Get up to speed on all the coronavirus news from across Australia.
Look back on all of Wednesday's news and updates in our live blog.
Key events
- NT records 864 new COVID cases
- WA records 643 new local cases of COVID
- ACT records 946 COVID cases, changes to mask requirements
- Queensland records 37 COVID deaths, spike due to lag in data
- Tasmania records 842 new COVID cases
- ACT relaxing mask rules from Friday
- Moderna COVID-19 vaccine available for children from tomorrow
- Mask mandate to be removed for NSW students
- Victoria records 17 COVID deaths, 319 people in hospital
- NSW records 6 COVID deaths, 1,246 people in hospital
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
Cases, hospitalisations and deaths
For a detailed breakdown of cases across the country, check out Charting the Spread.
This post will be updated throughout the day as numbers are announced, so if your state or territory is not mentioned, check back later.
NSW: Six deaths, 8,931 new cases, 1,246 people in hospital, 69 in ICU
VIC: 17 deaths, 6,926 new cases, 319 people in hospital, 22 in ICU, 8 on ventilators
QLD: 37 deaths (spike due to lag in data), 6,300 new cases, 379 people in hospital, 35 in ICU
TAS: 842 new cases, 10 people in hospital, two in ICU
ACT: 946 new cases, 40 people in hospital, two in ICU
WA: 645 cases, 5 people in hospital
By Jessica Riga
We're going to close the blog here
Thanks for reading along with us today!
As always, we'll be back tomorrow. Until then, have a wonderful rest of your Wednesday.
By Jessica Riga
By Jessica Riga
South Korea's leader calls for calm as COVID cases hit new record
South Korea's prime minister has called on people not to panic about a major increase in COVID-19 infections as new daily cases surged past 170,000 for the first time.
Serious cases and deaths are at manageable levels despite record cases caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a pandemic response meeting.
"Although our awareness and implementation of anti-COVID rules should not be loosened, there is no reason at all to fear or panic about the numbers of new cases as in the past," he said.
South Korea reported 171,452 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, another daily record and a sharp increase from 99,573 a day before, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Wednesday.
More than 86 per cent of South Korea's 52 million population have been double vaccinated and nearly 60 per cent have received a booster shot.
By Jessica Riga
NT records 864 new COVID cases
The number of patients with COVID-19 in NT hospitals has increased slightly to 131, with 11 patients in need of oxygen with four in intensive care
On Tuesday, there were 123 people hospitalised, 10 requiring oxygen and three patients in the ICU.
It comes as the NT is today reporting 864 new coronavirus cases, 786 of which came from positive rapid antigen tests (RATs).
Of today's new cases, 402 cases were recorded in the Top End, 113 in Central Australia, 188 in East Arnhem, 36 in the Big Rivers region, 34 in the Barkly and 91 were still under investigation.
There is still a Territory-wide indoor mask mandate in place, introduced on New Year's Eve.
The NT government has flagged it is considering scrapping the mask mandate as well as QR check-in requirements.
There is no set date for when these potential changes may be introduced.
By Jessica Riga
Kimberley health boss admits to high staff turnover as frontline workers sound alarm
By Jessica Riga
NZ records over 3,000 COVID cases, highest daily total since pandemic began
COVID cases in New Zealand have passed 3,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
3,297 infections were reported today, with the majority in Auckland.
Authorities have urged people only to get a PCR test if they're eligible, warning of long wait times.
By Jessica Riga
WA records 643 new local cases of COVID
Western Australia has released their COVID figures quite early today, recording a massive spike in cases with 643 new local infections reported.
There are now five COVID cases in WA hospitals, after three more people were admitted.
Just two new travel-related cases have been recorded.
The spike in new infections comes after a series of days with more than 200 local cases being recorded.
By Jessica Riga
ACT records 946 COVID cases, changes to mask requirements
The ACT has recorded 946 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday – 570 from RATs and 376 from PCR tests.
There are 40 people in hospital with the virus in Canberra, including two people in intensive care. No patients are requiring ventilation.
This morning, the ACT government announced Canberra's mask mandate will end on Friday for most indoor settings.
Masks will still be required in high-risk settings, including on public transport, in aged care and in classrooms.
By Jessica Riga
When can you get your booster after contracting COVID?
Just tested positive for Covid and was booked in for my booster shot this weekend - once I am out of isolation, when can I get my booster shot?
-sick
Sorry to hear you're sick! We dive into this topic in more depth here, but to answer your question:
If you've tested positive for COVID-19 you shouldn't be attending a pharmacy, GP or vaccination centre to get jabbed while infectious.
But authorities say there's nothing to stop you receiving a vaccine dose — be it a booster or part of an initial course — once your symptoms have ceased completely and your isolation period has ended.
