Australia, New Zealand border may reopen by September

[SYDNEY] Australia and New Zealand may reopen their borders to travel from the two countries as soon as September, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper cited Simon Birmingham, Australia's tourism and trade minister, as saying.

The minister said in the July 3 interview the time frame was realistic, though this would require the agreement of New Zealand's government and is subject to uncertainties such as renewed outbreaks.

A Bloomberg News inquiry to the minister's office on Saturday did not receive an immediate response.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's public notification service Smart Traveller on Friday said a passenger limit would be applied to incoming flights because of pressure on Sydney's quarantine facilities.

A limit of 450 passengers a day will be applied to international flights arriving in Sydney from July 4 to July 17, the department said on its website, adding the timetable for the restriction could be extended.

On Saturday, Sydney's New South Wales state government reported five more cases of the virus, bringing the total to 3,216. All the infections involved returned travellers now in hotel quarantine, the state's health department said.

BLOOMBERG