Life under social isolation or mandatory "stay home orders".

[kingofnobbys]

15 December = Day 182

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA Continued (2)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
CENTRAL STATES , WA AND TAS
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SA
SA recorded a large surge of 25 local cases , . Their LOCAL total in this output is 140.
5 are mystery cases.
SA recorded zero delta deaths..

SA Health has revised the state's daily total number of new COVID-19 cases down to 25, which remains the highest daily total since April 2020.

However, the number of aged care homes that were visited by one of 2 DELTA-positive healthcare workers identified in yesterday's numbers has been revised upwards to 22.
Several of the facilities have been locked down, with infection control and testing measures put in place.

SA Health said the exposures "were not widespread" across the facilities and that all test results so far have been negative.
Earlier, Premier Steven Marshall said a high level of testing was underway at those sites, but there was no evidence so far of further transmission.
Mr Marshall said about 1,400 people were currently in quarantine. "We're going to continue to have more cases in South Australia; importantly, though, we are seeing the number of people that are in directed quarantine continue to fall," he said.

It is understood that two positive cases attended the University of South Australia's Mawson Lakes campus this week, but SA Health has not yet listed it as an exposure site.
Mr Marshall said quarantine periods for international arrivals would reduce from 14 to seven days, effective immediately.

The state had previously moved to 7-day quarantine when it opened its borders on November 23), but backtracked days later because of concerns over the Omicron variant.

Mr Marshall said the change would provide "huge relief" for people travelling into the state for Christmas.

The Premier said the state was "still working out" what the quarantine period for international arrivals would be once the state reached 90 per cent vaccination for the population 12 and over, but said it was "unlikely that it would go to zero given the level of uncertainty with Omicron".

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TAS
SA recorded 0 cases , zero delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NT'
NT recorded a large surge of 11 cases , 6 ARE LOCAL . Their LOCAL total in this output is 100.
0 are mystery cases.
NT recorded zero delta deaths..

Overnight, the Northern Territory recorded a total number of 11 cases.
Of those, 5 are from a recent repatriation flight from South Africa.
1 is an air crew member from a recent London flight, who was in quarantine and not infectious in the community.
Another new case was picked up in home quarantine in Darwin.

The remaining 6 cases are linked to the Katherine cluster, bringing the total number of cases to 100.
1 was a woman in her 20s who was a close contact and in Howard Springs quarantine facility.
Another was a male teenager who was a resident in one of the high-risk streets in Katherine East. He was being transferred to Howard Springs.
2 more cases linked to the Katherine cluster were confirmed at the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH): a woman in her 30s and her son aged under 10. The pair are residents from Timber Creek, who passed through Katherine earlier this week to attend a scheduled surgery at RDH.
Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the pair had caught the bus to Darwin from Katherine. Ms Manison said a list of exposure sites linked to the mother and son from Timber Creek would be released later today. "We are doing the contact tracing now and these details will be released as soon as possible today," she said.

NT Border rule changes
Ms Manison announced some changes to the Northern Territory government's controversial border rules following backlash from key stakeholders, including tourism and business groups.
She said a list of 66 communities with full vaccination rates below 80 per cent for residents aged five years and over would be published on the NT government's COVID website.

Recent interstate arrivals cannot travel to these communities within their first 14 days in the Territory, she said. "As they reach the vaccination target, [these communities] will be removed from the list," Ms Manison said.

From Monday, Territorians must not travel to these identified exclusion zones within their first 14 days back in the Territory, unless that person is a returning resident, including boarding school students, essential workers or a family member of an essential worker.
Opponents of the Northern Territory's COVID-19 vaccination mandate say "thousands" of people could lose their jobs on Christmas Day after the Supreme Court rejected their bid to hold an expedited hearing challenging the rule.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WA
WA recorded 1 INTL CASE IN QUARANTINE , zero delta deaths..

WA to move NSW to 'extreme risk' COVID-19 border restrictions amid Omicron fears
Western Australia's hard border with New South Wales is set to become even more strict from 12:01am on Saturday when that state is reclassified as an 'extreme risk' jurisdiction.
It comes after New South Wales recorded 1,360 new cases of COVID-19 today, with 25 of those identified as the Omicron variant.
But there was some encouraging news, with no new cases of the virus recorded in WA for Wednesday as the Health Department continued to monitor the contacts of three truck drivers who tested positive after arriving in the state from South Australia.

