New South Wales has again hit a new deadliest day of the pandemic, with 21 deaths and 34,759 new cases of coronavirus overnight.
The surge in today’s cases is believed related to rapid antigen test results being recorded for the first time.
Today’s case numbers come from 134,411 tests, up from 71,352.
Hospitalisations remain on the rise, with 2242 people in hospital and 175 in ICU.
Victoria also released worrying figures today, with 21 deaths.
The state recorded 40,127 new coronavirus cases, with hospitalisations rising to 946 patients and 112 in ICU.
NSW clocked 25,870 infections yesterday, amid rising hospitalisations and 11 deaths.
Case numbers in both Victoria and Queensland spiked significantly when the states started counting the rapid tests in daily figures.
But RATs remain rare commodities and multiple industries at breaking point as our surging COVID-19 case numbers force employees into isolation.
Almost a third of Woolworths staff are off sick or isolating as a close contact and Coles has introduced new buying limits for certain groceries amid staff shortages and supply chain issues caused by COVID-19.
They include single-pack limits on toilet paper and a two-pack restriction for painkillers.
The pandemic is having a serious impact on the health system too, with some patients moved from public to private hospitals to free up beds and a Sydney mum not being able to find an ambulance after giving birth to her son on the bathroom floor.
After that experience, and hearing the premier talking about the system being strong… it’s just not,” Melanie Moir’s husband, Alex, said.
