COVID surge after Australians break lockdown for biggest football event

Friday, October 1, 2021

As local officials said on Thursday, there is more than a 50% increase in the state’s daily reported COVID-19 cases. Victoria reported 1,438 new infections Thursday, up from 948 the previous day.

The surge was the result of “significant numbers of social gatherings” that coincided with the Australian Football League (AFL) championship match between Melbourne Demons and the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.



The AFL grand final is a significant event in Australia- especially in Victoria, where the sport originated and which celebrates the Friday before the game as an official public holiday.

However, the final was moved to Perth, Western Australia.

This is because Victoria has been in hard lockdown since August and the state attempts to bring a local outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant under control.



Thursday’s rise in case numbers is a “significant setback,” as demographics of those infected indicate the virus has spread further than usual.

About 55% of the new cases were reported among men, many of whom were disproportionately younger, he said.

The Melbourne Demons won the grand final, ending the club’s 57-year wait for the championship.

The Victorian government has said it will relax restrictions on people’s movement once 70% of its population has been fully vaccinated.

But the state has recently seen violent demonstrations by groups opposed to the lockdown.

As of Thursday, almost 50% of Victoria’s population had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Speaking at the news briefing Thursday, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said the fresh wave of cases was “completely avoidable” but ruled out a link between the surge and protests last week due to a lack of evidence.

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