Lockdown

State extends lockdown to curb outbreak

Officials say people have been catching the virus from "fleeting" encounters in a Melbourne outbreak of the B.1.617.1 strain, now named the Kappa variant by the World Health Organization.

Australia's second most-populous state will now be locked down until 10 June.

It's the fourth shutdown endured by residents so far in the pandemic.

Six new local cases were reported on Wednesday, taking the cluster to 60.

"I know this is not the news that everybody wants to hear but given the cases we have... the government had no choice," said Acting Premier James Merlino.

Melbourne lockdown: Fears over outbreak sparks restrictions

The lockdown will begin at midnight on Thursday (14:00 GMT).

Authorities have so far found 26 cases, and identified 150 sites where people may have been exposed to the virus.

There is growing anxiety over the outbreak which reminds many locals of a devastating second wave that swept the state last year.

Victoria's acting Premier James Merlino said the outbreak involved a highly contagious strain of the virus, the B.1.617 variant. A returned traveller was infected with the strain, which Mr Merlino said was spreading "faster than we have ever recorded".

Coldplay's Chris Martin says lockdown made him confront his ego

"Last year was a quite an eye opener," he told BBC Radio 2. "I was like, 'Who am I without Wembley Stadium saying, 'you're awesome'?"

"I'm trying in my life right now to not attach too much to being a pop star. I'm trying not to get my self worth from external validation."

He was speaking as Coldplay unveiled their new single, Higher Power.

They premiered the 80s-inspired pop song on board the International Space Station overnight - teaming up with French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who beamed the music back to Earth by satellite.

Fiji's capital now on lockdown

The Central Division including the capital Suva is in lockdown effective today for the next 14 days.

A restricted movement order issued on the main island of Viti Levu on Saturday ended this morning.

Authorities have also since separated Nadi and Lautoka which have been in lockdown since a week when it was discovered a soldier had contracted the virus and infected a hotel maid in a breach of protocol.

Delhi announces lockdown as India's cases surge

Government offices and essential services, such as hospitals, pharmacies and grocers, will be open during the lockdown, which starts on Monday night.

The city had imposed a weekend curfew, but reported its highest single-day spike so far on Sunday - 24,462 cases.

India has been reeling from a deadly second wave since the start of April.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the city had almost run out of beds at hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and that oxygen was in short supply.

Fiji lockdown in Nadi and Lautoka after Covid-19 positive test

The 53-year old woman is a first-generation contact identified through contact tracing related to the border quarantine case announced yesterday.

The woman lives in Nadi, with a travel history in Nadi and Lautoka.

All members of her household have already been entered into quarantine.

The Ministry of Health is awaiting the results of their Covid-19 tests.

To aid rapid contact tracing and reduce the likelihood of further transmission, the Government announced a lockdown of the Greater Nadi and Lautoka Area, starting from 4am this morning.

PNG University goes into covid lockdown

The lockdown at Lae's University of Technology started on Sunday after the deaths of two academics - one the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Gabriel Arpa.

Unitech's administration said the cause of their deaths is yet to be confirmed but both people had Covid-19 symptoms, The National newspaper reported.

Unitech said as an interim precaution, they had decided to suspend all classes for two weeks and impose a total lockdown.

Brisbane lockdown ends ahead of Easter weekend

The outbreak in Queensland's capital - home to two million residents - has grown to 16 infections in total.

State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the low number of new infections meant the lockdown could be lifted in time for the Easter holiday weekend.

Some restrictions will still apply including mask-wearing in indoor areas.

Gathering numbers are also limited to 30 people in a household, while church services will be able to operate at full capacity if people remain seated and have tickets.

France schools to close under third lockdown

Macron said that schools would move to remote learning from next week.

Lockdown measures, introduced in some areas of France earlier this month, are also being extended to other districts.

All non-essential shops are to close from Saturday and there will be a ban on travelling more than 10km from home without good reason.

France's Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 59,038 new coronavirus cases.

The ministry added that 5053 patients were in intensive care units, down from a 2021 record of 5072 on Tuesday.

New Caledonia lockdown is extended

The French territory entered a lockdown earlier this month after new community cases of the coronavirus were confirmed.

Furthermore, covid cases have exploded in the neighbouring French territory of Wallis and Futuna, adding further risks.

Authorities in New Caledonia suggest the lockdown has controlled the latest surge of infections.

But they have issued an extension to ensure the end of community transmission.

By April, France is expected to have supplied 42,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to New Caledonia.