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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg warned state leaders on Wednesday that current emergency economic supports may be withdrawn when the country hits a 70-80 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate, even if states and territories decide to retain border controls.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.
Sydney hospitals under strain as coronavirus cases hit record
https://arab.news/rfdxu
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
Russia says Ukraine attacked Putin’s home, Kyiv calls this ‘lie’
- Zelensky called Russia’s claim “complete fabrication” designed to derail peace process, suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify bombardment of Ukraine
KYIV: Russia accused Ukraine on Monday of having fired dozens of drones at one of President Vladimir Putin’s homes, an accusation that Ukraine called a “lie” aimed at undermining US-led efforts to end the war.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who does not typically announce drone strikes, said Ukraine had fired “91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles” at Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region between late Sunday and early Monday, all of which were shot down.
“Given the complete degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime, which has shifted to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be reconsidered,” Lavrov said, without elaborating.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with US President Donald Trump on Sunday for talks on ending the war, called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication” designed to derail the peace process and suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify its bombardment of Ukraine.
“Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X.
Russia’s accusation comes at a pivotal moment in the peace process.
Ukraine says it has agreed to 90 percent of a US-drafted peace plan — including the issue of post-war security guarantees — though the issue of territory in a post-war settlement remains unresolved.
Russia, which has stayed silent about what parts of the US plan it has agreed to, said Monday it was still committed to the peace process but would “revise” its position in light of the alleged drone attack.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a “special military operation” to demilitarise the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.
Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction.
Territory main sticking point
Trump has held talks with both sides in recent days, including a phone call with Putin on Monday that the White House described as “positive.”
During talks with Zelensky on Sunday, Trump offered Kyiv long-sought-after security guarantees for a period of 15 years, according to Kyiv.
But the issue of territory and the future of the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine remain unresolved, Zelensky said.
Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv was ready for “any” format of meetings — including with Putin if necessary — but said he still did not think the Kremlin chief wanted peace.
The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and establish a demilitarised area.
But the Kremlin has shown no sign of compromise.
Putin said Monday that Russia was pressing ahead with its plan to capture four Ukrainian regions it announced the annexation of in 2022 and that his troops were “confidently advancing.”
Moscow on Monday said it took another village, Dibrova, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
