Australia Covid news live update: NSW records 11,201 cases, Victoria 3,767; states consider shorter isolation; Qld border test requirements changing

NSW deputy leader Stuart Ayres has confirmed on Channel 7’s Sunrise that the government is indeed looking to reduce isolation times for Covid-positive patients.

Ayres said earlier this morning, that it was important the government continues to “adapt” to the Omicron strain, and reiterated calls for people to limit PCR testing unless they have symptoms or are directed to take a test.

The rules are changing, and we have got to keep adapting with Omicron.

We know this variant is not as severe, we know we have got an incredibly well-resourced hospital system that can take care of our most sick patients.

So this is about adapting to make sure we can continue to strike the balance between health and economic challenges.

We want people to just get tested, isolate until they receive that negative test, only going to get tested if you are symptomatic or if you are a household contact of a Covid case.

That will reduce the queues, but it will also allow our health teams a little bit more time to assess what is required for those people that are infected and whether they need to stay in isolation as long as they have for past variants.

Ok, we have some press conference times to bring you.

Vic authorities are due up at 11am AEDT (in 10 minutes), while NSW authorities are due at 12.30pm AEDT.

We’re also expecting to hear from federal Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, at around 11am AEDT as well. Stay tuned.

Tasmania has recorded 55 new Covid-19 cases today, with 300 people currently infected in the state.

One person is in hospital, 63 are in community management clinics and 158 are being managed at home. A further 23 people are being assessed.

It comes after Tasmania opened to fully vaccinated travellers on 15 December, having been Covid-free beforehand.

Concern is growing at the impact of rising coronavirus cases on New Year’s Eve plans in NSW.

Australian Cruise Group executive director Sudhir Warrier, who is in charge of the cruises in Sydney Harbour during the NYE fireworks, said ticket sales are badly down this year.

He told Sky News earlier this morning that consumer confidence “is totally shattered”:

Business has completely dried up in the last 10 days or so, consumer confidence is totally shattered.

This is the second year in a row. The year before we had the northern beaches outbreak.

This is the second year where basically we’ve built up a huge amount of consumer confidence over the last seven or eight weeks, that is shattered in three days.

The guests who have made the bookings are very happy to cruise and enjoy themselves. For example on Christmas Day we had 400 guests between two boats. It’s just the fear to book – we’re basically dealing with confidence.

Broadway’s revival of The Music Man on Tuesday cancelled performances for five days after star Hugh Jackman tested positive for Covid.

In the latest New York City show to fall victim to the surging coronavirus, Jackman, 53, said on Twitter that he had only mild symptoms, including a scratchy throat and runny nose, and that as soon as he was cleared he would be back on stage.

Producers announced that all performances of the musical would be canceled through 1 January.

Jackman tested positive after his co-star Sutton Foster came down with the coronavirus last week and was replaced by an understudy. Foster will return on 2 January but Jackson is expected to be out until 6 January.

Dozens of Broadway shows, including Hamilton, The Lion King and Aladdin, have been forced to cancel performances over the past two weeks as the virus has raged through the city despite vaccine mandates for cast, crew and audiences.

Some, like the annual Christmas show by the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, shut down entirely, while musicals Jagged Little Pill and Ain’t Too Proud have closed weeks earlier than scheduled because of breakthrough cases and sluggish ticket sales during the normally busy holiday season.

The surge couldn’t have come at a worse time for Broadway, which reopened only in September after an 18-month closure because of the pandemic. January and February are traditionally the leanest months to bring in audiences, and large musicals need full houses to make money.

Music Man is currently running in preview ahead of an official opening scheduled for 10 February. Ticket demand has been strong despite an official top price of US$699 a seat, and are changing hands on secondary websites for more than $2,000 each.

– Reuters

And, Perrottet has tweeted his reaction (to Queensland changing its border rules, not the number of cases today):

So, sticking to NSW for now, last night premier Dominic Perrottet was on 2GB, and was backing his government’s approach to restrictions, after easing most of them on 15 December.

Perrottet said he had “no regrets” about easing most of the restrictions, and said he believed the state was in a “very strong position”:

We look at the evidence in front of us, we make the assessment, we tailor our settings to where they are.

We’ve always said as we open up case numbers will increase, these are the difficulties we are going through in this next phase.

NSW, despite this, is in a very strong position, very strong position as we move through.

He also urged people to NOT get a test unless they have symptoms or have been advised by health authorities to get tested:

The reality is as case numbers are increasing there are obviously going to be challenges along the way.

One of the key issues for us which we are trying to resolve and I have had many constructive discussions with my counterparts, premiers from other states, is that there is no reason why someone should be getting a tourism test if they don’t have any symptoms and are travelling interstate.

So NSW’s numbers have caused a storm of reactions online, with many expressing panic and despair at the new daily record.

Victoria has also seen a jump in case numbers, reporting 3,767 new infections, another daily record.

Five people with Covid died in the latest reporting period.

Covid cases have jumped again in New South Wales, significantly this time, with the state recording 11,201 new infections today. It’s the highest ever tally recorded by a state in a single day, and the first time a state has recorded more than 10,000 cases in a day.

Sadly, three people have lost their lives overnight.

So what has been a recurring theme for a week now, long queues at testing locations, looks to continue today.

It also comes as reports emerge that NSW Police are having to turn people away from a testing location in Penrith:

Queensland has once again made a change to the testing requirements to cross the border.

From 1 January (Saturday), travellers will be able to present a negative rapid antigen test to be able to cross the border. That means PCR tests are no longer the only way to cross the border, with hopes this will ease testing congestion.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the change on Twitter, mentioning that more details will be provided at a press conference later this morning:

Good morning all. Mostafa Rachwani with you today, taking you through the morning’s news, and there is much to get stuck into.

We begin in New South Wales, with reports that the state government will seek to wind back isolation times for covid positive patients. The Australian is reporting a proposal favoured by officials for people to isolate for only five days after testing positive.

It comes as reports the nation’s chief health officers also consider a similar proposal, to match reduced isolation times in the US and the UK. The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is expected to report back with the recommendations early next year.

The discussion around isolation periods also come as waiting times at testing sites in NSW and Victoria are overwhelmed, with reports the system is being strained. Some have reported queuing for hours and being turned away, and many have reported waiting up to six days for results.

NSW recorded 6,062 new cases and Victoria recorded 2,738 cases yesterday, with the rush for rapid antigen tests continuing. There is still no national guideline for using the tests, and the federal government has refused to buy kits and provide them en masse, exacerbating the situation.

South Australia saw a huge surge in cases, recording 995 yesterday, with concerns numbers could continue to rise. Premier Steven Marshall told reporters the numbers were “doubling every three to four days”.

The ACT also recorded its highest daily case numbers yesterday, reporting 252 new cases, as it also faces testing queues. Like in Queensland, the ACT has moved to reduce publishing exposure sites in an attempt to ease the pressure on the testing and tracing systems.

Covid will continue to undoubtedly dominate headlines, but we’ll be sure to keep our eyes on everything else happening around the country. Stay tuned.