Australia’s Queensland state says peak of Omicron two weeks away

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia reported 64 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, as essentially the most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), stated the Omicron COVID-19 variant wouldn’t delay the beginning of the college yr.

NSW reported 30 deaths of sufferers with COVID-19, whereas Victoria state noticed 20 deaths, and Queensland reported 10 deaths.

The nationwide toll of 64 was down from its deadliest day because the begin of the pandemic on Friday, when 86 individuals died.

The college yr begins in simply over per week for the 2 greatest states, NSW and Victoria, that are getting ready plans for college kids to return to school rooms.

A NSW well being official urged dad and mom to vaccinate youngsters earlier than they return to highschool. Vaccination bookings for five to 11 yr olds have solely been obtainable in Australia for 2 weeks, a schedule which means most kids won’t have had two doses earlier than lessons begin.

“There isn’t a doubt there are going to be challenges as we open faculties,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet stated on Saturday.

Queensland, recording 15,050 new instances, stated it was two weeks behind NSW which is believed to have reached a peak within the Omicron outbreak, recording 20,148 new instances on Saturday.

Queensland well being officers stated the information affirmed a choice to delay the beginning of college within the northern state by two weeks to keep away from the height of COVID-19 instances.

A day earlier, the huge mining state of Western Australia cancelled plans to reopen its borders on Feb. 5, citing well being dangers from a surge in COVID-19 in jap states.

Nationally, round 55,000 new instances have been reported on Saturday, in comparison with seven in Western Australia.

All states and territories, besides Western Australia, have reopened their inside borders underneath a coverage of dwelling with COVID-19, regardless of a report surge in instances. Western Australia had been resulting from observe go well with subsequent month.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham)