Australia COVID-19 update 20 December 2021

Australia wide — 3985 new Australian acquired cases, 1 new OS acquired case, 0 deaths.

NEW SOUTH WALES
• 2,501 new from 144,368 tests, 0 deaths.
• 16,225 active cases, 261 in hospital, 33 in ICU, 11 ventilated.
• New cases by Local Health Districts are 660 Hunter New England, 417 SE Sydney, 339 Sydney, 315 Western Sydney, 250 SW Sydney, 227 Northern Sydney, 77 Central Coast, 40 Nepean Blue Mountains, 34 Northern NSW, 24 Illawarra Shoalhaven, 24 Mid North Coast, 20 Western NSW, 9 Murrumbidgee, 7 Far West NSW, 4 Southern NSW, 54 are yet to be assigned.
• Four ADF members based in Hunter Valley have tested positive at Singleton's Lone Pine Barracks.
• Hospital admissions are starting to increase, with 261 people being treated in hospitals across the state, up from 227 on Sunday.

VICTORIA
• 1,302 new from 71,491 tests, all locally acquired, 0 deaths.
• 13,175 active cases, 406 in hospital, 81 active with 37 cleared in ICU, 43 ventilated.
• The 10 LGAs with the highest number of new cases are Moreland, Casey, Brimbank, Hume, Yarra Ranges, Wyndham, Moonee Valley, Greater Dandenong, Banyule and Glen Eira.
• There were 13 new confirmed cases of the Omicron variant identified in Victoria yesterday. The total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases in Victoria is now 37.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• 105 new from 20,223 tests, 104 locally acquired with 65 under investigation, 1 interstate acquired.
• 406 active cases, 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• 39 of the new cases are in known contacts of local cases.
• It is the fourth day of record case numbers in South Australia.
• Due to rising numbers, COVID-positive cases shouldn't expect a phone call from SA Health anymore, it's more likely SA Health will text positive cases who should then check SA Health's website for more detailed information about what to do.
• Adelaide teenager who went clubbing after receiving a positive COVID test has been moved into medi-hotel quarantine. If investigations lead to a court case, he could face a fine of $20,000.
• List of exposure sites.

QUEENSLAND
• 59 new from 13,395 tests, 49 locally acquired (33 under investigation), 9 interstate acquired, 1 OS traveller in quarantine.
• 198 active cases, 66 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• Locations of new cases include Brisbane North, Brisbane South, Toowoomba, Townsville, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
• 43 confirmed Omicron cases so far and of those tested yesterday, there were 13 Omicron cases and eight Delta cases.
• Brisbane nurse and paramedic graduation ceremony considered "a cluster of concern" after 15 new cases have been linked to the event at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre last Monday attended by 2,675 people.
• Dozens of police isolating after Surfers Paradise and Beenleigh officers test positive to COVID.
• List of exposure sites.

ACT
• 13 new with 4,025 negative tests, all locally acquired.
• 112 active cases, 3 in hospital 0 in ICU.
• List of exposure sites.

NORTHERN TERRITORY
• 3 new from 5,887 tests (over 48 hours), all locally acquired.
• 71 active cases, several in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• One of the new cases is a child from Tennant Creek, who is a close contact of an existing case from Wuppa Town Camp. The others are a man and woman in their thirties from Walkabout Bore outstation near Barrow Creek, about 200 kilometres south of Tennant Creek.
• There are now 13 patients connected to the current outbreak in Alice Springs hospital.
• Lockdown in Tennant Creek has been extended until 5pm on Wednesday.
• The biggest changes in the Northern Territory's border policies in almost two years start today. Quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers have ended, replaced by strengthened testing requirements and new internal travel restrictions.
• List of exposure sites.

TASMANIA
• 3 new from 2,060 tests, locally acquired.
• 10 active cases, 0 in hospital.
• Masks now mandatory for all indoor settings.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• 0 new from N/A tests.
• 2 active cases in hotel quarantine, 0 in hospital.
• From Monday, fully vaccinated Tasmanian and exempted Queensland travellers, entering Western Australia, must self-quarantine for two weeks.

