Bleak pandemic 'reality' as NSW records another 32 deaths
NSW's Covid-19 death toll continues to climb at an alarming rate with another daily toll above 30 on Wednesday.
Cases in the state were up slightly from Tuesday's total with a further 32,297 cases recorded. There were 32 deaths.
There are 2,863 people in hospital with the virus while 217 are in ICU, still below the ICU peak seen during the height of the Delta outbreak.
Tuesday was the state's deadliest day of the pandemic with 36 deaths.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said while there were early signs of known cases plateauing, the full spread of the virus was not clear.
"I'm sure we are in fact underestimating the number of cases in the community," he told ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday.
Deaths during the pandemic 'the reality'
Professor Kelly said deaths amid the pandemic was simply "the reality" and the peak was yet to come.
"We have seen and we will continue to see deaths."
Close to 20 per cent of all of NSW's Covid deaths have occurred in the past week.
Victoria reported a rise in daily deaths on Wednesday, with a further 18.
Australia's death toll on Wednesday stands at 50 from the nation's two most populous states with updates from the remaining six states and territories to come later.
Tuesday's 77 deaths nationally was the highest during the pandemic yet.
Code brown activated from Wednesday
Authorities in Victoria are expecting hospital admissions from the current Omicron wave to skyrocket in the coming weeks.
It has prompted the code brown declaration from midday on Wednesday.
The order means each hospital will be able to postpone or defer less urgent care, while some staff may be reassigned or recalled from leave.
Staff will only have leave cancelled if "absolutely necessary".
The federal government has also activated its private hospitals agreement made in 2020, allowing staff to be redirected to the public system.
Booster shots allowed after 3 months
Slow uptake of booster shots has enabled NSW vaccination centres to open the door to millions more adults.
Adults whose second shot was longer than three months ago will be able to book into the state's 40 vaccination clinics from Wednesday, a reduction to the earlier four-month wait period.
"As we are clearly seeing boosters are key to keeping yourself, your friends and your family safe," Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
Victoria has also reduced the interval, with Premier Daniel Andrews saying "effective immediately" 2.45 million Victorians aged over 18 can receive their third dose.
"This will help more people get third-dosed quicker," he told reporters in Melbourne.
With AAP
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