There have been seven close contacts identified of the drivers and 149 casual contacts.
The number of exposure sites linked to the three drivers, who entered WA from SA in separate trucks on December 9, stood at nine on Wednesday afternoon.

WA is also set to halve its cap on international arrivals into the state in light of concerns over the new variant.
The state government has indicated the reclassification of NSW as extreme risk had no impact on plans to reopen the WA border on February 5.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said anyone from WA who was in New South Wales, and planning to return under an exemption granted while it was a 'high risk' jurisdiction, should return immediately.
"Western Australians currently in New South Wales with an approved G2G Pass should come home immediately, because once the reclassification kicks in on Saturday, they will not be able to do so, except for the most extraordinary circumstances."

The only people allowed into WA from NSW from Saturday will be:
>Select Commonwealth and state officials
>Members of Parliament
>Diplomats
>Serving ADF members
>Specialists or people who meet extraordinary circumstances determined by the Police Commissioner or Chief Health Officer

Unless otherwise advised, those people must:
>Be double vaccinated against COVID-19 (if eligible)
>Return a negative PCR test within 72 hours before departing for WA
>Undertake 14-days of hotel quarantine at a state facility at their own expense
>Be tested for COVID-19 on days one, five, and 13 of that quarantine period

The move will bring New South Wales onto the same risk level as Victoria, which recorded 1,405 new COVID-19 cases overnight.

Both of those states relaxed several COVID-19 restrictions today, despite the case numbers.

There have been 2 cases of Omicron detected in returned overseas travellers in Perth quarantine hotels who continue to be monitored.

The current cap on international arrivals into WA is set at 530 people per week, but that will go down to 265 from December 23.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NEW ZEALAND'S DELTA WAVE

NZ recorded 73 local delta cases overnight , includes 1 mystery cases .Total of local Delta transmissions is now 9980.
NZ recorded 0 delta deaths today.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

AUSTRALIAN OMICRON OUTBREAK

15 December NSW
NSW recorded 25 new cases of Omicron variant in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

15 December VIC
Health authorities brace for 'significant increase' in Omicron cases
Professor Sutton confirmed four new Omicron cases, taking the total in Victoria to 10.

Of those 4 cases, 2 are returned travellers who arrived on separate flights from the UK, and both have been in quarantine since arriving in Melbourne.

Another person who has been infected with Omicron was a household contact of another case, and 1 of the 4 new cases announced today was the person at the bars in Fitzroy and Collingwood last Friday night.


NSW = 110
ACT = 5
NT = 2
QLD = 3
VIC = 10
SA = 2
WA = 2
TOT OMICRON = 134

HOW TO MITAGATE LOCAL TRANSMISSION OF DELTA AND OF OMICRON = THE DELTA-OMICRON TRIANGLE

 

[kingofnobbys]

16 December = Day 183

NSW now in CovidNORMAL , PM ScoMo, Fed Health Min Hunt, Fed Treasurer Fredenberg , and NSW Premier "Let-it-rip" Dom & NSW Health Min Hazzard , are all telling "'think happy thoughts" and "learn to live with covid".
And masks are no longer mandated in NSW as of today despite very urgent and strong evidence / science based health advise from no less than NSW's CHO ( Prof Kerry Kant ) and the advise of leading expert epidemiologists and the AusMA , and of WHO experts.

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

Australia set a new VERY BAD record AGAIN today , the new covid pandemic record highest national daily covid case numbers over night up 22%
from yesterday's , now 3423 ,
Australia's CUMULATIVE LOCAL DELTA + OMICRON cases as of today = 210844.

And masks are no longer mandated in NSW as of today despite very urgent and strong evidence / science based health advise from no less than NSW's CHO ( Prof Kerry Kant ) and the advise of leading expert epidemiologists and the AusMA , and of WHO experts.

DELTA DEATHS TODAY

Australia = 9
NSW = 0, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 586
Victoria 9, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 623
ACT = 0 . ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 12
NT total in this DELTA WAVE ( and for entire pandemic ) = 1
QLD = 0

NSW
NSW recorded 1,742 new cases of Delta & Omicon in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
THIS IS NSW's highest daily case numbers of the entire pandemic.
The daily cases number curve extremely steep ( precipitous ) .

