On Thursday, authorities expanded the lockdown in Australia’s largest metropolis to neighbouring regions, reporting a record number of new Covid-19 cases and five viral deaths.
The number of new illnesses in New South Wales state has risen to 262, the highest daily total since the pandemic began, six weeks after Sydney’s five million people were urged to remain home.
Almost all of the new cases were in Sydney, according to health officials, but a few of illnesses in other districts prompted state Premier Gladys Berejiklian to relax stay-at-home rules.
Authorities in Newcastle, a seaside city of 320,000 people north of Sydney, closed schools and advised citizens to stay at home for at least a week after five positive tests.
In the last 24 hours, five persons in their 60s and 80s have died in Sydney, none of whom were properly vaccinated.
“I can’t emphasize enough how critical it is for people of all ages to come forward and get the vaccine,” Berejiklian added.
Due to severe supply issues and pockets of vaccination hesitation, just about 20% of Australians have received all of their vaccines.
Until now, Australia has escaped the worst of the pandemic’s effects. However, the country is battling an epidemic of the fast-spreading Delta strain.
New South Wales has documented 4,319 locally acquired cases since a Sydney driver was infected by an international flight crew in mid-June, putting half of the country’s 25 million inhabitants on lockdown.