AUSTRALIA
• National cabinet to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow.
• Despite the urging of health experts, Victoria and NSW are ruling out re-imposing tough coronavirus measures after registering record cases.
• The growing threat of the Omicron strain has smashed confidence amongst Australian travellers with four out of five either cancelling their summer holidays or reconsidering their plans.

NEW ZEALAND
• 71 new from 11,587 tests, 69 locally acquired, 2 OS travellers in managed isolation.
• 1,762 active cases, 62 in hospital, 7 in ICU.
• New case locations are Auckland 59, Waikato 7, Bay of Plenty 2, Taranaki 1.
• List of exposure sites.

WORLD
• Carlos Marín, a singer in the group Il Divo, has died from COVID aged 53 during the band's Christmas tour in the United Kingdom.
• Queen guitarist Brian May reveals he is recovering from COVID as Omicron sweeps UK. May said he and his wife, actress Anita Dobson, had been "incredibly careful" and were "being very hermit-like" since the pandemic struck, but took a risk on a birthday lunch last Saturday. He said everyone in attendance had received three doses of a COVID vaccine and used rapid antigen tests, before arriving. "And in retrospect, perhaps we made the wrong decision. We could have seen him another time. But that's history now," he said.
• US Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci warns Americans of a tough few weeks ahead as case numbers surge due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

What is wrong with these idiots that are running the country, Morrison and Perrottet? Neither have the guts to stand up and tell people that they should mask up and keep away from crowded situations. Perrottet said, "His decision on easing restrictions is about "treating people as adults". Give me a break. What is the use of listening to Health Doctors and then making their own decisions on what's okay for the general public.? All I can say is, they better watch out at Election time to see what the people think of them?

Australia COVID-19 update 21 December 2021

Australia wide — 4573 new Australian acquired cases, 4 new OS acquired case, 8 deaths.

NEW SOUTH WALES
• 3,057 new from 136,972 tests, 2 deaths.
• 18,798 active cases, 284 in hospital, 39 in ICU, 11 ventilated.
• NSW becomes the first Australian state to break 3,000 daily cases since the pandemic began.
• A fully vaccinated SW Sydney man in his 80s with underlying health conditions died at Sydney's RPA Hospital and a Central West NSW woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions died at the Gosling Creek Aged Care facility in Orange after an outbreak announced on Saturday.
• New cases by Local Health Districts are 820 Hunter New England, 525 SE Sydney, 386 Western Sydney, 378 Sydney, 346 SW Sydney, 268 Northern Sydney, 85 Central Coast, 82 Nepean Blue Mountains, 48 Illawarra Shoalhaven, 26 Northern NSW, 24 Mid North Coast, 17 Western NSW, 6 Southern NSW, 2 Murrumbidgee, 44 yet to be assigned.
• Testing delays as thousands of people line up ahead of the festive period. Some results are taking up to 72 hours to be returned, putting holiday plans in jeopardy as holidaymakers scramble to travel interstate.

VICTORIA
• 1,245 new from 66,888 tests, all locally acquired, 6 deaths.
• 13,355 active cases, 392 in hospital, 73 active with 43 cleared in ICU, 43 ventilated.
• Deaths included people aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s.
• The 10 LGAs with the highest number of new cases are Hume, Casey, Wyndham, Glen Eira, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Brimbank, Whittlesea, Greater Dandenong, and Monash.
• Testing delays as centres at Albert Park, South Melbourne, Burwood, Wantirna, and Keysborough all reached capacity shortly after opening this morning.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• 154 new from 17,933 tests, 134+ locally acquired with 127 under investigation, 3 interstate and 1 OS acquired.
• 556 active cases, 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• Testing delays as some people in SA wait eight hours for a COVID test.
• List of exposure sites.

