CANBERRA, Australia — Sydney’s two-week lockdown has been prolonged for another week because of the vulnerability of an Australia inhabitants largely unvaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, officers stated on Wednesday.
“The situation we’re in now is largely because we haven’t been able to get the vaccine that we need,” New South Wales state Health Minister Brad Hazzard stated.
The determination to increase the lockdown by July 16 was made on well being recommendation, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated.
“The reason why we’ve extended the lockdown is because of a number of cases still infectious in the community and we extended the lockdown to give us the best chance of not having another lockdown,” Berejiklian stated.
The extension of the lockdown, which covers Australia’s largest metropolis and a few close by communities, means most kids won’t return to highschool subsequent week following their midyear break.
Of 27 new infections of the delta variant reported in newest 24-hour interval on Wednesday, solely 13 had been in isolation whereas infectious, officers stated. The delta variant is taken into account extra contagious than the unique coronavirus or different variants.
A lone lady carrying a protecting face masks pulls a suitcase by the metropolis middle throughout lockdown to curb the unfold of COVID-19 in Sydney, Australia, July 6, 2021. Reuters/Loren Elliott
Only 9% of Australian adults are totally vaccinated, heightening fears that the delta variant might shortly unfold past management.
Berejiklian anticipated lockdowns would not be vital as soon as a big majority of Australians have been vaccinated.
There have been greater than 300 infections linked to a limousine driver who examined constructive on June 16. He is believed to have been contaminated whereas transporting a U.S. flight crew from Sydney airport.
Last week, nearly half Australia’s inhabitants was locked down with cities on the east, west and north coasts tightening pandemic restrictions because of clusters. Some of these lockdowns have been as quick as three days.
Sydney and its surrounds are the one a part of Australia nonetheless in lockdown.
Australia has been comparatively profitable in containing clusters all through the pandemic, registering fewer than 31,000 instances and 910 deaths complete.
Australia has recorded a single COVID-19 dying since October: an 80-year-old man who died in April after being contaminated abroad and recognized in resort quarantine.
But now there are 37 COVID-19 instances in Sydney hospitals. Of these, seven are in intensive care, the youngest of their 30s.
