Australia's COVID-19 lockdowns cover more than half the 25 million population

SYDNEY: More than half of Australia's 25 million population is under lockdown after a third state imposed movement restrictions on Tuesday to contain the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant.

Australia's coronavirus case numbers and deaths are well below other developed nations, but the country's use of lockdowns due to a sluggish vaccination rollout is putting pressure on the national government with polls at their lowest in a year and just months before elections are due to be held. South Australia, a state of 1.8 million people, imposed a seven day lockdown after detecting five infections linked to a returned traveller, just as neighbouring Victoria state extended a five-day lockdown by a week after it failed to stop new cases.