South Australia records 2552 new COVID-19 cases as hospital admissions rise

COVID-19 cases have again surged in South Australia, with another 2552 infections reported today, the vast majority of which are believed to be the South Australia.

There are now almost 13,000 active cases across the state, 94 of whom are being treated in hospital.

There are however just nine in the intensive care unit.

SA Premier Steven Marshall said "the good news" is that there is nobody in hospital on a ventilator.

READ MORE: Hospitalisations jump as 20,794 new COVID-19 cases recorded in NSW

South Australia's Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas has tested positive to COVID-19, he said this afternoon.

Meanwhile, as Omicron rapidly advances across the country, concerns have been expressed over the continual sharp increase in daily case numbers.

Collectively, Australian states have endured case loads in the tens of thousands in recent days, however, some experts have predicted the outbreak's peak may be over sooner than expected.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said yesterday that numbers could climax relatively soon, in a matter of weeks rather than months.

In the US, authorities there have suggested the peak may pass by the end of January.

In response, the Federal Government has increased supplies of the COVID-19 treatment sotrovimab (a novel monoclonal antibody) with another 46,000 additional doses now secured.

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Health Minister Greg Hunt said, although the treatment will "not be for everybody" the new doses will help treat moderate to severe conditions of COVID-19 and will add another layer of protection in the fight against the virus.

With New South Wales reporting case loads of around the 20,000 per day mark, all eyes are now on booster shots to weather the Omicron storm.

Scroll down for key numbers and more details from today's COVID-19 state and territory reports around the country.

Western Australia

There are two new local cases of COVID-19 in Western Australia.

One is a 20-year-old male backpacker, who is unvaccinated. The second is a 24-year-old woman from the same household who is vaccinated.

Contact tracing is underway and a number of exposure locations will be released as the pair were infectious in the community.

The case of a hotel quarantine security guard yesterday may be the state's first case of the Omicron variant, WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said today.

She also said restrictions on seated consumption, dancing and festivals will ease in the state from 6am tomorrow, while the indoor mask mandate will remain until at least Friday 6pm.

Nightclubs, music festivals over 500 people, and large licenced venues or those that trade after midnight will require people to prove they are vaccinated.

New South Wales

NSW continues to lead the country in terms of case numbers, reporting 20,794 new infections today.

Authorities have expressed concern over the number of hospital admissions across the state, which have also taken a sharp rise in recent days.

There are now 1204 people being treated with the virus, 95 of those in the ICU.

READ MORE: 'Done for': Melbourne GP warns COVID-19 testing shift left too late

Victoria

Victoria has recorded a sharp jump in COVID-19 cases overnight, reporting a further 8577 new infections today, roughly 1400 more than yesterday's results.

The state's hospitals are currently treating 491 people with the virus in hospital, 54 of whom in the intensive care unit.

And while Omicron is the dominant variant in the state, most hospital admissions are suffering from Delta.

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READ MORE: Victorian COVID-19 case numbers jump by almost 1500

Queensland

Queensland has recorded 4249 new COVID-19 cases today, with one man in his 30s having died with a "probable infection".

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed her sadness, offering her sympathies to the family.

"Any death during this pandemic is deeply sad," she said.

There are currently 147 people being treated with COVID-19 across the state's hospitals including 10 in the ICU.

There are now more than 20,000 active cases in Queensland.

South Australia

COVID-19 cases have again surged in South Australia, with another 2552 infections reported today, the vast majority of which are believed to be the South Australia.

There are now almost 13,000 active cases across the state, 94 of whom are being treated in hospital.

There are however just nine in the intensive care unit.

SA Premier Steven Marshall said "the good news" is that there is nobody in hospital on a ventilator.

Mr Marshall also announced that there are some changes being made to the definition of a close contact in SA moving forward as of today.

"With regard to close contacts, as you know, we've been narrowing and narrowing that definition down because we're balancing the issues associated with the spread of the disease," he said.

"We're signed up to the National Cabinet position.

"But we've been asked to clarify that, and make it very clear that we're going to a direction today.

"So if you are face-to-face without masks indoors, then you will be designated a close contact if you have been there for more than 15 minutes."

The premier said the rule doesn't apply to for example "if you're in a restaurant and the waiter is wearing a mask" - they wouldn't be designated a close contact.

"But if you're out with somebody who is COVID positive face-to-face without a mask indoors for more than 15 minutes, it's very likely that you are also COVID positive."

The new changes are effective immediately.

Mr Marshall also noted that there are now 90 positive coronavirus cases across the state's prisons system, however health officials are not "seeing any deterioration".

ACT

The ACT has recorded 514 new COVID-19 cases today from just over 3000 tests.

There are currently 2116 active cases across the territory with just 11 of those being treated in hospital and two in the ICU.

The total number of cases attributed to the outbreak now stands at 5199.

Tasmania

Tasmania has recorded a total of 466 new COVID-19 infections today, bringing the number of active cases in the state to 1,691.

There are just two people in hospital, neither of whom are in intensive care. A total of 278 cases are being managed at home.