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan urged anyone who had recovered and was due for a booster to take it as soon as possible.
"So if you have had COVID recently or you think you had COVID … once the runny nose, the headache, the sore throat, the ache and pains, all of those things have gone, then you can go and get your booster," she said.
"There are appointments available right across the country."
According to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), "there is no requirement to delay vaccination" after a COVID-positive person has recovered from acute illness in most cases.
By Jessica Riga
'It won't be forever': Victorian CHO defends primary school mask mandate
Victoria's Chief Health Officer has defended the decision to continue mandating masks for some primary school students as a proportionate response given the state's high caseload and low vaccination coverage among younger children.
From Saturday, masks will no longer be required in most indoor settings and the recommendation to work from home if possible will end.
The opposition has criticised the measure, arguing it will divide children and put Victoria out of step with settings across the country in March.
Today, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the mandate was proportionate given the high caseload in Victoria and the fact that vaccination coverage in that age bracket remained low due to their late eligibility.
"It won't be forever, but it's the appropriate time to do it, with cases still very high," Professor Sutton told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"I think we'll review [it] certainly at the end of this term, we'll see where vaccination coverage has got to and where our numbers are."
Professor Sutton said many children had made mask-wearing part of their routine and were "doing it without blinking" and he struggled to understand the harms "people seem to project" onto children wearing masks.
By Jessica Riga
Is there a link to a Queensland press conference? Or have they stopped having them already?
-Queenslander
Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today's figures in parliament, so while I don't have a link to that moment, the day is still young and Queensland may hold a press conference later today.
By Jessica Riga
Queensland records 37 COVID deaths, spike due to lag in data
Queensland has reported 37 COVID deaths overnight.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced 29 of the 37 deaths came from death certificates reported to the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the last week.
"Births, Deaths and Marriages report to Queensland Health on a weekly basis and this reporting is reflected in today's data," Ms Palaszczuk told parliament.
"Many of these people have had underlying health conditions."
Of the 37 deaths, 22 were in residential aged care.
379 people are in the state’s public hospitals with 35 in intensive care.
6,300 new cases were recorded in the state overnight.
By Jessica Riga
'Death possessed every joint of me': The gory history of the royal family and pandemics
By Jessica Riga
Tasmania records 842 new COVID cases
Tasmania has recorded 842 new COVID-19 cases, up from 820 yesterday.
There are 2 people in ICU and 10 people in hospital with the virus. 5 patients are being treated specifically for their COVID symptoms.
There are no new deaths.
By Jessica Riga
ACT relaxing mask rules from Friday
From 6pm on Friday Canberrans will be able to remove their masks in most indoor settings.
Masks will only be required in high-risk settings such as on public transport, in hospitals and aged care facilities.
High school students and teachers will have to keep their masks on in the classroom, so will staff and visitors at childcare centres.
The ACT's Health Minister says workplaces should consider what mask wearing policies they'll implement for staff and visitors.
By Jessica Riga
Australia has administered 11 million boosters
"In terms of boosters, we have now passed 11 million boosters. We're at 62.1 per cent of the eligible population and so Australians are stepping forward, they're being boostered with the Pfizer and the Moderna, and we want to continue to encourage them to do that.
"At a national level, we have reached 96.2 per cent of first doses and 94.3 per cent of second doses."
By Jessica Riga
Children's COVID vaccination rate sitting at 49.4 per cent
"In the terms of the children's vaccination program, we're at 49.4 per cent," Mr Hunt says.
"But interestingly, we have had tracking on the intention, until recently, and indeed, the figures I was able to indicate yesterday, we're at 67 per cent intention, but in the absolute latest figures, that has increased to a 76 per cent intention to have children vaccinated in the sentiment tracking of parents.
"So, this is an important indicator. It means that the will is there. The access is there. Now we have to bring them together."
By Jessica Riga
'A very important step forward', says Hunt
"Australia has one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the world already but it can go higher and we want it to go higher," Mr Hunt said.
"I’m delighted to announce that we now have a double green light for the Moderna children’s vaccine and this will be for 6 to 11-year-olds.
"We have Moderna in over 4,000 points of presence around the country. And that will make it very easy for parents.
"Individual pharmacies or general practices, state clinics or Commonwealth clinics, will indicate when they have completed their training and they're ready to commence.
"But from a national perspective, the program will begin tomorrow on the availability of individual pharmacies, GPs, state, Commonwealth, or Indigenous clinics. That's a very important step forward."
By Jessica Riga
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine available for children from tomorrow
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be made available for children aged 6 to 11 from tomorrow.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced the vaccine has been given the final approval necessary, after guidance from the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Commonwealth’s expert vaccine advisory group.
The dosage for children will be half the amount of the Moderna vaccine offered to those over the age of 12.
