Coronavirus: Delta surge swamps Sydney; Philippines denies money stolen from US$1 billion pandemic fund
- New South Wales police will fine up to US$3,700 anyone breaching stay-at-home orders as the state posted record 466 cases
- The Philippine state auditor has cast doubts on the regularity of transactions in the country’s pandemic response
Australian police hiked fines for people breaking lockdown rules in Sydney and the rest of its home state on Saturday and strict stay-at-home orders were extended statewide amid a record jump in daily new Covid-19 infections.
State police will fine up to A$5,000 (US$3,700) anyone breaching stay-at-home orders or for lying to contract-tracing officials, said state Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Previously breaching quarantine orders had carried a A$1,000 fine.
“We have to accept that this is the worst situation New South Wales has been in since day one. And it’s also regrettably, because of that, the worst situation Australia’s been in,” she told a news conference.
Locally transmitted infections surged by a record 466 over the previous 24 hours, eclipsing the previous daily high of 390 set on Friday. Four deaths were recorded on Saturday, taking the state’s total in the latest outbreak to 42.
It is becoming increasingly unlikely Sydney will end its nine-week lockdown on August 28 as planned. Authorities had been talking about easing some restrictions if enough people are vaccinated and case numbers fall.
“We will get through this, but September and October are going to be very difficult,” Berejiklian said.