Corona numbers in Australia are increasing dramatically – concern in clinics

The authorities in the country with 25 million inhabitants reported more than 64,700 new infections on Wednesday, almost 17,000 more than on Tuesday. For days, the authorities have been recording new record values, mainly because of the spread of the contagious Omikron variant. For comparison: at the end of November the numbers were between 1,000 and 1,500 new infections per day.

The most populous states of New South Wales with the city of Sydney and Victoria are particularly affected with the metropolis of Melbourne. In New South Wales alone, around 35,000 new cases were reported on Wednesday, up from 23,000 on Tuesday. Almost 1,500 people in the region on the east coast are now in hospital in connection with Covid-19 – very much the concern of the health authorities.

As around 2,500 hospital employees are following Contacts with the virus were sent in isolation, there is a lack of staff in many places to look after the sick, reported the Australian Guardian. In some clinics, “desperate measures” are already being taken: Nurses have been called back to duty even though they have tested positive for the virus, according to the newspaper, citing those affected.

PCR test only for symptoms

The chief health officer of New South Wales, Kerry Chant, had recently called on citizens to only go to the hospital when it was absolutely necessary. A PCR test should only be done if someone is also experiencing symptoms, she advised. “It is important that we all do our part not to burden the health system unnecessarily,” she emphasized.

Australia had long pursued a zero Covid strategy and its national borders closed to visitors. To contain the pandemic, strict rules were introduced and long regional lockdowns were imposed.