SYDNEY: Sydney’s COVID-19 cases rose to a new daily record on Wednesday, putting parts of the health system under “severe pressure,” officials said, as they urged an increase in vaccinations to help curb the rate of hospitalizations.
Despite two months of lockdowns, New South Wales (NSW) state reported 919 new cases amid a growing Delta variant outbreak, taking Australia’s daily case numbers to a new pandemic high just below 1,000. A total of 113 people in the state are in intensive care, with 98 of those unvaccinated.
“This highlights ... the fact that vaccination is the key. We need to increase those vaccine coverage levels,” state Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told a briefing.
Australia, grappling to control a third wave of the coronavirus, has locked down more than half of its 25 million population, including its largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and is accelerating an initially sluggish vaccine rollout.
Around 31 percent of people above 16 have been fully vaccinated, while 54 percent have had at least one dose.
“We have made the point that the most important figure moving forward is the rate of vaccination and that remains the case,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney, the state capital.
“There is no doubt that parts of the hospital network are under severe pressure when most of the cases, 80 percent of cases are coming out of the same region,” she added, pointing to the high case numbers in Sydney’s southwestern suburbs.
The spike in cases comes as Australia’s federal government pressed states to stick to a four-stage national reopening plan agreed last month, as some have suggested delays given the persistently high new daily case numbers in Sydney.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg warned state leaders on Wednesday that current emergency economic supports may be withdrawn when the country hits a 70-80 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate, even if states and territories decide to retain border controls.
“There should be no expectation on behalf of premiers and chief ministers that our emergency economic support will continue at the scale that it is currently,” Frydenberg told broadcaster Seven News.
In Victoria, new cases fell for a second straight day, with 45 new cases detected, down from 50 a day earlier, as officials seek to boost the vaccine rollout by allowing anyone over 16 to book an appointment from Wednesday.
Despite the recent Delta outbreaks, Australia’s coronavirus numbers are still relatively low, with just over 46,600 cases and 986 deaths. Deaths from the latest outbreak have risen to 76, although the death rate has slowed from last year.
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Sydney hospitals under strain as coronavirus cases hit record
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Sydney hospitals under strain as coronavirus cases hit record
- New South Wales state reported 919 new cases amid a growing Delta variant outbreak
- Australia has locked down more than half of its 25 million population
China’s Xi to host South Korea’s Lee from Sunday amid Japan tensions
SEOUL/BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit starting on Sunday, signalling Beijing’s intent to strengthen ties with Seoul amidst strained relations with Japan over Taiwan. The visit marks the second meeting between Xi and Lee in just two months, an unusually short interval that signals China’s keen interest in reinforcing ties with Seoul and boosting economic collaboration and tourism, analysts say. Relations between China and Japan hit the lowest point in years after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.
Xi’s invitation to Lee for a state visit from Sunday is a calculated move aimed at deepening bilateral relations especially before the South Korean leader visits Japan, analysts say.
“China wants to emphasize South Korea’s importance slightly more than before,” said Kang Jun-young, professor of political economics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
“China appears to have strategically decided that it would be better to have (Lee) visit China before South Korea holds a summit with Japan again,” he added.
Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s top security adviser, said on Friday that he expected the Lee-Xi summit to open a “new chapter” in bilateral ties.
He added that the two countries were preparing more than 10 deals on the economy, businesses and climate, although they were not working on a joint statement.
The Lee administration has said it aims to “restore” ties with Beijing, acknowledging China is South Korea’s largest trading partner. The pivot follows strained relations between the two countries under Lee’s predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, due to his closer alignment with Washington and Tokyo, as well as criticism of China’s handling of Taiwan.
Now, South Korea is trying to maintain a balance but leaning toward cooperation with China to avoid being forced into any troubles that would threaten the Asian industrial powerhouse. Lee said in December he wouldn’t take sides in the diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.
US ALLIANCE AND NORTH KOREA Still, China and South Korea face complex issues as China challenges the US, South Korea’s major ally in the region, and as nuclear-armed North Korea remains unpredictable.
China is North Korea’s major ally and economic lifeline.
Shin Beom-chul, a former South Korean vice defense minister and a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute, said Xi and Lee might discuss some contentious issues such as efforts to modernize the South Korea-US alliance.
Currently, about 28,500 US troops are based in South Korea to counter any threat from North Korea. US officials have signalled a plan to make those US forces more flexible to respond to other threats, such as defending Taiwan and checking China’s growing military reach.
