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Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics

Other News Materials 11 April 2022 05:31 (UTC +04:00)
Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics

Australia recorded another record surge in COVID-19 infections on Tuesday as an outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupted reopening of the economy, while state leaders argued over domestic border controls, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The country reported 11,264 new cases of the coronavirus in the previous day, according to a Reuters calculation of state figures, once again surpassing its peak of a day earlier, as it grapples with a planned reopening while the new variant rages.

There were five COVID-19 deaths reported, taking the total fatalities to just over 2,200 since the start of the pandemic. Authorities did not specify whether any of the new deaths were related to the Omicron variant.

The Omicron variant, which medical experts say is more transmissible but less virulent than previous strains, began to spread in Australia just as the country got underway with plans to reopen for good after nearly two years of stop-start lockdowns.

With the resumption of rising case numbers - despite a vaccination rate of more than 90% for Australians aged over 16 - the country's state leaders have brought back some containment measures like mandatory mask-wearing and QR code check-ins at public venues.

The rising case numbers have also led to mandatory self-isolation for thousands of workers in the hospitality, entertainment and airline sectors - the sectors worst hit by lockdowns - resulting in cancelled theatre shows, closed restaurants and postponed flights.

The outbreak has also fuelled a resumption of fractious domestic politics which defined much of the pandemic as some states resist calls to remove internal border controls.

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