Coronavirus live breaking news: Sydney, Queensland, Perth, Alice Springs grapple with outbreaks - NEWS.com.au

Twelve of yesterday’s 24 new cases were in the community while symptomatic, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, warning “that needs to stop”.

“The purpose of a lockdown is to stop community transmission, and that won’t happen unless people stop interacting with one another, especially if they have symptoms,” she said.

University of NSW epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws told the ABC the Delta variant was the “fastest and fittest” mutation that the world had ever dealt with.

Due to this, authorities would need to see at least three to five days of no positive cases in the community to consider easing the lockdown, she added.

Follow along for today’s Covid-19 updates. You can find yesterday’s blog here.

Live Updates

NSW is halfway through its two-week lockdown, but authorities say the state has a long way to go before restrictions are eased.

Twelve of yesterday’s 24 new cases were in the community while symptomatic, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, warning “that needs to stop”.

“The purpose of a lockdown is to stop community transmission, and that won’t happen unless people stop interacting with one another, especially if they have symptoms,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian said people need to minimise their movements and stop going out in the community with symptoms in order for the NSW lockdown to work.

"If we want the lockdown to succeed, all of us to have minimise our movements, all of us to have minimise our interaction with others, as difficult as that is, to make sure that the lockdown is successful," she said.

"We know how transmissible this variant of the virus is and we need to respond accordingly."

University of NSW epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws told the ABC the Delta variant was the “fastest and fittest” mutation that the world had ever dealt with.

Due to this, authorities would need to see at least three to five days of no positive cases in the community to consider easing the lockdown, she added.

More than five millions people across Greater Sydney have been in lockdown since Saturday, with the lockdown due to end next Friday.

Those in lockdown are only permitted to leave their home for a number of key reasons, including for outdoor exercise.