QUEENSLAND
• 86 new from 34,518 tests, 79 locally acquired, 6 interstate and 1 OS acquired.
• 269 active cases, 75 in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• Today's 86 new cases are a record number for Queensland during the pandemic with 61 of those confirmed to be the Omicron variant.
• Almost 85 per cent of Queenslanders aged over 16 are now fully vaccinated.
• From tomorrow, anyone who is deemed a close contact, who is also double vaccinated, will be required to quarantine for seven days, instead of 14 days.
• Testing delays as clinics under pressure from thousands of visitors flowing over the border.
• Two cases of Omicron being diagnosed for every one case of Delta.
• List of exposure sites.

ACT
• 16 new with 4,516 negative tests, all locally acquired.
• 124 active cases, 3 in hospital 0 in ICU.
• The ACT is reintroducing an indoor mask mandate.
• 62 of the ACT's 124 current active cases are the Omicron variant.
• List of exposure sites.

NORTHERN TERRITORY
• 14 new from 5,328 tests, 12 locally acquired, 1 interstate, 1 OS flight attendant.
• 87 active cases, several in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• 11 of the cases are linked to the Katherine outbreak, taking the cluster to 123. These new cases include residents from Tennant Creek, an outstation near Barrow Creek, and Katherine.
• There were three cases not linked to the Katherine outbreak. One was a close contact of two male workers who flew from Brisbane to Yulara near Uluru and tested positive to shortly after arriving. Testing has confirmed both men had the Omicron strain, NT total now 13. The two other cases are an international aircrew member who is already isolating and a partially vaccinated Adelaide woman who recently arrived in the Howard Springs facility. 
• List of exposure sites.

TASMANIA
• 4 new from 1,947 tests, locally acquired.
• 14 active cases, 0 in hospital.
• All passengers on Sydney to Launceston flight VA1086 on Wednesday are considered close contacts, and will be required to quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.
• Of the four new cases, one believed infected in Sydney, two may have acquired their infection on flight VA1086, the fourth is a family member of one of the people infected on the flight.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• 1 new from 4,200 tests, a returned OS traveller in hotel quarantine.
• 5 active cases in hotel quarantine, 0 in hospital.
• From Monday, fully vaccinated Tasmanian and exempted Queensland travellers, entering Western Australia, must self-quarantine for two weeks.

AUSTRALIA
• States push Commonwealth and ATAGI to shorten COVID booster intervals to combat Omicron.

NEW ZEALAND
• 33 new from 14,745 tests, 28 locally acquired, 5 OS travellers in managed isolation.
• 1,675 active cases, 57 in hospital, 7 in ICU.
• New case locations are Auckland 21, Bay of Plenty 5, Taranaki 2.
• New Zealand says it'll delay its border re-opening plans until the end of February over Omicron fears. The government will also reduce the waiting time between the second vaccine dose and the booster shot from six to four months.
• List of exposure sites.

Australia COVID-19 update 22 December 2021

Australia wide — 5714 new Australian acquired cases, 15 new OS acquired case, 8 deaths.

NEW SOUTH WALES
• 3,763 new from 151,443 tests, 2 deaths.
• 21,991 active cases, 302 in hospital, 40 in ICU, 12 ventilated.
• A fully vaccinated SE Sydney woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions died at Prince of Wales Hospital. An unvaccinated SW Sydney woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions died at Liverpool Hospital. She was a resident of the Gillawarna Village Aged Care facility in Georges Hall, where she acquired her infection, the fifth death linked to this facility.
• New cases by Local Health Districts are 834 SE Sydney, 623 Hunter New England, 554 Sydney, 456 Western Sydney, 423 Northern Sydney, 420 SW Sydney, 110 Nepean Blue Mountains, 99 Central Coast, 71 Illawarra Shoalhaven, 48 Northern NSW, 40 Mid North Coast, 39 Western NSW, 17 Murrumbidgee, 6 Southern NSW, 1 Far West NSW, 22 are yet to be assigned.
• NSW pharmacies, supermarkets selling out of COVID rapid antigen tests in Christmas rush.

