On Wednesday, the authorities recorded 919 new infections within 24 hours – more than ever since the beginning of the pandemic. Regional Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian said two people, including a woman who was only about 30 years old, died in connection with Covid-19.
The local government had recently extended the strict lockdown in large parts of the region until at least the end of September. People are only allowed to leave their homes in exceptional cases. There is also a night curfew. Berejiklian has now announced that there will probably be the first easing for fully vaccinated people this week. Almost a third of the region’s eight million inhabitants already had full vaccination protection, it said.
Australia, with a population of 25 million, has long been successful in the fight against the virus thanks to strict rules and closed external borders. Experts blame the sluggish vaccination campaign and the delta variant for the increasing numbers. In total, around 45,700 cases have been confirmed nationwide. More than 980 people have died linked to the virus.