- Virus hotspot in Australia
- Second wave
Australian officials declared Sydney’s northern beaches a coronavirus hotspot Friday as a cluster of cases grew to 28 and triggered a return of domestic travel restrictions.
The outbreak follows a period of relative normality in the city after it proved a success in keeping a lid on the virus in recent months.
But on Friday hundreds of thousands of residents were urged to stay home as much as possible for three days and long queues formed outside COVID-19 clinics as health officials raced to contain the infection.
Despite most cases being linked to a venue in the suburb of Avalon on the city’s northeast peninsula, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said all of greater Sydney’s over five million residents should be on “high alert.”
Sichuan public to get shots
China plans to start opening its vaccination program to members of the public in southwestern Sichuan province early next year, health officials said, despite the inoculations not yet receiving official approval.
At least 1 million people have already received a jab in China after vaccine candidates were approved for “emergency use,” but so far they have been limited to priority groups such as state employees and international students.
China has five coronavirus vaccines in the final stages of development — but none has received official approval from authorities and the results of late-stage trials have yet to be published.
A provincial health official told local media that vaccines will be provided to the general public in Sichuan after the Lunar New year holidays in February.
Africa braces for 2nd wave
After being relatively spared by the coronavirus, Africa is bracing for the pandemic’s second wave, noting how the coronavirus has once more cut a swathe through rich countries in Europe and North Africa.
The continent’s most-hit nations are again having to contemplate stringent public health measures as they await the arrival of the vaccine cavalry.
In South Africa, the start of summer has triggered traffic jams on roads leading to coastal resorts.
But this year, there will be no long, lazy days spent on the beach.
In popular tourist destinations, the coronavirus is spreading at alarming speed. Authorities have ordered partial closures, limits on the size of gatherings, and an extended curfew.
As the African country worst hit in the pandemic, with almost 900,000 documented cases, South Africa is tightening up health restrictions.