VICTORIA
• 1,503 new from 92,262 tests, 1490 locally acquired, 13 OS acquired, 6 deaths.
• 13,888 active cases, 394 in hospital, 70 active with 44 cleared in ICU, 41 ventilated.
• Deaths included people aged in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
• The 10 LGAs with the highest number of new cases are Casey, Hume, Brimbank, Whittlesea, Wyndham, Melton, Greater Dandenong, Darebin, Moreland and Moonee Valley.
• Just over 60 confirmed cases of Omicron in Victoria. All either international arrivals or their close contacts or from the recent Newcastle cluster and their immediate contacts.
• Melbourne researchers trial use of common blood-thinning drug heparin to combat COVID. Their new nasal spray coats the nose but does not go down into the lungs. The researchers say it is cheap, easy to distribute and is expected to be effective against mutant strains of the virus including the Omicron variant. The drug will be trialled in 340 Victorian households over the next six months.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• 198 new from 22,022 tests, 33 known local contacts, 15 interstate with 149 under investigation.
• 742 active cases, 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• SA new case numbers another daily record and include 18 children and 180 adults aged up to 99-years-old.
• Concerns about delays in naming exposure sites.
• List of exposure sites.

QUEENSLAND
• 186 new from 29,902 tests, 185 locally acquired (177 under investigation), 3 interstate acquired.
• 454 active cases, 80 in hospital with 1 needing COVID care, 1 in ICU.
• The largest number of QLD daily cases since the start of the pandemic.
• Cases are now spread right across the state, including Cairns, Townsville, Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, Darling Downs, West Moreton, Ipswich, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
• Since Monday more than 257,000 people have crossed the border into Queensland from NSW, the ACT and Victoria.
• Masks mandatory for cinemas and theatres and hospitality staff from 5:00am tomorrow.
• 79 confirmed Omicron cases in Queensland to date, most with minimal symptoms.
• List of exposure sites.

ACT
• 58 new with 3,759 negative tests, all locally acquired.
• 174 active cases, 3 in hospital 0 in ICU.
• List of exposure sites.

TASMANIA
• 12 new from 3,897 tests, all interstate or locally acquired.
• 26 active cases, 0 in hospital.
• 18 new cases are being monitored remotely at home, while four are in dedicated medihotels.

NORTHERN TERRITORY
• 5 new from N/A tests, 3 locally acquired, 2 interstate acquired.
• 92 active cases, several in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• The new cases include two men who arrived on two recent flights from Sydney. The other three cases are linked to the regional outbreak. They include a child from a Tennant Creek town camp and a woman from Barrow Creek, both of whom may have been infectious in those communities.
• Lockdowns in Tennant Creek and Ali Curung have been extended again until 5pm on Thursday.
• A 48-hour mask mandate has been introduced for the Alice Springs and Amoonguna community, meaning masks must be worn inside public venues.
• List of exposure sites.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• 4 new from N/A tests, 2 interstate travellers, 2 returned OS travellers in hotel quarantine.
• 7 active cases in quarantine, 0 in hospital.
• Two fully vaccinated people who arrived in Perth on a flight from Brisbane tested positive after arrival. The couple are in their thirties arrived in Perth on flight VA470 from Brisbane on December 19. They are currently in self-quarantine. Four close household contacts of the arrivals have tested negative and are also in self-quarantine for 14 days.
• WA becomes first state to mandate booster shots.
• WA re-introduces hard borders with Tasmania and NT.

AUSTRALIA NATIONAL CABINET
• National Cabinet has agreed to reconsider testing requirements for interstate travel.
• Commonwealth to increase funding for GPs and pharmacists to administer booster shots.
• National cabinet says mask wearing in indoor spaces in public spaces is highly recommended.
• State and territory leaders have agreed to stand up state vaccination hubs and other clinics that have closed since the COVID vaccination rush in October and November, as the Omicron variant continues to spread.

NEW ZEALAND
• 60 new from 22,223 tests, 56 locally acquired, 4 OS travellers in managed isolation.
• 1,653 active cases, 51 in hospital, 7 in ICU.
• New case locations Auckland 33, Bay of Plenty 11, Waikato 6, Lakes 4, Taranaki 1, Hutt Valley 1.
• Six new cases of Omicron have been detected in recent returnees in managed isolation and quarantine facilities.
• List of exposure sites.

