Sydney, Aug 12
Authorities of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday announced three more local government areas (LGA) as "areas of concern" for Covid-19, with tougher restrictions to be imposed.
The decision came after NSW recorded 345 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Thursday, among which the source of infection for 217 cases is still under investigation, reports Xinhua news agency.
The state also recorded two deaths, two men in their 90s.
The three LGAs, namely Strathfield, Bayside and Burwood located in southwest and south Sydney, will join the nine LGAs that were deemed "areas of concern".
From 5 p.m. Thursday, residents in these three LGAs can only get out of home to obtain food, essential goods and services, or do exercise, and the range was narrowed from 10 km to 5 km.
They cannot travel to other areas for work unless authorised.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also expected that police will have more Australian Defence Force (ADF) to help ensure residents comply with restrictions and administer vaccines.
Berejiklian said she understood a request had been made for the ADF to staff additional AstraZeneca clinics.
"We want to make sure we have enough points of access across all of NSW and in particular in and around those areas of concern," she said.
The neighbouring state of Queensland, which recorded 10 new local cases on Thursday, planned to increase vaccinations in bordering communities with NSW as a precautionary measure.
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