- New Zealand has reached a record high number of COVID-19 infections yesterday, with 23,894 new cases reported on Tuesday 8 March. Today a slight decrease was recorded, with 22,454 new infections reported.
- The United States have now included New Zealand, as well as Hong Kong and Thailand, in the list of countries considered at High Risk, urging US citizens not to travel there.
- In a statement the World Health Organization expressed support for an "urgent and broad access to current COVID-19 vaccines for primary series and booster doses, particularly for groups at risk of developing severe disease", with vaccines that can be adapted to specifically combat the new variants.
- Previously WHO General Director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, had warned against blanket boosters could prolong the pandemic, exacerbating vaccine inequity between wealthy and poor countries.
- Professor Jodie McVernon, head of epidemiology at the Doherty Institute, said at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit in Sydney that Omicron could have a "winter resurgence", with waning vaccine protection in the population.
- Professor McVernon added that influenza, that was noticeably absent during the pandemic, is likely to come back this winter.
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,038 patients hospitalised with 39 in intensive care. There were 9 deaths, and 13,179 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 196 people are in hospital with 32 in ICU and 3 on ventilators. There were 9 deaths and 7,081 new infections.
Tasmania has recorded 1,109 new COVID-19 cases. There are 14 people with COVID-19 in hospital, with 4 requiring intensive care.
In the ACT 37 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, 2 of them requiring intensive care, with 838 new infections reported.
In Queensland, there were 4,801 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths. 262 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 19 patients in ICU.
In Western Australia there were 3,594 new cases of COVID-19 with 67 people currently in hospital with COVID-19.
In South Australia 90 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 and 15 of them are in ICU, 2 are ventilated. There were 2,560 new cases and 3 deaths.
In the Northern Territory there were 205 new cases of COVID-19 and one death. 33 people are now in hospital with one patient in ICU.
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