A total of 122 cases with the Omicron variant of concern have NOW been confirmed in NSW.
NSW Health continues to be concerned about the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in the Newcastle area, where the majority of a record number of cases are the Omicron variant of concern.
NSW's new bonehead in charge's response summed up

Several venues and events have now seen transmission of DELTA & OMICRON , and NSW Health again asks everyone across the community to continue to be particularly careful and practise COVID-safe behaviours.

IT'S STRONGLY URGING the local Newcastle community to seriously consider deferring any social events in Newcastle until after Christmas in order to help keep family Christmas gatherings safe, and to help protect their loved ones, the vulnerable and our essential workers.

NSW Health last night issued a public health alert for The Cambridge Hotel, 789 Hunter Street, Newcastle. Anyone who attended The Cambridge Hotel from 6.30pm Friday 10 December to 2.30am Saturday 11 December is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for seven days.

Anyone who attended Finnegan's Hotel from 6.30pm Friday 10 December to 2.30am Saturday 11 December, is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 7 days.

Anyone who attended The Argyle House nightclub from 9pm on Wednesday 8 December to 3am on Thursday 9 December has been assessed as a close contact and must immediately get tested, and isolate for 7 days.

Given the high transmission of COVID-19 at these venues, we ask household contacts of anyone who attended to also immediately get tested and isolate until they and the close contact tests negative.

Across NSW, 94.8 % of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 93.3 % are fully vaccinated.
Of the people aged 12 to 15, 81.4 % have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 77.8 % are fully vaccinated.

Of the 1,742 cases reported to 8pm last night,
633 are from Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD),
231 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
188 are from South Western Sydney LHD,
166 are from Western Sydney LHD,
159 are from Sydney LHD,
111 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
81 are from Northern NSW LHD,
43 are from Central Coast LHD,
38 are from Western NSW LHD,
28 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
23 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
14 are from Mid North Coast LHD,
5 from Murrumbidgee LHD,
4 from Far West LHD,
3 from Southern NSW LHD,
and 15 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

( We have family in these red highlited LHDs ).

NSW total local Delta Cases stands at 85536,
1481 Mystery cases today.
4 intls in quarantine.

Positivity today = 1.21%

Reff today = 2.33

SYDNEY LHAs

Wont be long before Greater Sydney is no longer NSW's worse covid hotspot.

HUNTER-NEW ENGLAND LHA

Delta and Omicron are NOW OUT OF CONTROL in Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Port Stephens , Maitland , and Cessnock LGAs.

Highest ever daily cases for these LGAs and climbing like a rocket. Daily cases are doubling ie in HNE is Rate(2x)d = 1day and driven by Omicron, thousands have been ordered into home quarantine.

WORST day in HNE LHD, Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Maitland-Cessnock LGAs of the entire pandemic mostly stemming from the EXTREME SUPERSPREADING event held at Argyl House Nite Club on the Port Hunter Foreshore.

633 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Hunter New England region.

There are 1452 active cases in the District. 9 active cases are being cared for in our hospitals, 2 are in ICU.

Of the 633 new cases:
- 267 are from Newcastle LGA
- 213 are from Lake Macquarie LGA
- 45 are from Maitland LGA
- 40 are from Port Stephens LGA
- 30 are from Cessnock LGA
- 8 are from Mid Coast LGA
- 8 are from Singleton LGA
- 7 are from Muswellbrook LGA
- 4 are from Armidale Regional LGA
- 4 are from Upper Hunter LGA
- 3 are from Tamworth Regional LGA
- 1 is from Dungog LGA
- 1 is from Gunnedah LGA
- 1 is from Inverell LGA
- 1 is from Moree Plains LGA

HNE LHA total stands at 5761.

WESTERN NSW LHA

Delta & Omicron seeding into regional areas has been seen in many regional cities and towns now NSW is in CovidNORMAL and mask mandates and social distancing mandates have been lifted.

