COVID-19

"To 8pm last night, there were 1218 cases of community transmission, and we extend our deepest condolences to six families of loved ones who died of Covid," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said at a press conference in Sydney.

"Three people in their 80s, three people in their 70s, four of them were unvaccinated and two of them had only had one dose of the vaccine.

"So again, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of those six individuals."

Thirty-six of the new cases were in quarantine for the duration of their infectious periods, and 49 of the cases have been linked to existing outbreaks.

State-run clinics administered 35,753 doses of vaccine, bringing the total number of vaccine doses administered to 2,324,198.

There were 55,333 test results received in 24 hours.

Melbourne's western suburbs remain a key area of concern for authorities.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said an August 15 service at the Assembly of God Church of Samoa remains the event with the highest number of Covid cases this outbreak.

The Science Media Centre asked experts to comment.

Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu, Associate Dean (Pacific), Head of University of Otago Wellington Pacific Office, and Senior Lecturer, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, comments:

Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins said the variant "changes the game considerably" and makes existing protections "look less adequate".

It comes as the country announced a further 21 confirmed cases in the latest outbreak of the virus.

New Zealand had quashed earlier Covid outbreaks with rapid, strict lockdowns.

The country was praised for its efforts, which effectively stopped the spread of the virus. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly referred to New Zealand as "our team of five million".

Frontline workers including pilots, cabin crew and airport staff must be fully vaccinated by mid-November.

The company says its remaining employees have until the end of March next year to receive both doses.

It comes as the state of New South Wales reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus infections.

The Australian flag carrier is the country's biggest, most high-profile company to introduce a mandatory vaccination policy.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told RNZ's Morning Report one of the new cases is a nurse at Auckland Hospital.

"The health workforce are very well versed and mapping these issues and have done in the past.

We have had COVID-positive cases in our health workforce before. What's different on this occasion is that we have this individual who is fully vaccinated."

Ardern said the four new cases were the workmate of the 58-year-old Devonport man and the workmate's close or household contacts.

Three patients and two staff members at St George Hospital in Kogarah contracted the virus. The hospital is treating all patients in the ward as close contacts.

Dr Anthony Holley, the President of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, said it was very concerning but not unexpected.

"These are the most at-risk patients in many ways, particularly immunocompromised patients that might be found in an oncology ward.

It will come into effect at 17:00 local time on Thursday (07:00 GMT).

The lockdown was called for the whole of the Australian Capital Territory - home to around 400,000 people - because authorities do not know how the infected person caught the virus.

Residents will only be able to leave home for essential reasons.

Queues were reported at supermarkets as the lockdown approached.

Australia is struggling to get on top of the highly infectious Delta strain, which has resulted in two of its largest cities - Sydney and Melbourne - going into strict lockdowns.

  The Fijian side relocated to Australia six months ago to compete in the Ron Massey Cup, after last year's competition was cancelled because of Covid-19.

The Silktails managed six wins, six losses and one draw in 13 matches before the competition was suspended at the start of July, with their last hitout a 26-16 win over Blacktown Workers on 24 June.

The conservative TV network, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has been criticised for promoting conspiracies and questioning public health orders in its broadcasts.

In recent days it has taken down about 30 videos without explanation or making corrections.

Sky News Australia has declined to comment.

But its parent company, News Corp Australia, told local media the network had taken an "editorial decision" to remove the videos.