New Zealand has suspended the trans-Tasman travel bubble for at least eight weeks starting Saturday amid worsening coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Australia. A travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia was launched last year aimed at boosting international tourism as the two countries had been largely successful in preventing any major outbreak. Apart from minor snags, the travel bubble was working smoothly until the highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India, entered Australia. On Thursday, Australia reported 152 new Covid-19 cases and the bulk of them came from New South Wales capital Sydney. "We have an obligation on behalf of the nation to contain the virus," said New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Source: Hindustan Times July 23, 2021 13:29 UTC