Sydney: For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Australia on Thursday reported more than 1,000 new local coronavirus cases.
New South Wales state, which includes the country’s most populous city Sydney, announced a record 1,029 cases of Covid-19 for the previous 24 hours.
According to reports, the outbreak began in the city in mid-June and it has now reached over 15,000 cases, prompting the return of lockdowns and travel restrictions across Australia’s populated southeast.
Despite the soaring figures and growing pressure on hospitals, state premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a modest easing of restrictions for vaccinated people from mid-September.
Meanwhile, Victoria state — which is grappling with a smaller outbreak that emerged in Melbourne — announced a further 80 new cases Thursday.
