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 Melbourne joins Sydney in lockdown
The Australian state of Victoria was ordered into a five-day
lockdown on Thursday following a spike in COVID-19 infections,
joining Sydney as the country's two main population hubs battle an
outbreak of the Delta variant.
From midnight, the state of 6.6 million people was told to stay home
except for grocery shopping, essential work, exercise, healthcare
and getting vaccinated. The lockdown in Australia's second-largest
city of Melbourne is its fifth since the pandemic began a year and a
half ago.
Indonesia grapples with 'worst-case scenario'
Indonesia is already grappling with a "worst-case scenario", a
senior minister said on Thursday, adding the government was
preparing for a further climb in cases.
Indonesia began its vaccine rollout in January, but only about 5.8%
of its 270 million people have received both shots.
Wednesday's tally of more than 54,000 cases was the latest of many
peaks in the past month, and up more than tenfold on the number of
infections at the start of June.
Singapore races to find karaoke guests, hostesses
Singapore was racing on Thursday to find people linked to a growing
cluster of infections that were traced to KTV lounges in a fresh
outbreak that has prompted a wider crackdown on vice and nightspots
breaking social distancing rules.
The city state has been largely successful in preventing the spread
of virus, but the advent of the Delta variant has heightened
concern.
The 56 new local cases reported on Wednesday were the highest daily
tally in 10 months, and three-quarters were traced to KTV clubs.
Thailand says AstraZeneca asked to delay vaccine delivery
AstraZeneca has asked Thailand to extend the timeline for the
delivery of 61 million doses of its vaccine by five months, a deputy
minister said on Thursday, a move likely to further disrupt the
country's sluggish vaccine rollout.
The reported request points to a slow production ramp-up at its
local manufacturing partner, which had initial production and
delivery issues.
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Germany's BioNTech denied it was in talks with Thailand's Thonburi
Healthcare Group for a deal to import 20 million doses of the
coronavirus vaccine to Thailand.
Most Britons want restrictions to remain
Two thirds of people in Britain think at least some coronavirus
restrictions should stay in place after July 19 when Prime Minister
Boris Johnson plans to do away with them in England, according to an
opinion poll published on Thursday.
Sixty-six percent of people taking part in the poll by Kantar Public
wanted some, most or all of the restrictions to remain and 60%
thought everyone should continue to wear face masks in shops and on
public transport.
Johnson has said people in England should use their own judgement
about whether to use masks after July 19.
Thousands rally in Greek capital against vaccinations
More than 5,000 anti-vaccine protesters rallied in Athens on
Wednesday to oppose Greece's coronavirus vaccinations programme.
Shouting "take your vaccines and get out of here!" and calling on
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to resign, the protesters
gathered outside parliament under a heavy police presence.
Police in Paris clashed with protesters railing against President
Emmanuel Macron's plan to require a COVID-19 vaccine certificate or
negative PCR test to gain entry to bars, restaurants and cinemas
from next month.
Risk of COVID spread from athletes is 'zero', IOC chief says
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on
Thursday there was "zero" risk of Games participants infecting
Japanese residents with COVID-19, as cases hit a six-month high in
the host city.
"Risk for the other residents of Olympic village and risk for the
Japanese people is zero," Bach said, adding that Olympics athletes
and delegations have undergone more than 8,000 coronavirus tests,
resulting in three positive cases.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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