Australian police patrolled the streets and blocked transport into the centre of Sydney on Saturday to prevent a planned anti-lockdown protest as the country reported a record high daily number of new COVID-19 infections.
Officials reported a total of 886 cases in New South Wales and Victoria states, with the vast bulk in Sydney, which is the epicentre of the Delta variant-fuelled outbreak.
"We are in a very serious situation here in New South Wales," state Health Minister Brad Hazzard said. "There is no time now to be selfish, it's time to think of the broader community and your families."for weeks now, failing so far to contain an outbreak that has spread across internal borders and as far as neighbouring New Zealand.
At least 96 people were active in community during their infectious period, and there were a number of breaches of public health orders, all slowing the efforts to curtail the outbreak. Australian media reported that a similar protest was planned in Melbourne, with Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Saturday expanding a lockdown in that city to entire state as he reportedAt least 39 of the new Victoria cases were active in community while infectious, raising concerns over officials' ability to gain control over the outbreak. Eighteen people were in hospital, eight in intensive care and six on ventilators.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Conversaciones Comunitarias de COVID-19 y la Vacuna de COVID-19 | Community Conversations about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 Vaccine. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Read more »
Sydney tightens COVID-19 curbs, lockdown extended through SeptemberAustralian authorities on Friday extended a COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney until the end of September and introduced a night curfew in the city's worst-affected suburbs, after nearly two months of curbs failed to contain an outbreak of the Delta variant.
Read more »
Sydney extends COVID-19 lockdown, imposes curfew on worst-hit areasThe COVID-19 lockdown of Sydney was extended on Friday and a nightly curfew imposed on the city's worst-affected suburbs in a last-ditch attempt to slow the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant that is spreading across New South Wales state.
Read more »
Texas health officials warn of full ICUs as state grapples with worsening Covid-19 surgeTexas health officials say the state is in 'one of its worst fights' as Covid-19 hospitalizations rise and leaders and local districts defy safety measures
Read more »
How might the return to classrooms affect covid-19 transmission?With adults vaccinated, children—and classrooms—may become a more prominent source of infections | The Economist explains
Read more »