- New South Wales has today reported an unusually high number of new COVID-19 infections, over 30,000.
- NSW Health explained that around 10,000 positive RATs from Sunday and Monday have been included in today’s figure, artificially inflating the numbers. Even taking this into account, infections appear to be on an upward trend.
- A significant increase in case numbers has also be experienced in other Australian states and territories, with hospitalisation rates still relatively unaffected.
- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today confirmed Australians will be able to enter the country without quarantine from 11.59 pm on April 12, if fully vaccinated.
- Australians will be the first allowed back in the country that has been closed to the world since the start of the pandemic, with other visa waiver countries allowed to visit without isolating from 11.59pm on May 1.
- A pre-departure negative test result will be required, either from a PCR or a supervised RAT or LAMP test. RATs will be provided at the airport for testing on arrival and on day 5/6.
- Applications open today at 2pm for the third round of in Tasmania. Small businesses will be able to apply for grants from $1,000 to $10,000, if they experienced trading losses or reduced customer demand due to COVID-19 for the period of 15 February 2022 to 14 March 2022.
- Yesterday's meeting of the South Australian COVID Ready Committee did not result in the expected changes on mask wearing and isolation policies. Face masks continue to be mandatory in South Australia in indoor public places.
- SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said that this decision was based on health advice, adding that he expected to see changes "very soon".
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,016 patients hospitalised with 36 in intensive care. There were 5 deaths and 30,402 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 201 people are in hospital with 24 in ICU and 6 on ventilators. There were 8 deaths and 9,426 new infections.
Tasmania has recorded 1,859 new COVID-19 cases and one death. There are 18 people with COVID-19 in hospital, with 2 requiring intensive care.
In the ACT 39 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, 4 of them requiring intensive care and 1,226 new infections have been reported.
In Queensland, there were 6,136 new COVID-19 cases and 3 deaths. 255 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 21 patients in ICU.
In Western Australia there were 6,062 new cases of COVID-19 and one death, with 123 people currently in hospital and 2 patients requiring intensive care.
In the Northern Territory there were 251 new cases of COVID-19. 24 people are now in hospital with 4 patients in ICU.
In South Australia 136 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 and 10 of them are in ICU, 2 are ventilated. There were 3,122 new cases.
Find a COVID-19 testing clinic
Register your RAT results here, if you're positive