Up to 8pm last night there were 38 new cases identified in the Western NSW Local Health District.
Bathurst Regional LGA - 12
Orange - 12
Dubbo - 4
Molong – 4 ( 36km from Orange = closest big town )
Blayney Shire - 2
Mudgee - 1
Forbes - 1
Trangie – 1 ( closest big town is Dubbo , 74km )
Oberon – 1 ( 48km from Bathurst )

W-NSW LHA total stands at 1975

REGIONAL NSW
SYDNEY SATELLITE REGIONAL LHDs

OTHER NSW REGIONAL LHDs

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIC
The daily local covid (Delta) surged overnight , case count was 1622 overnight , 1237 mystery cases, and 9 deaths o/night.
Total LOCAL CASES in Victoria's Delta Wave = 122588.
4 intls in quarantine.

Mask will remain mandatory for Victorians shoppers over the Christmas period due to concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.
Around 700 people have been forced into isolation after an Omicron case visited 2 inner-city bars last Friday. But there is easing of restrictions with vaccination no longer a requirement to visit non-essential retail and places of worship.

Positivity today = 2.01%

Reff today = 1.08

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ACT
ACT recorded 12 cases , of whom 11 are local , 1 was a repat from o/seas. Their LOCAL total in this output is 2070.
ACT recorded zero delta deaths..

 

[kingofnobbys]

16 December = Day 183

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA Continued (1)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
QLD , SA AND TAS
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

QLD
QLD recorded 22 cases , 18 local . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 272.
4 mystery cases.
3 are repats from o/seas.
QLD recorded zero delta deaths..

Cases have been found in these new contact tracing locations:

Mudgeeraba
Robina
Palm Beach
Burleigh Heads
Coolangatta
Mermaid Beach
Miami
Surfers Paradise
QF530 Sydney to Brisbane
QF756 Brisbane to Townsville
Garbutt
South Townsville
Townsville

Queensland has recorded 18 new COVID-19 cases who were infectious in communities from the Gold Coast to Townsville as authorities consider a return to masks indoors.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said. "I'm very pleased that all the people who have travelled from interstate are fully vaccinated ... and that means that these people are not showing signs of being seriously unwell," she said on Thursday.

Affected communities include Brisbane South, Brisbane north, Darling Downs, the Gold and Sunshine coasts, Townsville, West Moreton and Wide Bay.

Asylum Nightclub on the Gold Coast, The Brisbane Powerhouse and a train service on the Beenleigh line were among the exposure sites added to a growing list on Thursday.

Ms D'Ath is pleading with Queenslanders to resume wearing masks in indoor venues as Chief Health Officer John Gerrard warned there is an "active discussion" about a return to a mandate in certain settings.

"Now is the time to carry your mask and to start wearing that mask," Ms D'Ath said.
The warning comes as three previously announced cases were confirmed to have the Omicron variant, including a man who flew from Newcastle to Townsville via Brisbane.

The other two are a woman from Rochedale South who had also been in Newcastle and an international flight crew member who hadn't been out in the community.

Another four cases were confirmed in home and hotel quarantine on Thursday, bringing the total to 22.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers can’t call witnesses under pseudonyms, judge rules
Senate run for ex-Wallabies captain Pocock

Queensland has recorded 18 new COVID-19 cases who were infectious in communities from the Gold Coast to Townsville as authorities consider a return to masks indoors.

Queensland is asking people to resume wearing masks indoors following a rise in virus case numbers.© Russell Freeman/AAP PHOTOS Queensland is asking people to resume wearing masks indoors following a rise in virus case numbers.
The increase in daily cases has not come as a surprise as the focus shifts to the number of people needing hospital or intensive care, Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said.


"I'm very pleased that all the people who have travelled from interstate are fully vaccinated ... and that means that these people are not showing signs of being seriously unwell," she said on Thursday.

Affected communities include Brisbane South, Brisbane north, Darling Downs, the Gold and Sunshine coasts, Townsville, West Moreton and Wide Bay.

Asylum Nightclub on the Gold Coast, The Brisbane Powerhouse and a train service on the Beenleigh line were among the exposure sites added to a growing list on Thursday.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard foreshadowed that more Omicron cases would likely be identified in the state tomorrow.

