announcement, the number of cases already reached 26. Moreover, authorities reportedly identified 150 sites where the public has had exposure, alongside the 10,000 close contacts.
This marks the fourth time that the city of Melbourne saw its streets emptied out since the pandemic began. The restrictions mainly urge residents to stay at home, allowing officials to investigate the outbreak’s emergence.
A “fast-spreading outbreak in Melbourne
Victoria’s acting Premier James Merlino stated that the outbreak involved the B.1.617 variant. It is a “highly contagious strain” of the coronavirus first found in India.
Channel News Asia released a report on the matter, detailing the developments following the start of the lockdown. As claimed, many reportedly believe that the transmissions began when an infected traveler returned to Australia.
During the first day of the measure, the number of cases had risen to 39. Also, with the significant figures of the identified primary and secondary case contacts, reports said that there is a “big potential” that the number will increase.
The blame is on hotel quarantines
The acting Premier, later on, placed the blame on the “sluggish” vaccine rollout in the country and state. Alongside this, he also mentioned the failures of hotel quarantines. Merlino asserted that if Victoria had an “alternative to hotel quarantine” for the COVID-19 variant in question, they would not be in lockdown.
The publication, then, pointed out that the latest virus leak from hotel quarantine facilities is now the 17th time in six months. This is why the said venues are now “facing tough scrutiny.”
Another factor that they are seemingly looking at is the slow rate of vaccination. This is not only in the city of Melbourne or the state of Victoria but in the entire country. As it happens, there is an apparent hesitancy over the COVID-19 vaccines in Australia. Only two percent of the 25 million population is said to have been fully vaccinated.
Images (1) & (2) courtesy of Jernej Furman/Flickr