Troops To Enforce Sydney Lockdown As Brisbane Extends Virus Curbs 08/02/21 AT 3:14 AM Troops hit Sydney's streets on Monday to help enforce its prolonged lockdown, as stay-at-home orders in Australia's third-largest city Brisbane were extended to curb a worsening outbreak. About 300 Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed to the country's largest city after New South Wales state police requested military help to enforce Covid-19 rules. Authorities have been struggling to stop the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant in Sydney -- and ensure that residents follow containment rules -- with more than 3,600 cases recorded since mid-June. With thousands of close contacts of Covid cases told to test and stay at home for 14 days, police said they lacked the manpower to make sure everyone was complying.