The two largest countries in Australia reported significant growth in COVID-19 on Wednesday, with more than half the country’s population under home orders being lifted.
The result is hoped that the lockdown orders will be lifted. NWA, home to the most populous city in Sydney, has logged 110 new cases, up from 78 the day before and almost four weeks into an urban lockdown with a virulent Delta outbreak.
Victoria clocked 22 new cases, the biggest increase since the start of the outbreak this month from nine the day before, even as it approached its second week of national lockdown.
“If we had not locked down a few weeks ago, today’s 110th is without a doubt thousands of,” said NSW Prime Minister Glady Bererjiklian on the TV. “But we have to work more hard and we all have to be on guard, of course,” she said.
Health leaders expressed their greatest concern about the number of people active in the community before they were diagnosed with coronavirus and that the number should be close to zero before the lockout is lifted.
Berejiklian said that on Wednesday the number doubled the day before jumped to 43, and that the city’s target for July 30 would only be declared on the following week.
However, 16 out of the 22 new cases during their infectious period were reported by Victorian authorities, while exposure sites for the remaining six were “reasonably low.”
A third country, South Australia, also took the first whole day of Wednesday’s weeks’ lock-down and reported a further case.
“Better Peach” About 13 million Australians are under a harsh lockdown a year and a half into the pandemic, which increases pressure on the Federal Government that has had the lowest poll in a year due to its slower immunisation programme.
More than 11% of the population is completely vaccinated. The government’s main vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca Plc, is currently only suitable for people over 60 years of age by the national drug regulator because of a remote risk of blood coagulation and Pfizer Inc’s supply limits to a vaccine over 40 years of age.
“We have done as much as possible humanly,” said the health minister at the NSW press conference, Brad Hazzard, “but the problem is that we need more vaccines, we need more Pfitzer.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who criticised him for saying last year that “no race” was the output of a vaccine, took the programme on local radio, but admitted it was about two months behind schedule.
“I understand that there is great frustration…but the last version of the Delta has created a whole new curve ball on the subject with which every country on earth is wrestling.”
However, Australia has favoured relatively low COVID 19 figures, with just over 32,100 cases and 915 deaths, better than many other advanced economies.
