Australia hits vaccine milestone as Melbourne cases hover near record levels
The Hindu
Australia has largely avoided high numbers seen in many comparable countries, with some 94,000 cases and 1,208 deaths, and the death rate is lower than last year because of higher vaccination rates
More than half of Australia's adult population were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of September 24, authorities said, as they step up inoculations in hopes of easing restrictions while cases linger near daily record levels in Victoria.
Australia is grappling with a third wave of infections from the highly infectious Delta variant that has led to lockdowns in its two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and the capital, Canberra, affecting nearly half the country's 25 million people.
These tough curbs and a decision to shut construction sites for two weeks over the rapid spread of the virus among workers triggered anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, for three straight days.