Australia COVID-19 update 23 December 2021

Australia wide — 8670 new Australian acquired cases, 25+ new OS acquired case, 11 deaths.

NEW SOUTH WALES
• 5,715 new from 160,471 tests, 1 death.
• 27,093 active cases, 347 in hospital, 45 in ICU, 13 ventilated.
• The highest number of daily infections ever recorded in any Australian jurisdiction, and a rise of 1,952 from yesterday when the state recorded 3,763 cases. Approximately 80% of new cases are currently Omicron which largely explains the steep rise.
• There are 347 people in hospital with COVID, up from 302 yesterday.
• Premier backtracks, reintroducing QR code check-ins and looking at providing free rapid antigen tests for 2022. Indoor venue density limits will change to one person per 2 square metres on December 27.
• NSW also announces indoor mask mandate and encourages people to work from home.

VICTORIA
• 2,005 new from 85,112 tests, 1980 locally acquired, 25 OS acquired, 10 deaths.
• 14,801 active cases, 398 in hospital, 72 active with 40 cleared in ICU, 39 ventilated.
• This is the highest daily case number recorded in Victoria for two months.
• Deaths included people aged in their 60s, 70s and 90s.
• The 10 LGAs with the highest number of new cases are Hume, Casey, Whittlesea, Melbourne, Wyndham, Melton, Brimbank, Moreland, Mornington Peninsula and Greater Dandenong.
• There were 10 new confirmed cases of Omicron variant identified in yesterday. The total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases in Victoria is now 71.
• There are currently more than 14,200 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
• Victoria makes masks mandatory indoors from 11:59pm tonight, applying to all indoor settings except private homes and at major events of more than 30,000 people when moving around.
• Victorian government will also inject more than $31 million to support the rollout of the COVID booster.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• 484 new from 22,175 tests, 108 locally and 10 interstate acquired with 366 still under investigation.
• 1,214 active cases, 7 in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• The new cases include 43 children, 26 teenagers, 192 women aged between 18 and 96, and 223 males aged between 18 and 88.
• List of exposure sites.

QUEENSLAND
• 369 new from 33,761 tests, 16 locally and interstate acquired with 352 still under investigation.
• 807 active cases, 93 in hospital with only 1 needing actual COVID care, 1 in ICU not ventilated.
• New cases rise steeply up from 186 yesterday.
• New cases spread right across the state including the Banana Shire, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Central Queensland, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Moranbah, Mareeba, Moreton Bay, Southern Downs, the Sunshine Coast to Townsville and the Whitsundays.
• Vaccination rates still too low on the Gold Coast as interstate tourists flood in.
• List of exposure sites.

ACT
• 85 new with 5,215 negative tests, all locally acquired.
• 245 active cases, 3 in hospital 0 in ICU.
• Another new record for the highest daily number of cases in the ACT.
• List of exposure sites.

TASMANIA
• 26 new from 3,005 tests, all interstate or locally acquired.
• 52 active cases, 1 in hospital.

NORTHERN TERRITORY
• 10 new from N/A tests, 5 locally acquired, 5 interstate acquired.
•  active cases, 11 in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• Of the new cases, five are from Tennant Creek and linked to the NT outbreak, bringing the total number of cases to 131. The remaining new cases are all from interstate and arrived on flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and are in isolation at home or at the Centre for National Resilience.
• Ali Curung will exit lockdown immediately. There are now no restrictions on the reasons to leave home for people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated. The mask mandate for the Barkly Local Government Area, including Ali Curung, has been extended until 5pm on Wednesday, 29 December 2021.
• List of exposure sites.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• 1 new from 3,868 tests, an interstate traveller.
• 8 active cases in quarantine, 0 in hospital.
• The new case is a 25-year-old backpacker originally from France who travelled into WA from Queensland earlier this month before restrictions applied. The man, his girlfriend (also symptomatic) and four house mates in Girrawheen have all been moved to hotel quarantine. The man was widely about and about in the community.
• Multiple locations in Perth say they have been contacted by WA Health and informed they are COVID exposure sites. Locations include the Geisha Bar and Perth Mess Hall and several other sites.
• Mask wearing mandate imposed for all indoor settings, except at home or when doing vigorous indoor exercise until at least December 28. In addition for that period, music festivals will be cancelled, nightclubs closed, and dancing banned everywhere except weddings.
• List of exposure sites. Many new added.

