Sydney has seen the worst day of the 2021 pandemic in two weeks on Reuters

By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia reported on Thursday the largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases this year, as officials are struggling to grow a cluster of highly infectious variants of Delta.

The rise in cases after a two-week blockade in Sydney (Australia’s largest city) increased the possibility of another extension of the cuts, as officials accused them of illegal family visits due to the continued rise in infections.

NSW reported 38 new cases, 27 days earlier, while 11 were infected in the community.

In view of the slow spread of vaccines in Australia, NSW State Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian urged residents to restrict visits to the homes of relatives and friends, citing the highly contagious nature of the Delta strain.

“It’s really important that we all stay on track and follow health advice to give the best chances of getting out of this blockade in the right way,” Berejiklian told Sydney journalists.

Berejiklian said he has no plans to extend the current closure from July 16, but warned that it will be an “unrealistic assumption” to control the Delta variant between low vaccination rates and violations of social rules to keep people away.

Just over 9% of NSWs were fully vaccinated, and about 29% had the first dose.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that if the federal government extended the blockade it would ensure adequate financial support, that the state was “moving the sand” and asked for patience.

“I know people are getting tired … frustrated. It’s a virus we already have, and it tends to set its own rules,” Morrison said at a television media conference.

The order to stay at home is strictly in force in Sydney, where as of June 26 one-fifth of the country’s 25 million people live, restricting people’s movements and restricting gatherings.

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The Australian Medical Association (AMA), meanwhile, warned NSW authorities to remove the blocking rules before completely removing the so-called Delta explosion.

“There is no alternative to eradication in New South Wales … nowhere in the world has it been possible to live with the Delta without a very significant level of vaccination,” said AMA President Omar Khorshid.

The latest infections were nearly 400 in Sydney since the first case was detected more than three weeks ago in a limousine driver carrying foreign airline crew.

Australia has fared much better than many other developed countries in keeping the COVID-19 number low, with 30,900 cases and 910 fewer deaths. However, the successful slowdown in vaccines in the country has been such a success.