New South Wales recorded another 52 Covid-19 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.
Photo: AFP / 2021 Anadolu Agency
A total of 2663 people with the virus are in the state's hospitals, of which 182 are in ICU.
There were 13,524 new cases recorded in the reporting period, of which 6032 were from positive rapid antigen tests (RAT) and 7492 were from PCR swabs.
Since RAT reporting began on 13 January, there has now been more than 247,000 self-reported positive cases.
The state's booster shot rate has risen to 38.8 percent of eligible people, while 37.4 percent of children aged five to 11 have now received their first vaccine dose.
The double-dose rate for children aged 12 to 16 is now at 78.5 percent, while 83.2 percent have had one jab.
For the over-16 age group, 94 percent have had two doses and 95.4 percent one dose.
Meanwhile, the NSW government is set to announce a $1 billion support package for businesses hit by the economic impact of the Omicron wave.
The package includes support for small businesses to buy rapid antigen tests.
Eligible small businesses will be provided a payment of 20 percent of weekly payroll, up to $5000 a week.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the package included $700 million for small business, and also targeted the performing arts sector.
He said business was tracking "better than expected" during the Omicron wave and confidence was returning to the market.
Victoria reports 20 deaths
Victoria's premier says the downward trend in Australia's new Covid-19 infections is tracking better than projected by computer modelling.
Daniel Andrews also said the data suggests the state is past the peak of the surge in new cases caused by the Omicron variant.
Victoria has reported another 20 Covid-19 deaths, but hospitalisations continue to fall.
There are 889 Covid-19 patients in Victorian hospitals, down from 953 on Saturday.
Of those in hospital, 111 patients are in intensive care and 35 are on ventilators.
The state has reported 10,589 new Covid-19 infections, comprised of 4479 PCR tests and 6110 rapid antigen tests.
The official number of active cases in the state is now 78,294, well below the peak of more than 253,000 reported on 19 January.
Authorities say the demand on PCR testing that overwhelmed the network earlier this month has now eased and most tests are being returned within 24 hours.
Around 38 percent of Victorian adults have now received at least three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
On Saturday, health authorities confirmed there were a small number of cases of the recently discovered Omicron BA.2 subvariant present in Victoria, as they again urged those eligible for vaccinations to book an appointment as soon as possible.
Two deaths in South Australia
Two men in their eighties have died in South Australia, but the number of new cases there today - 1,633 - is the state's lowest figure so far this year.
The state premier, Steven Marshall, says south Australia is clearly past the peak of the Omicron surge, and in the recovery phase.
There are 289 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the state.
- ABC
