Australia’s Covid-19 cases hit new record, most in NSW
Surge in infections sparks debate on whether lockdowns in various parts of the country should be extended
MELBOURNE: Australia logged a record 1,323 local Covid-19 cases yesterday as debate rages on whether the country should start living with the virus in the community.
New South Wales, the epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak, reported 1,218 cases as the authorities there are set to slightly ease restrictions after nine weeks in lockdown.
The lockdown is scheduled to last until the end of next month.
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian vowed to reopen the state once 70 per cent of those 16 and older get vaccinated.
"No matter what the case numbers are doing... double-dose 70 per cent in NSW means freedom for those who are vaccinated," Ms Berejiklian said.
Yesterday, she said the state has reached the halfway point of achieving the target.
In Victoria, the country's second most populous state which is in its sixth lockdown since the start of the pandemic, there were 92 new infections yesterday, the highest in nearly a year.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said his state's lockdown, due to end on Thursday, will be extended, but would not say for how long.
The Australian Capital Territory, home to the national capital Canberra, had 13 new cases.
The country has recorded just over 50,100 cases and 999 deaths.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been urging states to reopen their borders once a vaccination target of 70 per cent of those 16 and older is reached, but virus-free Queensland and Western Australia states have hinted they may not follow.
Nationally, just 33.7 per cent of those eligible have been fully vaccinated but at current rates, 80 per cent could be vaccinated by mid-November.
Meanwhile, New Zealand reported 83 local cases yesterday of the Delta variant, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying some changes on how the outbreak is managed could be announced today.
Ms Ardern on Friday extended the lockdown for the country of 5.1 million until midnight tomorrow, after which the restrictions were to ease slightly. Auckland, however, which is the epicentre of the outbreak, was to remain locked down for longer.
Of yesterday's cases, 82 were reported in Auckland, and the other was in the capital, Wellington. The country has recorded just over 3,100 total cases and 26 deaths. - REUTERS
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