NEW ZEALAND
• 60 new from 21,963 tests, 56 locally acquired, 4 OS travellers in managed isolation.
• 1,537 active cases, 48 in hospital, 7 in ICU.
• New case locations Auckland 42, Waikato 4, Bay of Plenty 6, Lakes 2, Tairawhiti 1, and Taranaki 1.
• List of exposure sites.

Australia COVID-19 update 24 December 2021

Australia wide — 9122 new Australian acquired cases, 5+ new OS acquired cases, 9 deaths.

NEW SOUTH WALES
• 5,612 new from 164,144 tests, 1 death.
• 32,174 active cases, 382 in hospital, 53 in ICU, 12 ventilated.
• New cases fall slightly from yesterday's 5,715 cases but hospitalisations are up from 347 yesterday.
• High numbers of unvaccinated people ending up in ICU beds putting pressure on the system.
• A fully vaccinated SW Sydney woman in her 90s with underlying health conditions died at St George Hospital. She was a resident of the St Basil’s Aged Care facility in Lakemba, where she acquired her infection.
• New cases by Local Health Districts are 1218 SE Sydney, 862 Sydney, 780 Western Sydney, 641 Northern Sydney, 605 SW Sydney, 592 Hunter New England, 175 Central Coast, 170 Illawarra Shoalhaven, 133 Nepean Blue Mountains, 112 Northern NSW, 88 Mid North Coast, 45 Murrumbidgee, 37 Western NSW, 17 Southern NSW, 7 Far West NSW, 1 in a correctional setting, 129 are yet to be assigned. 
• Indoor mask requirements, QR code check-ins and density rules will be in place until January 27.

VICTORIA
• 2,095 new from 81,55 tests, 2090 locally acquired, 5 OS acquired, 8 deaths.
• 15,471 active cases, 397 in hospital, 75 active with 40 cleared in ICU, 40 ventilated.
• Deaths include people aged in their 40s, 50s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
• The 10 LGAs with the highest number of new cases are Hume, Brimbank, Wyndham, Moreland, Melbourne, Melton, Whittlesea, Darebin, Stonnington and Yarra.
• There are currently more than 14,700 active close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
• Testing sites continue to be inundated in Victoria, with long queues forming hours before many facilities opened.
• A school cluster at Castlemaine North Primary School in regional Victoria has sent families into isolation over Christmas. The cluster remains the largest in the state, sitting at 63 cases, up from 60 cases yesterday.
• There were 27 new confirmed cases of the Omicron variant identified yesterday. The total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases in Victoria is now 98.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• 688 new from 23,449 tests, 90 locally and 5 interstate acquired with 593 still under investigation.
• 1,886 active cases, 8 in hospital, with a man in his 30s in ICU.
• A significant new case surge from yesterday when the state recorded 484 new cases. 
• Plans to lift restrictions in SA on December 28 have been put off until next year due to concerns about the Omicron strain, samples indicate 70% of COVID cases in SA are Omicron.
• SA Government is also bringing forward booster shots for some people.
• List of exposure sites.

QUEENSLAND
• 589 new from 30,684 tests.
• 1,389 active cases, 111 in hospital with only 3 needing COVID care, 1 in ICU not ventilated.
• New cases rise steeply up from 369 yesterday (up 60%) with 32 of the 77 Queensland LGAs now having positive cases since the border opening on 13 December.
• After the state's reopening, more than half a million people have travelled to Queensland from interstate, many crossing the state's borders from hotspots.
• Queensland's CHO warns "In the coming weeks we will be seeing large numbers of cases, thousands of cases."
• List of exposure sites.

ACT
• 102 new with 5,075 negative tests, all locally acquired.
• 334 active cases, 2 in hospital 0 in ICU.
• List of exposure sites.

