Covid cases surge in most populous Australian states of Victoria, NSW

Daily Covid-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

Daily Covid-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread.

NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month, Xinhua news agency reported.

As the weather gets colder and the BA.2 variant, which is estimated to be 30 per cent to 40 per cent more transmissible than the original omicron strain, hospitalizations in the state have also grown steadily over the month.

On Wednesday 1,301 people were hospitalised with Covid-19.

Victoria also saw its highest single day increase with 11,749 new cases and seven deaths. There are currently 280 people hospitalised with the virus in the state.

Professor Nancy Baxter, head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, told Xinhua that Australia is likely to see cases continue as the nation heads into the winter months and looks to live with Covid.

"There's a number of things converging to result in us probably having another significant wave [in the winter months]."

In preparation for the winter, Australia will roll out a fourth vaccine shot to the population's most vulnerable next month.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said they would be offered to people over 65 years of age, Indigenous Australians and people with a disability or who are severely immunocompromised from April 4.

--IANS

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