The Australian Health Services Union (HSU) has warned fatigued staff at NSW hospitals are feeling the effects of "under-investment" after the state recorded another 20,794 Covid-19 cases and four deaths.
A medical worker doing PCR tests at a drive-through Covid-19 test centre in western Sydney on 21 December, 2021. Photo: AFP
In the 24 hours to 8pm, hospital admissions rose to 1204, up from 1066 in the previous reporting period.
It is the highest number of people being treated for Covid-19 in the state's hospitals since 23 September.
There are now 95 patients in intensive care and 25 who require ventilation.
The HSU has warned the hospital system will reach a critical phase within two to three months if changes are not made by the state government.
Union secretary Gerard Hayes told the ABC staff at hospitals were chronically fatigued and feeling the effects of "under-investment" in resourcing.
"Now we're paying the price for that, and if we do not do something about that immediately, we are going to see people starting to leave the industry because this pressure that they're under for the last 18 months cannot be sustained," Hayes said.
Last week the state government made critical health workers exempt from isolating if they become a close contact - a move Hayes said was a "short-term, knee-jerk reaction".
Victoria has had more cases this year than all of 2020
Victoria has recorded 8577 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths, as hospitalisations rise to their highest level in nearly two months.
The daily cases tally marks a new record for Victoria, surpassing the previous high of 7442, reported on 1 January.
Victoria's Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said Omicron was moving rapidly across the community.
"In the first three days of this year we've had more cases already than we had in the whole of 2020," he said.
"The rate of positive cases of all the ones we're testing has gone to numbers we've never seen before."
Weimar said one in five tests were now coming back positive, which was a tenfold increase on pre-Omicron rates.
The health department has reported that 11 percent of the population aged 12 and older have now received three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
There are now 38,118 active cases of the virus in Victoria and 718 people have died during the current outbreak.
There are 491 people in hospital with Covid-19 in Victoria, of whom 56 are in intensive care and 24 are on a ventilator.
Queensland records 4249 new cases
A Queensland man in his late 30s has died of a "probable" Covid-19-related illness, authorities say, with the state recording 4249 new infections in the latest reporting period.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the man "died suddenly in his home on the Gold Coast last night" and testing was underway to confirm whether his death was Covid-19-related.
"All I would say very strongly is that it's very, very unusual for a young man to die suddenly from Covid-19," Dr Gerrard said.
"So it needs further investigation exactly what has happened here."
He said it was believed the man who died had been vaccinated.
Dr Gerrard said the death has been referred to the state coroner for investigation and the Covid-19 link to the man's death was based on a positive rapid antigen test.
"We don't even have confirmation of the diagnosis … I should make that clear," he said.
There are 10 people in ICU in hospital and one person is on a ventilator.
Dr Gerrard said the "vast majority" of people with Covid-19, particularly young people and the vaccinated, have experienced mild illness but serious illness was possible.
"We have over 20,000 active cases [in Queensland] and only one patient on a ventilator last night.
"All of us are going to be exposed in the next few weeks, I think we just have to assume that all of us are going to be exposed."
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned older Queenslanders who were yet to receive a vaccine booster to limit their movements in the coming weeks.
-ABC