Watch the developments and stories in Australia and the Oceania Region
Tag: Sydney
Sydney outbreak a ‘national emergency’ as cases spike
by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Sydney’s fast-growing coronavirus outbreak has become a “national emergency,” state leaders said Friday, as Australia’s largest city reported another record number of new infections. Admitting a month-long lockdown had so far failed to stop a Delta-variant outbreak, the state of New South Wales pleaded for Canberra to urgently send more vaccines and resources. Declaring the outbreak a national emergency could pave the way for […]
Sydney extends virus lockdown as Delta cluster grows
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — More than five million Sydney residents will spend at least another week in coronavirus lockdown, Australian authorities said Wednesday, after detecting another 27 new cases. Stay-at-home orders have already been in place in the country’s biggest city for two weeks, as authorities try to curb an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant. State officials said progress had been made, but light-touch measures — allowing residents to leave home for work, […]
Over 10 million Australians in coronavirus lockdown
by Holly ROBERTSON / with Tristan Lavalette in Perth Agence France Presse More than 10 million Australians have been ordered into lockdown as coronavirus cases spread across the country, and Brisbane on Tuesday became the fourth major city to issue stay-at-home orders. The three-day snap lockdown for Brisbane, starting on Tuesday evening, comes on top of similar measures imposed in Sydney, Perth and Darwin in recent days. “These are tough decisions,” Queensland state Premier […]
Sydney broadens Covid lockdown as Delta variant cases sweep city
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Sydney streets were nearly deserted on Saturday at the start of a beefed-up two-week lockdown to contain the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant sweeping Australia’s largest city. More than 80 Covid-19 cases have been reported so far in an infection surge linked to an international flight crew transported to a quarantine hotel from the airport. The flare-up was a shock for a city that had returned to relative normality after […]
Sydney residents banned from leaving city as coronavirus cluster grows
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Sydneysiders were largely banned from leaving the city Wednesday as Australian authorities rushed to stop a growing outbreak of the highly contagious Delta Covid-19 variant from spreading to other regions. More than 30 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 since the cluster emerged in the city’s Bondi Beach area last week, the latest in a string of flare-ups that highlight Australia’s difficulty in extinguishing outbreaks. New South Wales state Premier Gladys […]
Fresh deluge worsens ‘one in 100 year’ Australia floods
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) Torrential rain lashed Australia’s south east again Monday, worsening once-in-a-century flooding that has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and shuttered hundreds of schools. The days-long deluge has inundated coastal areas of New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, with parts of Sydney experiencing what officials predicted would be the biggest flood in decades. On Monday, eight million residents were told to avoid unnecessary travel and work from […]
World ushers in New Year in shadow of pandemic
by Helen ROWE with AFP bureaus From Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Acropolis, fireworks burst in skies above eerily deserted landmarks as the world ushered in the New Year with muted celebrations and said good riddance to a pandemic-ridden 2020. After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.7 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching […]
Parts of Sydney locked down as Australia battles growing cluster
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Parts of Sydney were heading into a fresh lockdown on Saturday as officials in Australia’s most populous city said they hoped the restrictions would be enough to control a growing outbreak in time for Christmas. As a cluster of cases on the city’s northern beaches grew to 38, residents were ordered to stay at home from late Saturday until midnight on Wednesday, other than for essential reasons. “We’re hoping that […]
Women on 10 flights from Qatar invasively examined: Australia
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Female passengers on 10 planes flying out of Doha were forced to endure invasive physical examinations, Australia’s foreign minister said Wednesday, greatly expanding the number of women previously thought affected. It was revealed on Sunday that women were removed from a Sydney-bound Qatar Airways flight in Doha earlier this month and forced to undergo vaginal inspections after a newborn baby was found abandoned in an airport bathroom. Australian Foreign Minister […]
Filipino restaurant in New South Wales helps those affected by COVID-19
(Eagle News) — A Filipino restaurant in New South Wales is helping those affected by COVID-19 restrictions by donating food for those in need. The owners of A-Team’s Kitchen, Arvin and Rose Acosta, said they are giving food to people, mostly international students who don’t have a means of livelihood. One of those they were able to help said that the donations — consisting of rice, fruits and vegetables are already good for two […]
Australia developing satellite to predict bushfire danger zones
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australian scientists are developing the country’s first satellite designed to predict where bushfires are likely to start, following months of devastating fires. The Australian National University said Wednesday a team is creating a “shoebox-sized” satellite that will measure forest ground cover and moisture levels using infrared detectors. It is hoped the data will help determine where bushfires are likely to start and where they may be difficult to contain. The technology […]
