When will Australia reach the peak of Omicron cases?

Experts hope the number of Omicron variant cases in Australia will peak in the coming weeks as overseas data shows new infections are decreasing.

New data from South Africa has sparked hope the fourth wave of COVID-19 may soon be over after the country recorded a rapid decline in cases.

The latest numbers show South African cases have dropped by 30 per cent in the last week to fewer than 11,500 cases a day.

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The nation recorded more than 37,000 infections at the height of the outbreak in early December.

South African health authorities now believe they may have passed the peak of the Omicron outbreak.

Australia to reach peak in one to three weeks

Australia reached a record high of COVID-19 cases today, reporting 47,738 infections nationwide.

"Those significant case numbers, they do continue to rise. They are large numbers that we've never before seen in Australia," Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Sonya Bennett said.

"I think at this point, we all know somebody who's either got COVID or we've got co-workers off work."

Hospital cases around the country are at 362, with the number of people in ICU at 194.

Infectious diseases expert Professor Robert Booy said Australia is not far off seeing the peak of Omicron variant infections.

"We'll see a peak in Australia within weeks during January in different parts of Australia. Sydney will probably peak first then Melbourne and then other parts of Australia will follow soon after," he said.

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It's understood hospitalisations usually peak a week later than the height of case numbers.

Omicron has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Australia, however, there are still many cases of Delta still in the country, largely in New South Wales and Victoria.

UK Omicron wave may soon decline

Meanwhile, the South African data has prompted speculation that the UK may soon be heading down a similar path where COVID-19 cases begin to decline.

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UK health authorities have predicted their peak in hospital admissions will be this week or next week.

Daily cases in the UK are however continuing to climb, currently sitting at 162,572.

Authorities said they are starting to see some stabilisation of hospital numbers in London.

US continues to see a surge of Omicron variant infections

The US is continuing to record a surge in COVID-19 cases and the country is now averaging 400,000 new infections each day.

More than 103,000 people are currently hospitalised with the virus in the US, the first time the total has reached six figures in nearly four months.

Some states are also reporting a surge in the number of children hospitalised.

US researchers said their modelling also shows Omicron could be short-lived, with research showing the country may reach the peak within weeks rather than months.