New South Wales has recorded 12,632 new COVID-19 cases and after a further 38 fatalities overnight. Hospitalisations have dropped to 2578 receiving care with 160 patients currently in ICU.
Victoria has recorded another 12,157 new infections today, alongside 34 deaths. Hospitalisations have decreased to 752, with ICU numbers also dropping to 82.
Despite an apparent plateauing of cases, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said that Australia could face a tough winter Omicron wave.
“There will be another wave of Omicron, most likely in the winter,” he said, speaking to a COVID-19 committee hearing.
“Every June since 2020 there has been a wave of COVID in Australia and other southern hemisphere countries.”
Meanwhile, Tasmania has recorded 656 new cases of COVID-19 with 13 people in hospital. Of those, two are in intensive care.
Moreover, vaccinated New Zealanders in Australia can travel home quarantine-free from 27 February while citizens in the rest of the world will be able to do so two weeks later, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said earlier today, announcing a phased reopening of the borders.
More to come.
