Australia's Covid battle has significantly worsened in the past 24 hours, as multiple states and territories respond to new cases and expanding contacts. 

The Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland have joined New South Wales in implementing restrictions as health authorities battle surging Covid cases.

Four new cases connected to an infected miner in the NT has sparked a snap 48-hour lockdown in Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield, with residents only allowed to leave their home for five reasons: to seek medical treatment, to purchase essential goods and services, for essential work, to undertake one hour of exercise or to give care.

In WA, a traveller from Sydney has also tested positive for what authorities believe is the Delta variant. As a result, the state has reinstated new restrictions across the Perth and Peel areas. 

Meanwhile, NSW has recorded a further 30 cases, with the total number of infections in the state currently at 102. Despite this, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said larger daily figures will likely be reported in the coming days. 

“We do anticipate that in the next few days, case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we have seen today,” she said.

“We are seeing that people in isolation, unfortunately, would have already transmitted to all their house contacts.”

Listen above as Australian Correspondent Murray Olds talks with The Weekend Collective live from Sydney's lockdown