<p>More than two million people in Brisbane were ordered into a three-day lockdown Monday after a cluster of coronavirus cases was detected in Australia's third-biggest city.</p>.<p>It is the second snap lockdown of Brisbane and the city's surroundings this year, coming after seven people tested positive for Covid-19 -- the first significant community outbreak in Australia in weeks.</p>.<p>"This is the UK strain. It is highly infectious. Now we need to do this now to avoid a longer lockdown," Queensland state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.</p>.<p>"We've seen what's happened in other countries. I don't want to see that happen to Queensland, I don't want to see that happen to Australia."</p>.<p>Schools, restaurants and bars will close from 5:00 pm Monday but people will still be allowed to leave home for essential work, to buy food, exercise and for medical care.</p>.<p>Wearing masks in public is also becoming mandatory across Queensland, after one infectious person travelled to the regional town of Gladstone.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>The number of international flight arrivals will be halved, to ease pressure on hospitals also dealing with a surge in Covid-19 cases from neighbouring Papua New Guinea.</p>.<p>Australia has been relatively successful in curbing the spread of Covid-19, with just over 29,000 cases and 909 deaths during the pandemic to date.</p>.<p>However, the country's vaccine rollout has been sluggish, with just over 500,000 shots administered so far in a country of 25 million.</p>.<p>Palaszczuk said lockdowns would "be part of the Australian way of life until everyone is vaccinated".</p>.<p>Before the announcement, Brisbane was among several Australian cities enjoying relaxed restrictions with residents able to freely attend events including concerts and sporting matches.</p>
<p>More than two million people in Brisbane were ordered into a three-day lockdown Monday after a cluster of coronavirus cases was detected in Australia's third-biggest city.</p>.<p>It is the second snap lockdown of Brisbane and the city's surroundings this year, coming after seven people tested positive for Covid-19 -- the first significant community outbreak in Australia in weeks.</p>.<p>"This is the UK strain. It is highly infectious. Now we need to do this now to avoid a longer lockdown," Queensland state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.</p>.<p>"We've seen what's happened in other countries. I don't want to see that happen to Queensland, I don't want to see that happen to Australia."</p>.<p>Schools, restaurants and bars will close from 5:00 pm Monday but people will still be allowed to leave home for essential work, to buy food, exercise and for medical care.</p>.<p>Wearing masks in public is also becoming mandatory across Queensland, after one infectious person travelled to the regional town of Gladstone.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>The number of international flight arrivals will be halved, to ease pressure on hospitals also dealing with a surge in Covid-19 cases from neighbouring Papua New Guinea.</p>.<p>Australia has been relatively successful in curbing the spread of Covid-19, with just over 29,000 cases and 909 deaths during the pandemic to date.</p>.<p>However, the country's vaccine rollout has been sluggish, with just over 500,000 shots administered so far in a country of 25 million.</p>.<p>Palaszczuk said lockdowns would "be part of the Australian way of life until everyone is vaccinated".</p>.<p>Before the announcement, Brisbane was among several Australian cities enjoying relaxed restrictions with residents able to freely attend events including concerts and sporting matches.</p>