Daily New COVID-19 Cases in NSW, Australia Surpass 1,500 for the First Time... Over 1,000 Cases for 8 Consecutive Days

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Recently, due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), which has been under lockdown for three months, recorded daily new cases surpassing 1,500 for the first time. Consequently, the daily new cases have exceeded 1,000 for eight consecutive days.

According to the Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald on the 4th (local time), Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Health, held a press conference and announced that there were 1,533 new community infections and 4 deaths reported that day.

Thus, NSW's new cases set a record high for the second consecutive day, following 1,432 cases the previous day.

Minister Hazzard stated, "Among these new cases, 1,041 patients are hospitalized, including 173 in intensive care units (ICU)," adding, "Of the 173 ICU patients, 62 are dependent on ventilators."

He emphasized the importance of vaccination, noting that among the 173 ICU patients, only 7 were fully vaccinated with two doses, while the rest were unvaccinated (137) or had received only the first dose (29). All the deceased were also unvaccinated.

Triggered by the spread of the Delta variant, the COVID-19 vaccination rate in NSW, Australia's most populous state, is showing a significant upward trend.

According to the UK statistics website Our World in Data, as of the 2nd, 4.77 million residents aged 16 and over in NSW had received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, representing a 72.7% vaccination rate, and 2.64 million had completed the second dose, accounting for 40.3%.

This rate far exceeds Australia's overall vaccination rates of 61.1% for the first dose and 37.8% for the second dose.

Meanwhile, on the 4th, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced the provisional approval of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for the 12 to 17 age group.

The TGA stated, "After careful review of the safety and efficacy of the Moderna vaccine, we have made this decision," adding, "The UK, Canada, Europe, and Switzerland have already approved its use for this age group."

The spread of the Delta variant in NSW began in June when a limousine driver in his 60s living in eastern Sydney was infected by a passenger arriving from the United States.

Following this, community infections surged, and from June 26, a two-week lockdown was imposed on Greater Sydney, prohibiting outings except for essential purposes such as purchasing necessities, work, medical care, and exercise. However, the spread did not subside.

As a result, the lockdown in Greater Sydney was extended multiple times and is scheduled to continue until the end of September. Cases have also emerged in Dubbo, Walgett, and Armidale, expanding the lockdown to the entire state.

The Delta variant spread in NSW has extended to neighboring Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), South Australia, and Queensland, where lockdown measures are also being implemented depending on case trends.

According to data from the Australian Federal Department of Health as of the 3rd, there are 24,279 active COVID-19 cases nationwide, with 22,705 concentrated in NSW.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March last year, Australia's cumulative confirmed cases and deaths have been recorded at 59,951 and 1,036, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.