The COVID-19 outbreak in Australia's largest city, Sydney, capital of New South Wales state, is accelerating, with a new cases number today expected to be above 100.
(If you are reading this from somewhere other than Australia or New Zealand you might be wondering what all the fuss is about, but tolerance within governments in NZ and Oz for the spread of the infection is very, very low and restrictions are swiftly imposed).
Sydney is in (its form of) lockdown (its a relatively mild lockdown, up to now at least). Federal government job and wage support ended in March, so those laid off from work or have shuttered their business are on their own. However, a new support package is expected to be announced today. I don't have the details of what to expect at this stage.
Latest from Sydney/NSW:
- 77 new cases were reported on Sunday, with 33 of those being said to have been out and about circulating in the community while infectious
- Monday's report is expected to be 100+ new cases
- the first COVID-19 fatality in the state (NSW) for the year was recorded over the weekend
- 52 in hospital
- 15 people in ICU
- 5 on ventilators
