- "We call on all countries to remain vigilant," the World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, after COVID-19 cases increased by eight per cent last week, after falling for weeks.
- The increase has been recorded even "despite a significant reduction in testing that's occurring worldwide", said WHO's technical lead on COVID-19 Maria Van Kerkhove.
- Ms Van Kerkhove added there are "huge amounts of misinformation" around. "The misinformation that Omicron is mild, misinformation that the pandemic is over, misinformation that this is the last variant that we will have to deal with".
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics published showing hours worked in February in the country were 8.9% higher than in January, when the Omicron wave caused an unusually large number of people to be sick or on leave.
- Even considering the rebound, this February there was still a higher than usual number of people working reduced or no hours due to illness or sick leave, compared to the previous six Februarys.
- for the State election on 19 March.
- They will be able to leave their home to drive directly to collect a voting pack and then to a post box to return their ballot papers.
- One month from today on April 17 cruise ships will be allowed again in Australian ports, with their ban coming to an end after more than 2 years. States will still be able to set their own rules on how this will happen.
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,036 patients hospitalised with 34 in intensive care. There were 5 deaths and 20,087 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 197 people are in hospital with 23 in ICU and 4 on ventilators. There were 7 deaths and 9,752 new infections.
Tasmania has recorded 1,909 new COVID-19 cases. There are 25 people with COVID-19 in hospital, with 3 requiring intensive care.
In the ACT 39 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, 3 of them requiring intensive care and 1,311 new infections have been reported.
In Queensland, there were 7,190 new COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths. 263 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 19 patients in ICU.
In Western Australia there were 7,151 new cases of COVID-19 and one death, with 140 people currently in hospital and 4 patients requiring intensive care.
In South Australia 132 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 and 8 of them are in ICU, 3 are ventilated. There were 4,474 new cases and 3 deaths.
In the Northern Territory there were 241 new cases of COVID-19. 23 people are now in hospital with 2 patients in ICU.
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