By AJC wire reports

Troy Warren for CNT

Parts of Sydney went into lockdown Friday as a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow.

Health authorities reported an additional 22 locally transmitted cases and imposed a weeklong lockdown in four areas, saying people could leave their homes only for essential purposes.

The outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant was first detected last week, and 65 people have been infected.

“If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,” said Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales state.

She said the lockdown would have a significant impact on businesses, especially in the central business district of the city of more than 5 million people.

“This is in order for us to ensure that this doesn’t take a hold for weeks and weeks, and we believe this is a proportionate response to the risk,” Berejiklian said.

A day earlier, the premier had said there wasn’t any need for further restrictions despite it being the “scariest period” the state had been through during the pandemic.

In Other NEWS