“Korea is not simply responding to threats on the peninsula,” General Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, said at a forum on Dec. 29. “Korea sits at the crossroads of broader regional dynamics that shape the balance of power across Northeast Asia,” he said. Wi, the security adviser, said South Korea would also try to reassure China that its plans to build nuclear-powered submarines were aimed only at deterring North Korea. Lee’s agenda with Xi includes persuading China to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, experts said, at a time when North Korea has dismissed Lee’s outreach.
TECH, SUPPLY CHAINS AND K-POP Lee’s visit to Beijing is also expected to address cooperation in areas including critical minerals, supply chain and green industries, his office said earlier.
Seoul sources nearly half of its supply of rare earth minerals, critical to semiconductor manufacturing, from China. Beijing also accounts for a third of Seoul’s annual chip exports, the largest market by far. Last month, South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao agreed to work toward stable rare earth supplies, South Korea said.
The visit may also foster partnerships on artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, experts said. China’s Huawei Technologies plans to roll out the Ascend 950 AI chips in South Korea this year, aiming to provide an alternative to Nvidia for Korean firms, Huawei’s South Korea CEO Balian Wang told a press conference last month.
Wang mentioned ongoing discussions with potential customers, without naming those clients. Huawei did not respond to questions from Reuters about Wang’s comments.
Xi’s invitation to Lee for a state visit from Sunday is a calculated move aimed at deepening bilateral relations especially before the South Korean leader visits Japan, analysts say.
“China wants to emphasize South Korea’s importance slightly more than before,” said Kang Jun-young, professor of political economics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
“China appears to have strategically decided that it would be better to have (Lee) visit China before South Korea holds a summit with Japan again,” he added.
Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s top security adviser, said on Friday that he expected the Lee-Xi summit to open a “new chapter” in bilateral ties.
He added that the two countries were preparing more than 10 deals on the economy, businesses and climate, although they were not working on a joint statement.
The Lee administration has said it aims to “restore” ties with Beijing, acknowledging China is South Korea’s largest trading partner. The pivot follows strained relations between the two countries under Lee’s predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, due to his closer alignment with Washington and Tokyo, as well as criticism of China’s handling of Taiwan.
Now, South Korea is trying to maintain a balance but leaning toward cooperation with China to avoid being forced into any troubles that would threaten the Asian industrial powerhouse. Lee said in December he wouldn’t take sides in the diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.
US ALLIANCE AND NORTH KOREA Still, China and South Korea face complex issues as China challenges the US, South Korea’s major ally in the region, and as nuclear-armed North Korea remains unpredictable.
China is North Korea’s major ally and economic lifeline.
Shin Beom-chul, a former South Korean vice defense minister and a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute, said Xi and Lee might discuss some contentious issues such as efforts to modernize the South Korea-US alliance.
Currently, about 28,500 US troops are based in South Korea to counter any threat from North Korea. US officials have signalled a plan to make those US forces more flexible to respond to other threats, such as defending Taiwan and checking China’s growing military reach.
“Korea is not simply responding to threats on the peninsula,” General Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, said at a forum on Dec. 29. “Korea sits at the crossroads of broader regional dynamics that shape the balance of power across Northeast Asia,” he said. Wi, the security adviser, said South Korea would also try to reassure China that its plans to build nuclear-powered submarines were aimed only at deterring North Korea. Lee’s agenda with Xi includes persuading China to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, experts said, at a time when North Korea has dismissed Lee’s outreach.
TECH, SUPPLY CHAINS AND K-POP Lee’s visit to Beijing is also expected to address cooperation in areas including critical minerals, supply chain and green industries, his office said earlier.
Seoul sources nearly half of its supply of rare earth minerals, critical to semiconductor manufacturing, from China. Beijing also accounts for a third of Seoul’s annual chip exports, the largest market by far. Last month, South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao agreed to work toward stable rare earth supplies, South Korea said.
The visit may also foster partnerships on artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, experts said. China’s Huawei Technologies plans to roll out the Ascend 950 AI chips in South Korea this year, aiming to provide an alternative to Nvidia for Korean firms, Huawei’s South Korea CEO Balian Wang told a press conference last month.
Wang mentioned ongoing discussions with potential customers, without naming those clients. Huawei did not respond to questions from Reuters about Wang’s comments.
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