Covid-19 Australia: NSW reports 6,184 new cases marking lowest figure this year

NSW and Victoria have recorded their lowest number of daily Covid-19 cases this year. 

NSW reported 6,184 new infections on Monday, marking a significant drop on the record low 6,686 recorded on Sunday. The state reported another 14 deaths.

Hospitalisations have increased to 1,649 – up from 1,614 – and ICU rates have jumped to 100 – an uptick from 93. 

Victoria also recorded its lowest daily cases for the year with 7,104 new infections and two deaths. 

Thousands of NSW nurses will walk off the job this week for the first time in a decade as part of a long-running campaign for better staffing and pay

Hospitalisations have remained steady at 465 while ICU rates have risen to 66 – a spike from 62. 

Thousands of NSW nurses are determined to walk off the job this week for the first time in a decade as part of a long-running campaign for better staffing and pay. 

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association General Secretary Brett Holmes says the strike will impact 150 public hospitals when nurses strike from 7am on Tuesday.

The timing and length of the action will vary from hospital to hospital and skeleton staff will remain at work to ensure patient care.

Mr Holmes said it was ‘really painful’ for nurses to take strike action but they had to send a strong message to Premier Dominic Perrottet.

‘If he doesn’t listen there will be tens of thousands of nurses who are considering their future,’ he told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday.

The union has been pushing for minimum staff-to-patient ratios.

‘We need a health system where there’s a guarantee that there are enough nurses and midwives on every shift, not just on average over a seven day period,’ he said.

NSW hospitalisations have increased to 1,649 – up from 1,614 – and ICU rates have jumped to 100 – an uptick from 93

Nurses are also unhappy with the government’s 2.5 per cent a year pay offer, which Mr Holmes described as ‘a complete insult’ to nurses who put themselves on the line every day during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Nurses and midwives have done everything possible to try and keep people alive and the government basically slapped them in the face with this,’ he said.

Mr Perrottet says 2,800 nurse graduates last week began working in 130 hospitals to boost the workforce.

‘Our frontline workers during a pandemic have worked incredibly hard and I want to give them as much support as I can and we’re working through those issued with the union,’ he told 2GB.

Asked if he was prepared to review the current pay offer he replied: ‘absolutely’.