Multiple outbreaks in Australia leads to a record number of Omicron cases

Authorities say logging rapid tests will allow people to be connected to healthcare. Photo / NCA NewsWire

Australia announced a new daily case count of Covid-19 on Thursday, as several Omicron outbreaks continue to drive up hospitalization and mortality tolls.

On Thursday, New South Wales reported 92,264 new Covid-19 cases after including fast antigen test results from the previous 12 days in the count.

A record of 21 Covid-19-related deaths has been verified, making Thursday the bloodiest day of the outbreak in NSW thus far. On Wednesday, the same number of deaths were reported.

In NSW, 2383 patients were hospitalized with the virus, 182 in intensive care, up from 2242 and 175 on Wednesday.

NSW Health reported that fast tests and 30,877 found 61,387 new cases via PCR tests.

Meanwhile, Victoria has reported 37,169 new cases and 25 Covid-related deaths in the last 24 hours.

Queensland reported 14,914 new Covid-19 infections and six further deaths. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has eliminated the requirement for Rapid Antigen Tests and border passes for anyone entering the state domestically through land or air.

A total of 144,347 cases were reported in the three states.

The findings of rapid tests included

On Thursday, 19 infections were predicted to spike in NSW following 82,000 quick test results reported on the system's first day of operation.

Some of those individuals may have undergone PCR tests following a positive quick test result and hence would not have been counted twice, though health officials have not clarified this.

Residents will be required to submit their quick tests or face a A$1000 fine beginning next week.

Within two hours of the online portal's debut at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, nearly 14,000 users reported their findings via the Service NSW app.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello stated that by the end of the day, that figure had increased to more than 82,000.

He informed Sunrise that the statistic was based on results from the previous 12 days. Positive tests include infections detected by individuals conducting self-tests at their homes since January 1.

Health officials have stated that tracking fast test results will provide a more precise picture of the infection rate and connect patients with needed healthcare.

The penalties for failing to log positive RAT tests will begin January 19, Dominello stated but did not elaborate on how it would be enforced.

He agreed that enforcing it would be "almost impossible," and the government would rely on citizens abiding by the guidelines.

"However, it demonstrates to the public that A: we take this seriously. We need to take this seriously as a government and as a community," he said.

"Yes, as we have done for the last two years, we will rely on the public to get us through this.

"But I've got no doubt when you look at the vaccination rates and all the other things that we have asked the public to do … they have always stood up to the mark."

Dominello stated that individuals might be required to demonstrate their coronavirus infection and registration in the future.

"There may be grants in the future, for example, if you need to get financial assistance in the federal government, hypothetically and they need to say, well, show us that you had Covid," he said.

He stated that NSW was following the lead of the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory in instituting a financial penalty.

The NSW government has ordered 100 million quick tests, which it intends to distribute mainly to vital public employees, schools, rural areas, disadvantaged groups, and the healthcare providers who care for them.

On Thursday, NSW recorded 34,759 new illnesses via PCR testing.

Publish : 2022-01-13 12:00:00

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