Coronavirus – Australia: Hopes for ending lockdown in Victoria

Hopes are raised for an end to the lockdown in the state of Victoria in Australia, as a smaller number of new cases were recorded today. At the same time, in neighboring Wales it appears that the situation is moving towards the extension of restrictive measures.

According to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, Australia is finding it difficult to control a wave of the epidemic due to the mutated strain Delta of coronavirus showing high transmissibility. The new wave started in Sydney in June, when a limousine driver carrying airline crews traveling abroad tested positive for the coronavirus.

The epidemic has since spread to other Australian states, leading authorities to impose a lockdown in Sydney, home to one-fifth of Australia’s 25 million people, and across Victoria and South Australia, where restrictions are planned. to be lifted on Tuesday night.

Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is hardest hit by the epidemic and is in a five-week lockdown until Friday, but that looks set to be extended as a growing number of cases remain in the community.

Officials are worried about a sharp rise in cases in Sydney, following the participation of thousands of people in protests against the lockdown over the weekend.

Australian media reported that a meeting of the New South Wales Government Crisis Group would be held today and that more authorities would announce “a significant extension” of the lockdown.

Officials are initially considering September 3 as the date for the lockdown to end, but its implementation could be extended until September 17, according to The Australian, citing anonymous sources.

State Prime Minister Gladys Beretziklian has announced that city residents will receive as much information as possible about “important decisions” about the lockdown.

“I do not know who announced this date (…), obviously this week we will inform about what life will be like after July 31 and what the next weeks will be like,” Beretziklian told Seven News today.

Eleven cases of COVID-19 domestic transmission were detected in the state of Victoria, while an equal number were announced yesterday.

With approximately 32,900 cases and 918 deaths, Australia has managed to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, but the rapidly transmitting Delta strain and low vaccination rate have caused concern among residents. So far, just over 16% of Australians over the age of 16 have been immunized.

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