Australia to push ahead with reopening amid record COVID-19 cases -Breaking
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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO A face-mask-wearing person walks on the Sydney Harbour waterfront, across from the Sydney Opera House, during an operation to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), in Sydney, Australia. October 6, 2021. REUTERS/Loren ElliottSYDNEY (Reuters – Australia’s government claimed that Omicron, a strain of COVID-19 has a less severe impact than the Omicron. The country can continue to plan for reopening its economy despite the fact that new infections have reached peaks of over 37,000 and people are being admitted.
On Monday, record daily cases were reported in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, along with the Australian Capital Territory.
New South Wales had 20,794 cases. This was higher than Sunday’s, but lower than Saturday’s daily record of 22,577, and testing numbers were lower during the New Year holiday weekend.
National daily records reached more than 37.150 cases. This is higher than Saturday’s 35.327 cases.
Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Canada, told Channel Seven that “we have to stop thinking only about cases and start looking at serious illness, living and managing with the virus and making sure that our economy continues to function,” he said.
New South Wales saw an increase in hospitalisations to 1,204, up over 10% from Sunday and three times that of Christmas Day.
Greg Hunt, Federal Health Minister, stated that Omicron was more transmittable but less severe than the other strains. This reduced risk for both the individual and the system.
Michael Bonning is the chairman of Australia’s Medical Association’s New South Wales Council. He said that the increased number of hospitalisations and peak holiday periods, as well as the increase in COVID-affected health workers, were placing pressure on their capacity.
He stated that both Christmas and hospital staff were being furloughed because of their close contact status …., it was becoming difficult to staff critical areas in hospitals.
The government made changes to its recommendations for when COIVD-19-positive people should receive a free PCR test. It is now calling for more rapid antigen testing, partly because of the increased demand for such tests.
The rapid antigen test is not in sufficient supply so Morrison claimed that the government will not pay for the costs of people testing themselves. His estimate was A$15 ($10.90).
He stated, “We are now at an additional stage of the pandemic now. We just can’t make it all free.”
On Monday eight COVID-related deaths were reported, bringing the nation’s total to 2,260.
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