He said reintroduction of a mask mandate in Queensland was an 'active discussion' and being looked at 'very closely' to try and slow the spread of Omicron in the state.
'Obviously we are concerned, we're expecting this surge of the virus within weeks here in Queensland,' Dr Gerrard said.

'We don't want a surge that overwhelms the hospitals and doesn't allow the vulnerable the time to get a third dose of the vaccine,' he said.


Ms D'Ath is pleading with Queenslanders to resume wearing masks in indoor venues as Chief Health Officer John Gerrard warned there is an "active discussion" about a return to a mandate in certain settings.

"Now is the time to carry your mask and to start wearing that mask," Ms D'Ath said.

The warning comes as three previously announced cases were confirmed to have the Omicron variant, including a man who flew from Newcastle to Townsville via Brisbane.

The other two are a woman from Rochedale South who had also been in Newcastle and an international flight crew member who hadn't been out in the community.

Another four cases were confirmed in home and hotel quarantine on Thursday, bringing the total to 22.

Of the new cases, 12 are linked to interstate travellers, while one was locally acquired with the source a mystery.

Two infections were known contacts of existing cases on the Gold Coast and Darling Downs, and several are under investigation.

"We are identifying additional cases of Omicron hour by hour, so there will be more cases tomorrow," Dr Gerrard said on Thursday.

As well as lifting the vaccination rate, he reinforced calls for residents to wear masks indoors and on public transport.

"What we are aiming to do is to try and slow the spread of this virus to give people an opportunity ... to get the third dose of vaccine," he said.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SA
SA recorded 24 cases , 1 was an INTL repat , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 163.
3 are mystery cases.
SA recorded zero delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TAS
SA recorded 1 LOCAL case . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 15.
0 are mystery cases.
TAS recorded zero delta deaths..

Tasmania is open to interstate travellers again after 21 months with its border shut due to COVID-19. The first flight from Melbourne touched down in Hobart around 7:35am and since then scenes of hugs and tears have been repeated throughout the day as families and friends reunite.

Tasmania has recorded its first case of COVID-19 since the state opened its borders to the rest of the country yesterday.

Premier Peter Gutwein said a man in his 20s, who arrived in Hobart from New South Wales on one of the early morning flights yesterday, has tested positive.

Mr Gutwein said the man was an approved traveller who had met all the necessary vaccination and pre-testing requirements, having received a negative COVID test prior to his departure.

"After arrival, he was notified by New South Wales Health and informed that he was a close contact of a case in New South Wales," he said.

"He went and took a test and returned a positive test last evening."

Mr Gutwein said the man was now isolating at his residence and being managed by Public Health.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[kingofnobbys]

16 December = Day 183

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA Continued (2)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
NT , WA
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NT
NT recorded 1 LOCAL case. , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 101.
0 are mystery cases.
NT recorded zero delta deaths..

The Northern Territory will still reopen to the rest of the nation on Monday. Despite Covid case numbers surging in the Territory and around the country. The rules were relaxed even further today, allowing travellers outside of the NT's major centres.
Parents across rural parts of the Northern Territory who have been separated from their children for an entire school term are celebrating a last-minute change to the jurisdiction's border rules.

A controversial rule, which the NT Government scrapped yesterday, would have banned interstate arrivals from leaving Darwin, Alice Springs or Katherine for the first 14 days they were in the territory.

Even if their home was on a remote station, in the middle of nowhere.

"My phone has been ringing off the hook," Sarah Cook from the Isolated Children's Parents Association, which advocates for the education of children in remote and rural areas, said.

"We feel heard. And I tell you what: that is a nice feeling."

From Monday, December 20, interstate arrivals will now be able travel to regional areas, as long as they avoid remote communities where fewer than 80 per cent of the eligible population is vaccinated.

Travellers must also be fully vaccinated and return three negative PCR tests, one prior to entry and two afterwards.

Ms Cook — whose own son was trying to return to the remote station where they live for the Christmas holidays — says the change means families will no longer face lengthy and potentially expensive stays in the three towns before they could return home.

"These families are absolutely exhausted and all they want is their family to be back together," she said.

"When those families get their children home, they'll have no contact with the wider public.

"They'll be in isolation, because that's where we live."

