Look back on the day's events as they unfolded in the live blog.
Key events
- WA records 17 new local cases
- NT confirms COVID death which was under investigation
- The NT records 1,201 new cases, including 68 which are being added to Tuesday's tally
- The ACT records 549 new cases, 50 per cent of Canberra adults have now received a booster shot
- Queensland records 16 deaths and 9,630 new cases
- SA records 1,723 new cases and one death
- Tasmania records 666 new cases and no new deaths
- Victoria records 25 deaths and 14,553 new cases
- NSW records 27 deaths and 11,807 new cases
Live updates
By Alexis Moran
Cases, hospitalisations and deaths
If you don't see your state or territory yet, don't worry - these numbers are updated throughout the day.
For a detailed breakdown of cases across the country, check out Charting the Spread.
NSW: 11,807 new cases, 2,622 people in hospital, 170 in ICU, 27 deaths.
VIC: 14,553 new cases, 768 people in hospital, 99 in ICU, 25 deaths.
TAS: 666 new cases, 13 people in hospital, 2 in ICU, 0 deaths.
SA: 1,723 new cases, 233 people in hospital, 21 in ICU, 1 death.
QLD: 9,630 new cases, 763 people in hospital, 49 in ICU, 16 deaths.
ACT: 549 new cases, 61 people in hospital, 1 in ICU, 0 deaths.
NT: 1,201 new cases, 129 people in hospital, 5 in ICU, 1 death.
WA: 29 new cases, 1 in hospital, 0 in ICU, 0 deaths.
By Jacqueline Howard
That's it for today
Thanks for joining us today and we'll be back tomorrow.
By Jacqueline Howard
Australia's COVID-19 hospital admissions fall to lowest in weeks
Australia's COVID-19 hospitalisation rate fell to its lowest in nearly three weeks today.
Hospital cases have fallen to about 4,600, with all states seeing a dip in admission numbers, after a peak of nearly 5,400 a week ago.
"We've seen the peaks of Omicron, I think, come through in (New South Wales and Victoria)," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a media briefing.
With COVID-19 hospitalisations stabilising, Mr Morrison said he had tasked health officials to check the impact on the health system before easing more border curbs.
Mr Morrison said last week he hoped international borders may fully reopen "before Easter".
By Jacqueline Howard
Tonga's COVID cases rise to five, outbreak not linked to aid delivered by HMAS Adelaide
A top Defence Force officer has said the Australian navy vessel HMAS Adelaide was not responsible for the emerging COVID-19 outbreak that has sent Tonga into lockdown.
Australia has also promised to help the Pacific nation identify the source of the outbreak by testing samples from the two dock workers who tested positive on Tuesday.
The number of COVID cases grew from two to five today after three family members of one of those workers also tested positive.
Tongan authorities feared an influx of international planes and ships delivering water, shelter and food supplies in the wake of the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami last month, could bring COVID-19 to the nation.
HMAS Adelaide — which delivered badly needed supplies to Tonga last week — had around 30 COVID-19 cases on board when it docked at the capital Nuku'alofa.
But Tonga's Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, said on Tuesday that HMAS Adelaide had no connection with the outbreak, and the two workers who tested positive had no contact with the Australian navy ship or the supplies it delivered.
By Jacqueline Howard
Safety in an emergency is more important that quarantining
A reminder as wild weather hits much of the country: if you are isolating, you are allowed to leave your home if it is unsafe. SA Health in particular has issued a reminder, and advises that anyone who does so must advise their local emergency services that they have been forced to leave quarantine or isolation due to the emergency.
By Jacqueline Howard
By Jacqueline Howard
Questions remain over how South Australians affected by COVID-19 will vote in state election
People in South Australia who test positive to COVID-19 must quarantine for 10 days, while close contacts must complete seven days of isolation.
Members of parliament have also raised concerns about how aged care residents will be able to cast their ballots on March 19.
Police Commissioner and State Emergency Coordinator Grant Stevens said he only recently become aware of the potential polling issues and they had not yet been discussed in any of the committees he been part of.
"It is something that we will address," he told ABC Radio Adelaide.
"I don't know what the answer is yet and when we do have an answer, people will become aware of that."
By Jacqueline Howard
By Jacqueline Howard
Beijing Winter Olympic Games organiser says 32 new COVID cases yesterday
A total of 32 new COVID-19 infections were found among Olympic Games-related personnel on February 1, the organising committee of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics said.
Fifteen were among new airport arrivals, it said on the Games' official website, with 17 in the "closed loop" bubble that separates all event personnel from the public.
A total of nine infections were among athletes or team officials, with three found at the airport and six in the bubble.
By Jacqueline Howard
Hello hello hello
It's nice to see case numbers coming out consistently in the mornings! I'll be keeping an eye out for any new developments through the afternoon.
By Alexis Moran
That's it for me
The lovely Jacqueline Howard is here to steer you into the afternoon.
By Alexis Moran
Tasmania's Education Minister ill with COVID on holiday in France a week out from school returning
Tasmania's Education Minister is isolating with coronavirus in France just days out from the start of the school year.
Sarah Courtney has been on holiday in Europe for several weeks, drawing criticism from the Opposition and Greens as stressed parents prepare to send their children to school.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Premier Peter Gutwein revealed Ms Courtney had been unable to return to Tasmania this week as planned after testing positive for coronavirus.
"I would hope that she would be here before the school year starts on the 9th," Mr Gutwein said.
"Her seven-day isolation period will end on Sunday morning, I think, European time, then she will fly back."
By Alexis Moran
Tasmanian hospitals drop escalation level from three to two
Tasmania's four main hospitals have reduced their COVID-19 escalation level from three to two.
Chief Medical Officer Tony Lawler said it was possible because there are now fewer staff and patients presenting with COVID.
Affected units will return to business as usual, in a staged process.
Surgical services will also return to normal and some visitor restrictions will be relaxed.
By Alexis Moran
NSW Premier says 45 per cent of eligible people in the state have received their booster shot
Dominic Perrottet is again urging people to get their booster shot after the state recorded 27 COVID-19 related deaths in the latest reporting period.
Mr Perrottet says people who have recovered from COVID should wait four to six weeks before getting their booster shot.
By Alexis Moran
From Friday, adults in New Zealand can get their booster three months after their second Pfizer dose
The government today announced that it's pulling forward the minimal interval time from four months based on health advice.
Kiwis under 18 are still not eligible to receive a booster shot.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern — who's now out of isolation after being a close contact of a positive case — has urged everyone in New Zealand who's eligible to come forward.
"The science now tells us that to reduce the risk of Omicron, we need to get the number of people boosted as high as possible, and before the outbreak really takes off."
By Alexis Moran
WA records 17 new local cases
Fifteen of the new cases are linked to current outbreaks, while the source of the other two remains unclear.
One of the new cases is a teacher at Winterfold Primary School in Perth’s south.
That case has prompted the closure of the school while staff and students are tested.
The state also recorded another 11 cases related to interstate travel, and one case related to overseas travel.
By Alexis Moran
Hi. Missed Vic presser....day just won't be the same.... On serious note was there any mention of elective surgery resuming please? Thanks for all your great work on the blog, been here from the start and appreciate u all very much.
-Rural Vic
Hey there, Premier Daniel Andrews said the government had been consulting with people in the health sector about resuming elective surgeries delayed by the pandemic, but no date had been confirmed.
"This is a difficult decision, a terribly difficult decision but it is the right decision and we will get these surgeries back up and running as soon as possible," he said.
Mr Andrews would not confirm media reports that elective surgeries could resume as early as next week.
By Alexis Moran
