SYDNEY – Hospitals in the Australian state of Victoria will run at an unprecedented capacity level to clear the elective surgery backlog due to COVID-19 restrictions. The state government announced a “COVID Catch-up Plan” on Sunday, promising to raise Victorian hospitals’ capacity by 25 percent in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels, allowing an additional 40,000 … Read more
SYDNEY – The potentially fatal Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is continuing to seep across Australia’s flooded regions with confirmation of another case on Monday. The JEV patient, a man in his 60s from the state of New South Wales (NSW), is the sixth case of the state, while the total infections nationally reached at least … Read more
CANBERRA – Australia’s medical regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said on Thursday that it has provisionally approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals aged six years and older. The decision follows the provisional approvals granted by the TGA to Moderna for the use of the vaccine, SPIKEVAX, in individuals aged 12 years … Read more
SYDNEY – New data released by the Australian state of Queensland on Wednesday showed a concerning rise in COVID-19 cases among school-age children. There were 1,905 cases reported in Queensland’s children aged 5-17 on Wednesday, up from the previous day’s 1,587. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer John Gerrard admitted there has been “a bump in cases … Read more
KARACHI: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday urged the Cooperative Market fire incident victims to submit their claims in order to avoid delays in disbursement, a statement said. Businessmen Group (BMG) Chairman Zubair Motiwala and Karachi Chamber President Muhammad Idrees while assuring full support and cooperation to shopkeepers of the fire-hit … Read more
CANBERRA – Australia approved the Novavax vaccine for people aged 18 and over on Monday, making it the fourth COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for use in Australia after AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended the Novavax vaccine be given in two doses, at least three weeks … Read more
Crowds at the troubled Australian Open will be capped at 50 per cent capacity as Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations continue to rise in Melbourne, announced Thursday. Face masks will also be mandatory at the opening Grand Slam of the year, which starts on Monday, except when eating or drinking, and spectators must socially distance themselves … Read more
MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic was drawn Thursday to play fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open despite ongoing uncertainty over whether he will still be in the country. The world number one, top seed and defending champion is looking to clinch a 10th title at Melbourne Park starting next week and a record … Read more
MELBOURNE: Australia was poised Thursday to decide if it will deport Novak Djokovic following a sensational legal battle over the tennis superstar’s arrival in the country without a Covid-19 vaccine. The 34-year-old world number one’s hopes of a record 21st Grand Slam were in peril after he admitted breaking isolation rules in Serbia and to an incorrect … Read more
CANBERRA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) — Australia’s COVID-19 case number surpassed 500,000 on Tuesday. Chris Moy, vice president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said the government has failed to come up with a plan for rapid antigen tests (RATs) amid reports of supply shortfalls and price gouging. “There is an inability to supply at the … Read more
SYDNEY, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — Australia’s states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the two major entry ports of the country, further eased quarantine rules for international travelers despite the increasing infections of COVID-19. From Dec. 21, fully vaccinated international travelers and flight crew arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer need a … Read more
MELBOURNE: Australia’s Boxing Day Test against arch-rivals England and next year’s Australian Open tennis will be played before a full house, Melbourne authorities said Thursday as they removed more pandemic restrictions. Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said that the state was about to hit 90 per cent vaccination, allowing long-standing restrictions to be swept aside, including … Read more
SYDNEY: Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday called for the Australian Open to be cancelled, while unexpectedly showing sympathy to tennis world number one Novak Djokovic, who has refused to reveal his vaccination status. The mercurial Australian said he believed January’s opening Grand Slam of the year should not go ahead out of respect for the struggles Melbourne, which … Read more
SYDNEY: In the Australian state of Victoria, healthcare workers battling a rising number of Covid-19 cases believe that a series of violent demonstrations in the capital city of Melbourne could trigger an even worse spike in the disease. On Friday morning, police riot squads, armed with tear gas and rubber bullets were bracing for further … Read more
Nearly 2,000 current COVID-19 cases across the state indicates a shift away from “chasing zero.” Premier Daniel Andrews announced the decision to lift the lockdown in regional Victoria. Restrictions will be eased in regional Victoria, with the exception of Greater Shepparton, beginning Friday morning. The state has recorded 221 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, its third … Read more
Multiple people surviving coronavirus lockdowns in Victoria who are unable to pay their rent so that Victoria announces a $1,500 one-off payment for struggling renters. After reporting 246 new locally acquired coronavirus cases, the state government announced the grant on Monday. Tenants who pay more than 30% of their income on rent will be eligible for payments … Read more
SYDNEY: Australia’s second most populous state of Victoria will extend its lockdown as the state’s daily increase of local transmission stood on triple figures for the first time in the current outbreak. Victoria reported 120 new locally acquired cases and two deaths on Wednesday. “Due to the ongoing level of community transmission and the continued … Read more
As the state recorded 24 new cases of COVID-19, the commander of Victoria says officials are “exceptionally concerned” about the virus’s undiscovered spread in Melbourne’s inner south-east. Six of the new cases were in the community for some period before being diagnosed, and 18 were under quarantine while infectious. Twenty of the cases have been … Read more
Tesla Megapack caught fire during initial testing of the most awaited new utility-scale battery in Victoria, Australia. Luckily, there were no casualties within the facility and its surroundings, CNBC reported. The fire did not pose any risk to the nearby community, according to Bloomberg. However, it did release toxic smoke, which triggered a warning for … Read more
A state of disaster has been declared in Australia’s Victoria, with the local government implementing a night curfew as part of its harshest movement restrictions to date to contain the coronavirus. According to the details, State Premier Daniel Andrews said that the new restrictions, to be in place for six weeks until mid-September, will allow … Read more
