SYDNEY – Australia’s most populous state on Sunday reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases and a sharp jump in hospitalizations, while thousands more were reported to have contracted the coronavirus or been in contact with someone who had After coming in, they were isolated at home.
New South Wales reported 6,394 new infections, up from 6,288 a day earlier. The number of cases in the state has increased over the past two weeks, but hospitalizations have been left behind by new infections.
More than 70 percent of cases in some Australian states are of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, but New South Wales does not routinely conduct genome testing to identify variants. State Health Minister Brad Hazard indicated on Sunday that O’Micron is widespread.
“We’d expect everyone in New South Wales to get an Omicron at some point,” Hazard said. “If we’re all going to get Omicron, the best way to cope with it is when we have our full vaccinations, including our boosters.”
Health officials reported 458 active cases in hospitals across the state, a sharp rise from 388 a day earlier. 52 people were in intensive care in New South Wales.
Victoria, the country’s second most populous state, reported 1,608 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on Sunday, taking 374 people in hospitals, including 77 in intensive care.
More than 30,000 people in Victoria spent Christmas isolating at home, unable to celebrate with family or friends. Of them, about half were reported as active cases who contracted the virus in the days leading up to Christmas.
Doctors and pharmacists in New South Wales have said they are reducing the dose of the vaccine they have amid a rush for anxiety-inducing shots on the Omicron version.