Australian PM meets state leaders as virus cases rise

SYDNEY (AP) – New COVID-19 cases in Australia’s most populous state rose to pandemic records, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with state leaders to discuss prevention measures. prevent. Morrison emerged from Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting once again dismissing the lockdown orders and concealing mandates imposed by the federal government. He said mask-wearing policies were best left to state governments and to Australians, who should follow “common behavioral measures”. Australia has been battling the omicron variant of COVID-19 for about four weeks, and cases are steadily increasing in the populous states of New South Wales and Victoria.