Coronavirus infections hit daily record in Sydney

COVID-19 infections hit a new daily record in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday as its greater metropolitan area saw 838 cases, Reuters reported. 

Sydney, Australia’s largest city and the capital of the state of New South Wales, has seen a large number of cases despite being under lockdown orders for two months, the wire service noted. For Wednesday, 919 new cases were reported in New South Wales.

In Victoria, which is also under lockdown in addition to the Australian Capital Territory, the Australian state reported 45 COVID-19 cases, the second day in a row that case numbers have fallen there.

The country has seen a lagging vaccination rollout. About 54 percent of people in Australia over the age of 16 have been partially vaccinated and 31 percent are fully vaccinated, according to Reuters.

In total, Australia has seen more than 46,000 cases and close to 1,000 deaths.

The government in New South Wales has said that ambulance fees would be waived for those who may have COVID-19 as it attempts to mitigate the pandemic.

“The NSW Government will waive the ambulance fee for patients unwell with, or suspected to have, COVID-19,” the New South Wales’ health division tweeted.

The NSW Government will waive the ambulance fee for patients unwell with, or suspected to have, COVID-19.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 25, 2021

Reuters reported that 113 people are under intensive care in New South Wales, the vast majority of whom are unvaccinated.