New South Wales and Victoria have recorded a slight drop in COVID-19 cases; with 23,702 and 9244 cases identified overnight respectively.
However, a further sixteen people have died across the two states, seven in NSW and nine in Victoria.
Hospitalisations have increased in NSW with 1182 admissions. Of those, 43 are in ICU.
READ MORE: 'Super cold' cases on the rise with symptoms similar to COVID-19
In Victoria admissions are also up with 253 recorded overnight, compared to 244 yesterday. There are nineteen people in ICU.
To compare, NSW recorded 24,803 cases yesterday, while Victoria saw 10,259.
NSW Health is urging residents "to take simple precautions" to limit the spread of COVID-19.
These include:
- Using a mask in indoor settings
- Getting a booster vaccine
- Testing and isolating immediately upon experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Queensland
Queensland's COVID-19 cases have dropped to 9730. To compare 11,018 were recorded yesterday.
Three lives have been lost in the state, but hospitalisations are down to 265 with 14 people in ICU.
https://twitter.com/qldhealth/status/1507160336037675013?s=20&t=8_0iPRfc0TzUIJIbQQO2_AThe figures come after ATAGI approved a fourth booster dose for those 65 and over, the immunocompromised and those in aged care and disability settings.
Infectious disease expert Professor Robert Booy welcomes the news in light of the highly-transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant, which is driving cases up.
"(Boosters) become more important if the disease starts returning, especially if a variant happens," he said.
"For the moment the immunosuppressed and the vulnerable are becoming into focus for the fourth dose.
"The virus can mutate so easily. While it's in your body it can change. So it's a real concern."
A two-month-old child infant was confirmed to have died from the Omicron strain yesterday.
The death, recorded in December and first publicly reported in January, is the second this week of a child under the age of three.
