Covid-19 Australia: Infections still low in NSW and Victoria as Omicron hits nation’s shores

Australia’s Covid-19 cases continue to remain low despite fears the highly-infectious Omicron strain could rip through the country. 

Victoria recorded 918 new cases and NSW 179 infections on Tuesday as state leaders prepare to hold a national cabinet leader to discuss how to deal with the new strain. 

The Victorian health department announced another six deaths on Tuesday with the state’s total active Covid-19 cases reaching 11,417. 

Victoria’s figures are slightly down from Monday’s 1,007 infections, while NSW continues to keep its transmission rate below 200. 

NSW Health confirmed three people died from Covid-19 overnight as 160 people are being treated for the virus in hospital, with 26 patients in intensive care.

This comes as concerns continue to mount over the spread of Omicron in Australia after five cases of the Omicron variant – four in NSW and one in the Northern Territory – were detected this week.

Two of the NSW cases were reported on Sunday night and a further two on Monday. 

Genomic testing found the travellers who touched down in Sydney from southern Africa over the weekend have the new strain. 

The Victorian health department announced another six deaths on Tuesday with the state’s total active Covid-19 cases reaching 11,417

The latest virus mutation, first detected in South Africa, sparked concerns around the globe amid fears it is more transmissible than world’s most contagious and dominant strain, Delta. 

Travellers arriving in NSW who have visited South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, and Malawi within a 14 day period must stay in hotel quarantine for two weeks – regardless of vaccination status.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said Omicron could be contained and the state’s timeline of lifting restrictions at 95 per cent vaccination or on December 15 was on track. 

He said ‘for the moment’ he intended to stick with the state’s plan as NSW could not be a ‘hermit kingdom on the other side of the world’.

Concerns continue to mount over the spread of Omicron in Australia after four cases were detected in travellers arriving to NSW this week 

Overseas travellers who arrived in Sydney over the weekend have been confirmed to have the new super-mutant Covid strain, Omicron 

‘Ultimately, we not only need to learn to live alongside the virus, but live alongside the variants as well,’ he said.

‘This pandemic is not over. These variants will continue, cases will continue to rise and the best thing we can do to keep the community safe, keep your family safe is to go out and get vaccinated and get that booster shot when you can.’   

This week Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned all flights from the nine nations of concern – which include South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and Malawi.  

Under the federal rules, passengers already on flights to Australia who have been in those countries over the past 14 days will be forced into two-week hotel quarantine.  

More than 141 people have been sent to hotel quarantine for a 14 day isolation period so far, since arriving in the state from the countries of concern.