Here's a quick wrap of what's happening in COVID news across Australia and the world.
Get up to speed fast by jumping to the COVID-19 stories you want to read:
- New South Wales records first known Omicron COVID death
- Victoria records just under 2,000 new COVID cases
- Queensland records 784 new COVID cases
- Density limits return in South Australia
- The ACT records highest daily tally of COVID cases
- Tasmania records 35 new COVID cases
- The NT records 12 new cases of COVID
- France reports record high COVID infections
- WA records one new case of COVID, extends restrictions
- NSW pathology clinic texts 995 people erroneous COVID-19 results
- South Australia records 842 new COVID cases, one death
COVID testing sites pushed to the limit
The Christmas holiday season has piled major pressure on testing sites across various states.
Here's what we know.
In Victoria, some close contacts who were initially advised to get a PCR test have received text messages from the Department of Health suggesting they get a rapid antigen test instead if they don't have any symptoms.
In NSW, Health Minister Brad Hazzard says wait times for COVID test results have ballooned to 48 to 72 hours, with many people waiting even longer than that to get a result.
The NSW government yesterday urged people to only get tested if they have symptoms, are identified as close contacts, or as part of their travel requirements.
The ACT government is trying to limit the number of people arriving at testing clinics to obtain a "travel test" result, which is needed to enter Queensland, Tasmania or the Northern Territory.
All three open testing sites in Canberra had to close by 9:30am today because they had reached capacity.
In Queensland, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a decision on the use of rapid antigen tests instead of PCR tests would be made in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Sullivan Nicolaides pathology chief executive Michael Harrison said the testing situation was a "perfect storm" as exhausted laboratory workers were overwhelmed.
Dr Harrison said the pathology clinics had staff working overnight and across Christmas Day to catch up, while priority had to be given to testing aged care residents and healthcare workers who were close contacts of infected people.
Leading epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws says there should have been a better plan to deal with the added pressure on testing over Christmas.
"There should have been some planning to understand that Australians would want to go out and get tested before they went to see their families," she said.
"But they have not done that in New South Wales or anywhere in Australia. They should have been giving out free rapid antigen testing before the holidays."
NSW records over 6,000 new cases and first known Omicron COVID death
From today, people in NSW must again scan in with a QR code at cafes, restaurants and shopping centres, however, only at the entrance and not individual stores.
A maximum one person per two square metres density limit will also apply at pubs, restaurants and clubs from today.
NSW recorded 6,324 new COVID cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Hospitalisations jumped to 520, up from 458 in the previous reporting period.
Victoria records just shy of 2,000 COVID cases
The state has 1,999 new cases, with 368 people now in hospital.
There are 80 in ICU and 38 who require ventilation.
Queensland records 784 new cases of COVID
Seventy-five per cent of the state's new cases are the Omicron variant, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says there has not been any major impact on the state's hospitals.
Four people are in hospital receiving care for COVID-related symptoms.
Ms Palaszczuk said from today, Queensland Health would start accepting vaccinations for children aged between five and 11.
Restrictions on home gatherings, hospitality venues and gyms in SA
From midnight, capacity limits at gyms have been reduced to one person per seven square metres, while cafes and restaurants will revert to one patron per four square metres.
Caps on home gatherings have also dropped from 30 down to 10 ahead of New Years Eve parties.
South Australia's peak business body says it has approached the state government pushing for financial support for the hospitality sector, as the snap restrictions are reimposed.
The chair of peak body Business SA, Nikki Govan, said she was taken aback by the announcement of a return to heightened social distancing measures.
The ACT records 189 new COVID cases
It's the ACT's highest daily tally of the pandemic.
There are now 688 people infected with the disease in Canberra. Only one is in hospital.
The ACT government closed two of its largest testing sites to so-called "travel tests" today as it struggled to cope with demand; 4,455 test results were returned in the past 24 hours.
Tasmania records 35 new COVID cases
There are now 194 active cases in the state.
There are 116 people being monitored at home and 45 are in a medi-hotel.
One person is in hospital, after being admitted for an unrelated medical condition.
Public Health Director Mark Veitch said that of the state's 194 active cases two did not have a clear link to another known case.
Dr Veitch said Public Health would move its focus to close contacts of positive cases.
"We'll be paying less of a focus on casual contacts, which means that we won't be routinely listing casual contact sites," he said.
Read the story.The NT records 12 new cases of COVID
Authorities say most of the 15 people currently in hospital are in there for assessment and infection control.
There were two cases in the Tennant Creek area connected to the ongoing local outbreak, bringing the outbreak's total to 146.
One case was confirmed in a worker from Yulara who was a close contact of previous cases.
The source of infection of one case in Darwin is still under investigation.
France reports more than 100,000 COVID infections for first time
France recorded a record high of 104,611 COVID-19 infections on Saturday, breaking the 100,000 threshold for the first time since the pandemic began as the Omicron variant continued its rapid spread.
Health authorities said the number of COVID patients in intensive care went up by 28 to 3,282.
Western Australia extends restrictions, records one new COVID case
Western Australia has extended its mask mandate and hospitality COVID-19 restrictions until January 4, Premier Mark McGowan has announced.
It means masks will remain mandatory in all public indoor settings, while nightclubs will be closed for New Year's Eve and major music festivals cancelled.
The rules were due to expire tomorrow but have been extended over concerns COVID could be spreading in the community.
WA reported one new locally acquired case overnight, linked to the French backpacker at the centre of Perth's virus outbreak.
The woman aged in her 20s was in quarantine for all of her infectious period.
Premier Mark McGowan says extending restrictions "will disappoint some".
"New Year's Eve celebrations have not been cancelled, you can still count in the New Year with family and friends," he said.
"We are ensuring that's done as safe as possible."
Over 29,000 Western Australians were tested over the past four days.
Read the story.NSW pathology service texts another 995 people in error
COVID-19 test provider SydPath has confirmed it sent 995 more text messages about people's coronavirus results prematurely.
It said the patients tested on December 23 and 24 in NSW were prematurely advised they were negative but their results were yet to be confirmed.
All patients have been contacted and will receive accurate results tonight.
Yesterday, the provider revealed it incorrectly informed 400 people they were negative through text messages, prompting an apology.
Read the story.SA records 842 new cases, one death with COVID
South Australia has recorded 842 new cases of coronavirus and its first death of a COVID patient since April last year.
SA Health says the 94-year-old woman died in Adelaide yesterday.
While she tested positive for the virus, the woman's cause death is still being determined.
She's the fifth COVID-positive person to die in South Australia since the start of the pandemic.
Twenty-three people are in hospital, including four in intensive care, with one requiring a ventilator.
Only 12 of the 23 people in hospital are fully vaccinated.
SA health says 81 per cent of cases are the Omicron variant.
Read the story.ABC/wires
