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 The Delta variant, which has been classified by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) as among the four COVID-19 variants of concern
due to evidence that they spread more easily, likely caused the
latest devastating outbreak in India.
"It is a variant of significant concern," Victoria state Chief
Health Officer Brett Sutton told reporters in Melbourne. "The fact
that it is a variant different to other cases it means it is not
related, in terms of transmission, with these cases."
Sutton said the new variant had not been linked to any sequenced
COVID-19 infections across Australia from hotel quarantine or
elsewhere.
"It is a concern that it is not linked to other cases but we are
chasing down all those primary case contacts ... and looking into
where it might have been acquired," Sutton said.
The Delta variant was detected in two members in a family who
travelled to neighbouring New South Wales (NSW) two weeks ago while
likely infectious and visited several popular tourist locations in
the state's south.
Sutton said it was "within the bounds of possibility" that the cases
could have contracted the Delta variant in NSW but that more tests
would be needed.
NSW, Australia's most populous state, has not reported any locally
acquired cases in a month.
Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, is battling to
contain its latest outbreak - 64 cases since May 24 - after more
than three months of no cases, placing tough restrictions on
movement of people and shutting down large parts of its economy. The
government has linked all the cases to a single traveller released
from quarantine after testing negative.
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 Melbourne is into a second week
of hard lockdown after it was extended for
another week until June 10, but some curbs
elsewhere were eased in the state from Thursday
night.
Authorities blamed the extension of tough curbs
in Melbourne on the Kappa variant, first
detected in India, which they described as a
contagious strain, although new cases have
remained in single digits for eight days in a
row.
For an EXPLAINER on COVID-19 variants first detected in
India, please click.
Four new locally acquired cases were reported on Friday, versus
three a day earlier.
Snap lockdowns, regional border restrictions and strict social
distancing rules have largely helped Australia rein in prior
outbreaks and keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low at just over
30,100 cases and 910 deaths.
About 20% of Australia's adult population have had their first
vaccine dose, with nearly 4.8 million total shots administered so
far.
(Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Gerry
Doyle)
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