Sydney Extends Lockdown Until End-September As Delta Outbreak Worsens

Berejiklian's announcement comes as the outbreak that started in Sydney continues to spread into other areas of the nation, which on Thursday recorded the highest daily tally since the pandemic began.

Sydney's two-month long lockdown will be extended until at least the end of September and masks will need to be worn outside as the Covid-19 delta variant outbreak in Australia's most populous city worsens. New South Wales recorded 642 new cases on Friday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. From Monday, outdoor mask-wearing will be mandatory -- except when exercising -- in all regions throughout the state, she said. A curfew will be placed on areas of western Sydney hardest hit by the outbreak. Another four people had died from the virus, the state government said. "'We're asking everybody to go through a bit of pain in order to protect lives until we get those vaccination rates up," Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Friday. "There is no simple answer to delta -- short, sharp lockdowns don't always work."