TASMANIA
• 27 new from 3,117 tests, all interstate or locally acquired.
• 79 active cases, 1 in hospital.
• 37 of the active cases are being monitored at home, 21 are in a medi-hotel.

NORTHERN TERRITORY
• 10 new from N/A tests, 1 locally acquired, 9 interstate and OS acquired, all in isolation.
• 87+ active cases, 11 in hospital, 1 in ICU.
• The new local case is a close contact of a previous case from Tennant Creek and Barrow Creek already in quarantine, taking the total number in the Katherine outbreak to 132.
• List of exposure sites.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
• 4 new from N/A tests, all locally acquired.
• 12 active cases in isolation, 0 in hospital.
• Of the four local cases, one is a close contact of the backpacker who tested positive yesterday and who attended an event at the Mess Hall on Sunday, December 19. The other three are casual contacts of the man but unknown to him. All Mess Hall event contacts must self quarantine. About 400 people were believed to be in attendance, including people from the Fremantle Old Fire Station Hostel.
• Another local case was announced during the Premier's press conference and will be included in tomorrow's numbers. Mr McGowan said of the five new cases, two are vaccinated, two are unvaccinated, and the other person's vaccination status was unknown. He said a lockdown would not be imposed in response to these cases. 
• WA declares SA and Queensland high-risk jurisdictions.
• List of exposure sites.

AUSTRALIA VACCINES
• COVID vaccine boosters brought forward to four months after second dose, with the change to come into effect from January 4.
• From the end of January the interval will change again, meaning people will be eligible three months after their second dose.

NEW ZEALAND
• 72 new from 19,027 tests, 62 locally acquired, 10 OS travellers in managed isolation.
• 1,491 active cases, 45 in hospital, 8 in ICU.
• New case locations Auckland 37, Bay of Plenty 14, Waikato 5, Lakes 5, Canterbury 1.
• List of exposure sites.

Australia COVID-19 update 25 December 2021

Australia wide — 9,993 new cases; 60,797 active cases; 788 in hospital; 6 deaths.

• NSW: 6288 new cases, 37,834 active cases, 388 in hospital, 52 in ICU.
• VIC:  2108 new cases, 17,599 active cases, 361 in hospital, 112 in ICU, 6 deaths.
• QLD: 765 new cases, 2,147 active cases, 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• ACT: 142 new cases, 476 active cases, 2 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• TAS: 33 new cases, 133 active cases, 1 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• SA: 634 new cases, 2,469 active cases, 12 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• WA: 4 new cases, 18 active cases, 0 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• NT: 19 new cases, 121 active cases, 19 in hospital, 1 in ICU.

Australia COVID-19 update 26 December 2021

Australia wide — 9619 new cases; 67,654 active cases; 877 in hospital; 2 deaths.

• NSW: 6394 new cases, 43,351 active cases, 458 in hospital, 52 in ICU.
• VIC:  1608 new cases, 17,392 active cases, 374 in hospital, 115 in ICU, 2 deaths.
• QLD: 714 new cases, 2,857 active cases, 7 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• ACT: 71 new cases, 540 active cases, 2 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• TAS: 44 new cases, 160 active cases, 1 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• SA: 774 new cases, 3,196 active cases, 17 in hospital, 3 in ICU.
• WA: 2 new cases, 18 active cases, 0 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• NT: 12 new cases, 140 active cases, 18 in hospital, 1 in ICU.

I heard on the radio the other day that they were considering charging patients that were not  vaccinated, into ICU.  But they said the charges were $4,000.00 per day?  I doubt if these patients could ever repay the money if they did survive. 

One of Sydney’s largest hospitals has admitted to mistakenly telling more than 400 people they had tested negative to COVID-19 when, in fact, they had all tested positive to coronavirus.

SydPath, the facility that operates pathology services at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, released a statement on Sunday acknowledging the “human error”.

A new record daily case count of 6394 was reported on Sunday, from reduced testing numbers on Christmas Day.

There were 109,545 tests, a drop of around 40,000.

I imagine that if hospitals are overwhelmed with Covid infections, they will bring in triage.