Qld surgery bans amid 11,174 COVID cases
Queensland has reported 11,174 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths, as the state suspends non-urgent elective surgeries for eight weeks.
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PM urges workers: keep pushing through
More of the economy is coming under strain as Omicron ravages supply chains and uncertainty affecting everything from recruitment to farmers, food and shops.
Qld mulls over suspending elective surgery
The Queensland government is poised to decide in the coming days whether to suspend all elective surgery when the state's COVID-19 outbreak peaks.
NSW forges ahead with school return plan
NSW is sticking to its plan to return students to classrooms at the start of February, before most primary school aged children can be fully vaccinated.
Restrictions return after Omicron surge
As Australia recorded another one-day high for daily COVID cases, multiple jurisdictions have reintroduced pandemic restrictions to halt Omicron's spread.
WA relaxes mask mandate, Omicron spreads
Western Australia has recorded its first locally acquired Omicron case as authorities ease a face mask mandate in some public indoor venues.
New NSW restrictions, triple-vax mandate
NSW has halted singing in clubs and pubs for three weeks and will impose a triple-vaccination mandate for some people as it tries to slow the Omicron wave.
ACT reports 1246 new COVID-19 cases
The national capital has recorded 1246 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the first time daily numbers have passed into the thousands.
Tas reports 1489 virus cases: a new record
Tasmania has reported 1489 new coronavirus infections, the first time the island state has recorded a four-digit daily figure.
Victoria records 21,728 cases, six deaths
Victoria has recorded 21,728 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths, as the state's health system shifts to rely more heavily on rapid antigen tests.
Omicron surge leads to restrictions return
States have implemented a return to some COVID-19 restrictions as case numbers linked to the Omicron variant surge across the country.
More than 400 virus outbreaks in aged care
There are more than 400 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in aged care facilities across Australia as concerns are raised about how the workforce will cope.
PM ushers Australians to support payment
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has encouraged people to access pandemic support payments if they are forced to isolate due to local health orders.
PM points to state responsibility for RATs
Scott Morrison has defended the government's supply of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests amid criticisms of under-preparation as the tests become harder to secure.
Infected WA security guard spreads virus
Western Australia has detected one new local COVID-19 case as an infected quarantine worker at Perth's Hyatt Hotel spreads the virus.
PM rejects he underprepared for RAT race
Scott Morrison has defended the government's supply of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests amid criticisms of under-preparation as the tests become harder to secure.
ACT man dies from COVID in Sydney hospital
A Canberra man in his 20s has died in a Sydney hospital from COVID-19, having had two vaccines and no underlying health conditions.
NSW hospitals pressured amid record cases
Elective surgery could be cancelled and private hospitals asked to help relieve the hospital system after NSW recorded 34,994 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths.
Qld records 10,332 COVID cases, one death
New COVID-19 cases in Queensland have almost doubled in a single day with more than 10,300 infections and another fatality with the virus.
Experts sound alarm on testing changes
Medical experts have warned surveillance of COVID-19 case numbers could be incomplete following PCR test requirement changes.
RATs on the way amid NSW testing pressure
The number of COVID-19 infections in NSW continues to climb as the state records 35,054 new cases, with rapid antigen tests still more than a week away.
WA detects five new local COVID-19 cases
Western Australia has recorded five new local COVID-19 cases as a Hyatt Hotel quarantine worker tests positive for the virus.
Tas cases ‘could be twice’ reported figure
One in 50 Tasmanians could be an active COVID-19 case in a week's time, health authorities have said just 21 days after the state reopened to hotspots.
ACT records 810 new COVID-19 cases
As the ACT records 810 new COVID-19 cases, a new mass vaccination clinic will be opened to deliver booster shots to Canberrans.
NSW cases hit 35,054, with eight deaths
The number of COVID-19 infections in NSW is continuing to climb after the state recorded 35,054 new cases, eight deaths and a rise in hospitalisations.
WA has new case, likely linked to cluster
A Perth bar worker has tested positive for COVID-19, with WA health authorities believing the case is linked to the Delta variant backpacker outbreak.
WA records 14 COVID cases among travellers
Western Australia has recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases as the state's hard border leaks infected travellers, but all are quarantined.
Boosters critical as infections surge
With NSW and Victoria again recording a one-day high for daily COVID-19 infections, Australia has passed the grim pandemic milestone of 500,000 cases.
Most of Qld to ‘get’ Omicron within weeks
Queensland has reported a rise in COVID-19 cases to 4249 and warned of an impending surge in infections related to the Omicron variant "within weeks".
‘Panic buying’ blamed for test shortage
As Australia recorded its highest daily total of new COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Scott has rebuffed calls for free rapid antigen tests.
WA COVID cases up by two, Omicron warning
Western Australia has detected two new COVID-19 cases likely linked to an infected French backpacker as authorities warn Omicron could be in the community.