Officials battle to contain Delta variant as state records second highest rise in infections
A woman wearing a protective face mask walks along a deserted city bridge during a lockdown in Melbourne in July 2021. Picture: REUTERS/SANDRA SANDERS
Australia's two most populous states, Victoria and New South Wales, have been struggling to contain the highly infectious variant while they ramp up vaccinations to 80% of the population, a threshold that will allow officials to ease strict lockdown measures.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an interview aired on Sunday that he expects states to open up borders and ease restrictions once the 80% vaccination threshold has been met.
Morrison said his message to Australians was “that what I’d like them to have for Christmas is their lives back. And that’s within the gift of governments. And that’s a gift I’d like to see us give them.” The state’s first dose rate has risen to 85.2% of people over 16 years of age, while 59.1% of the population has had their second dose.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Delta overwhelming other COVID variants of concern: WHOAll viruses mutate over time, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19 disease.
Read more »
Covid toll in SA increases by 312 deaths as of FridayThe country recorded 2,894,342 laboratory confirmed cases.
Read more »
Global Covid-19 update: More than four million dead since 2019On Saturday, 6,171 new deaths and 378,753 new cases were recorded worldwide.
Read more »
COVID-19 update: South Africa records 2,261 new cases and 312 deathsThe Health Department says 16,781,838 vaccines have been administered since the beginning of the vaccine rollout.
Read more »
China's tutoring ban hits overseas teachers and cultural linksTutors have taken a sharp financial hit after Beijing's harsh crackdown on extracurricular classes pulled down the blinds over the world outside for Chinese students.
Read more »