Covid-19 case numbers are falling in Australia's NSW and Victoria, but both states are still grappling with deaths and relying heavily on rapid antigen test reporting.
People queuing for PCR testing in Melbourne. Photo: Recep Sakar / Anadolu Agency via AFP
NSW: 28 deaths, 2321 in hospitals and case numbers fall to 7893
NSW has recorded 28 deaths from Covid-19 as the state's daily case numbers drop below 10,000 for the first time since December.
In the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday, there were 2321 people with the virus in hospital, of whom 147 were in intensive care units.
There were 7893 new cases in that reporting period, of which 4337 were detected by rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 3556 by PCR swabs.
The last time the state recorded fewer than 10,000 cases was 27 December, when 6032 infections were announced.
Data shows 43.5 percent of eligible NSW residents have now received three vaccine doses, while 42.8 per cent of children aged 5 to 11 years old have had their first jab.
Of the 28 deaths reported this morning, two were in their 40s, three were in their 60s, six were in their 70s, ten people were in their 80s, and seven people were in their 90s. Five of those who died had received three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, 20 had received two doses, and three were not vaccinated.
NSW has now recorded 1566 deaths from Covid-19 in NSW since the pandemic began.
Yesterday, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the state was "travelling very well" at this stage of the Omicron wave.
"We are seeing some very pleasing and reassuring data coming through in relation to hospitalisations and ICU presentations," he said.
Victoria: more than 650 people in hospitals, six deaths and 7169 new cases
Victoria has recorded the deaths of another six Covid-19 patients in the wake of last month's huge Omicron surge.
The number of people in hospital after contracting the virus sits at 652, down from 687 a day earlier. Of those patients, 73 are in intensive care units, with 28 people on ventilators.
The state reported 7169 new infections - 2703 from PCR results and 4466 from RATs.
It is the lowest daily case count since 31 December, just before the Omicron wave saw an explosion of new infections. The testing system was under immense strain at the time, and the official count was thought to not represent the real number of cases in the community.
The is now 60,917 people with active infections in the state. The number of new infections reported each day and the rate of hospitalisations has been trending steadily downwards for the past three weeks.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths reported each week has stayed tragically high, with 41 fatalities recorded in Saturday's update. In the last week alone, the deaths of 184 people with Covid-19 were reported to the health department in Victoria.
Deaths tend to lag behind new infections by at least a week.
About 43 percent of the state's adult population has now had a third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. And just under half of children aged between five and 11 have had their first dose of a vaccine.
Pop-up paediatric vaccine hubs are continuing to run at schools across the state today, with 15 primary schools set up to get children their doses.
Queensland: nine deaths, mostly in aged care, lack of boosters to blame - CHO
Queensland has recorded another nine Covid-19 deaths in the latest reporting period, including seven in aged care facilities.
The state recorded 5746 new cases, but Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said there had been a "substantial reduction" in hospitalisations, with 726 people currently in hospital, and 47 in intensive care.
Of the nine deaths, two people were unvaccinated, two had only a single dose, while four had received two shots. None had received their booster.
Dr Gerrard said the pattern in the state's deaths was becoming "increasingly clear".
"Most of the deaths we are seeing in Queensland are in the un-boosted older age group, so un-boosted older Queenslanders are at highest risk of death.
"Also, there is a significant risk of serious illness and death in the unvaccinated younger age group as well, but as we're now close to 90 percent double-vaxxed, we focus more and more on those boosters in that older age group."
There have been a total of 277 Covid-related deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic, with 268 of those occurring since 13 December, when Queensland's border reopened.
There were reports on Saturday that the Covid-stricken Jeta Gardens facility would be evacuated, after Covid-19 claimed the lives of 15 residents and infected almost 200 residents and staff. The federal health department later confirmed an evacuation was not required.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said such an extreme measure was a last resort.
"These are, by and large, not very mobile and well folks and... moving them from their home can be very dangerous for them."
Miles said the situation at Jeta Gardens was indicative of a national issue and the crisis was not confined to deaths from the virus.
"It's the cumulative impact of staff shortages, of isolation requirements, of other supply chain issues," he said.
"We've got people now who have been isolating, who are feeling very isolated, the impact on their mental health is significant or they're not getting the regularity of care that they used to, whether that's a bathing or other assistance.
"They're not getting in some cases, the medication and medical care that they would normally receive because their facility has staff off with Covid or because they've potentially been exposed to Covid.
Tasmania and ACT
In Tasmania one person has died and 471 new cases have been reported, and in ACT there have been no new deaths, but 323 new cases have been reported.
-ABC