AUSTRALIA: The number of COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals has more than doubled since Christmas as experts in Australia predict case numbers could reach 100,000 a day and medical professionals warn of a “widespread staffing crisis”.
New South Wales recorded 22,577 cases on Saturday, with 901 in hospital and 79 in intensive care – up 388 and 52 in a week, respectively.
Professor Adrian Esterman, the chair of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of South Australia, said NSW could easily hit 100,000 daily cases by the end of January if the virus maintains its trajectory.
With a current reproductive rate of more than two, case numbers in NSW are doubling every four days, Esterman said.
“In four days time that is about 40,000 cases, and four days after that 80,000 cases, so you can see how easily it can reach 100,000 cases,” he said.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday said his country’s health system can cope with the new wave of coronavirus infections as Victoria state reported a record number of new cases and hospitalizations surged in New South Wales.
Speaking with the Seven Network, Prime Minister Morrison said Australia’s health system is well equipped to deal with the surge in case numbers caused by the spread of the omicron variant.
– The SYDNEY
MORNING HERALD, THE HINDUSTAN TIMES