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Melbourne, August 29
Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, reported a record 1,218 locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Sunday, surpassing the previous day’s record of 1,035.
Six more people have died in the current outbreak of the highly transmissible delta variant, which began in the state in mid-June. There are currently 813 people in hospital, including 126 in intensive care, the NSW Department of Health said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Victoria, home to more than a quarter of the country’s 25 million people, reported 92 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest number in nearly a year.
Victoria and neighboring New South Wales, as well as the Australian Capital Territory, have been stranded for weeks as authorities fight to quell the highly infectious variant of the Delta.
Victoria’s lockdown, her sixth since the start of the pandemic, was due to end next week. This is increasingly unlikely with the spread of the virus.
New South Wales, where infections continue to break new daily records, is expected to ease restrictions slightly next week.
Australia, a country with a flexible federal system, has handled Covid-19 outbreaks differently, depending on state or territory, sparking a heated national debate on the right course to follow.
The country’s conservative government has urged states to reopen their borders once a vaccination target of 70% of those 16 and over is reached.
“Learning to live with the virus is our only hope,” The Age daily said on Sunday, quoting Australian treasurer Josh Frydenberg. “To delay and deny this fact is not only wrong but incredibly unrealistic.”
Only 33.7% of people over 16 have been fully vaccinated, but in recent weeks Australia has rushed to vaccinate its population. At the current rate, 80% could be vaccinated by mid-November.
The federal government announced a plan last month that saw closures as a key to quelling outbreaks until 70% of the population is vaccinated and a gradual reopening of Australia’s borders when the number reaches 80%. Reuters
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