Australia on COVID-19 Alert as Sydney’s Delta Crisis Intensifies

SYDNEY - For the first time in Australia, a state government has said visitors from virus-hit parts of the country must be vaccinated to enter. The state of Western Australia has insisted the tough measures, imposed on travelers from New South Wales, are designed to curb the spread of the delta variant as a record number of infections were reported Saturday in Sydney.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the delta outbreak in neighboring New South Wales is a threat to the entire country. “New South Wales needs to have a clear plan for containment,” Palaszczuk said. “This is of serious concern to the rest of the nation.” On Saturday, a record number of 466 new infections were reported in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state.