#CORONAVIRUS
Australia Commits To COVID-19 Suppression Amid Omicron Concerns
Australia’s leaders have committed to the country’s Coronavirus “suppression” strategy amid concerns over the Omicron variant.
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, with state and territory leaders agreed on Wednesday to continue to pursue a strategy of suppression at a meeting of national cabinet.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly told the meeting that there was “insufficient evidence” that vaccines are less effective against Omicron.
Kelly advised no immediate change to Australia’s border restrictions or quarantine requirements.
He said that they would learn a lot more about the variant over next few weeks.
“I think that will give us the confidence to keep moving forward because that’s what we want to do,” Morrison said in a press conference.
Australia on Wednesday reported more than 1,300 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases, one of which has been confirmed to be infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Six deaths were equally recorded as the country continued to battle the third wave of infections.
The majority of new cases were in Victoria, the country’s second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, where 1,179 cases were reported.
The Northern Territory (NT) reported three new cases, including two flight crew members who were in isolation and an infant from the Binjari community, which remains in a hard lockdown until next Tuesday.
Also in NT, three teenagers who scaled a fence to escape from the Howard Springs COVID-19 quarantine facility near Darwin in the early hours of Wednesday morning have been arrested.
The teenagers aged 15, 16 and 17 were in quarantine after being deemed close contacts of positive cases.
NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, said that while the teenagers posed a low public health threat they would face consequences for their escape, including restarting their quarantine time.
As of Tuesday 92.5 per cent of Australians aged 16 and above had received one vaccine dose and 87.2 per cent have had their second dose, according to the Department of Health.
Ohworode Of Olomu Confers Iyete Title On NUJ Warri Chairman Akpokona Omafuaire
Delta Puts $100m To Derisk Investors, Showcases Burutu Port, Glass Factory Projects
Nigeria Was The Only One Cut Out – FFK Blasts South Africa After Presenting Credentials To Ramaphosa
Tinubu Condemns Political Violence, Orders Security Agencies to Arrest Perpetrators
US Family Makes Guinness Record As Five Generations Share Same Birthday
Court Rejects Emefiele’s Objection, Admits Supreme Court Judgment
Solar Energy In Nigeria: From Luxury To Necessity As Imports Hit ₦242 Billion
US To Watch Nigeria’s January 16 Election Like A Hawk Over Violence Fears
Angry Nigerians Block INEC Chairman Amupitan’s Car Outside Chatham House In London [VIDEO]
Delta Paying Billions To Fix Federal Roads, Aniagwu Reveals
Okowa Gets Rousing Welcome in Aniocha South, Says Vote For APC Will Not Be Wasted
Tompolo’s Tantita Donates Operational Vehicles To Enerhen Divisional Police
South Africa’s Xenophobia Betrays Mandela’s Legacy , Says Tuggar
Why We Used Fake Gucci, Nike Labels To Sell More Shoes, Ogun Factory Suspects Tell Police
Ogorugba Hails Oborevwori As Iyede Monarch Ekperare I Gets Staff Of Office
