Sydney virus outbreak spreads in Australia and New Zealand

By ROD McGUIRK and NICK PERRY
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian state leader is warning that Melbourne may be losing control of a COVID-19 delta variant outbreak that began in Sydney and has also spread to the New Zealand capital. The fast-moving outbreak was first detected in mid-June in Sydney, Australia’s largest city, which has reported more than 600 new infections in each of the last four days. The virus has spread to Melbourne, the nation’s second-most populous city, and has seeded New Zealand’s first outbreak in six months. The neighboring nations have used lockdowns to stamp out clusters throughout the pandemic. But the delta variant is proving more challenging. Victoria state’s premier says he is losing hope of eliminating the latest outbreak in Melbourne, which entered its sixth lockdown on Aug. 5.