Major employers, tourism hopeful
In overturning the ban on travellers venturing outside Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine, acting NT Chief Minister Nicole Manison described it as a "minor" change.

The move followed about a week of sustained criticism from people outside the territory's major centres.

Unions for some of the territory's major employers, including the NT Police Union, have also welcomed the decision, which will allow members working in regional and remote areas to travel interstate without being forced to spend a fortnight in a regional hub upon their return.

However, Australian Medical Association NT branch president Rob Parker warned the move would increase the risk of COVID-19 entering remote Aboriginal communities.

Dr Parker said the ban on people visiting remote communities where less than 80 per cent of the population aged five years and over was fully vaccinated was a good measure.

The tourism sector had also been lobbying against the abandoned rules because they would have made tourism drawcards such as the Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Litchfield national parks out of reach for interstate visitors on short trips.

Greig Taylor, who runs a 4WD tour business in some of those areas, welcomed the relaxed requirements.

"We're heavily reliant on interstate travellers and, when people hear those sorts of measures, nobody is going to come to Darwin to spend 14 days in Darwin or even Alice Springs to be able to head out to Uluru or Kakadu," he said.

"In a peak booking period, which this would be for us, we virtually received no enquiries since this announcement."

However, he added, frequent rule changes had only added to uncertainty in the domestic travel market.

"People are really confused, markets are really confused, so [what] governments need to do is set a reasonable set of measures and they need to stick to that and then we need to communicate that to [the tourism] markets," he said.

"Right now, with all these compounding factors, markets are very confused and they're very nervous."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WA
WA recorded 0 LOCAL case.
WA recorded zero delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NEW ZEALAND'S DELTA WAVE

NZ recorded 91 local delta cases overnight , includes 22 mystery cases .Total of local Delta transmissions is now 10071.
NZ recorded 1 delta death today.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

AUSTRALIAN OMICRON OUTBREAK

16/12/2021 NSW OMICRON
+12 NEW = 122

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NSW = 122
ACT = 5
NT = 2
QLD = 3
VIC = 10
SA = 2
WA = 2
TOT OMICRON = 146

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

16/12/2021 OMICRON R NO ESTIMATE

Hopkins says that for Omicron, the R value is between 3 and 5 in the UK, and that the variant is spreading rapidly - doubling in size every two days.

The current R value of the Delta epidemic in the UK is estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.2.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Denmark and the UK both tracking about the same Omicron growth rate (~1.8 day doubling time). Still tracking to have a massive wave around Christmas.

400-500% advantage over Delta.

To put this severe growth into perspective, in the UK/Denmark you are about 10x more likely to be infected with Omicron today than you were one week ago.
A week from now, 10x more likely than today.
Two weeks from now, 100x more likely than today.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sth Korean Experience with Omicron + Delta , despite v-high vaxx rate , despite high maskup rate .

South Korea's experiment to "live with Covid" has turned disastrous with cases, hospitalizations, & deaths all rising. Now 148 #Omicron cases threaten to worsen it—if South Korea of all places can’t even control #COVID19 well… that’s a bad sign for rest of us.
Same situation as AU.

 

[kingofnobbys]

17 December = Day 184

NSW now in CovidNORMAL , PM ScoMo, Fed Health Min Hunt, Fed Treasurer Fredenberg , and NSW Premier "Let-it-rip" Dom & NSW Health Min Hazzard , are all telling "'think happy thoughts" and "learn to live with covid".

Meanwhile the Delta Wave and Omicron Outbreaks in NSW are hitting new all time daily local case records DAILY and showing now sign of the vertical case number curve slowing --- going from bad to worse .

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

Australia set a new VERY BAD record AGAIN today , the new covid pandemic record highest national daily covid case numbers over night up 22%
from yesterday's , now 3837 ,
Australia's CUMULATIVE LOCAL DELTA + OMICRON cases as of today = 214662.


DELTA DEATHS TODAY

Australia = 8
NSW = 1, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 587
Victoria 7, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 630
ACT = 0 . ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 12
NT total in this DELTA WAVE ( and for entire pandemic ) = 1
QLD = 0

NSW
17 December 2021
NSW recorded 2,213 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
A total of 185 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant of concern have been confirmed in NSW.

NSW Health has also been notified of additional venues and times of concern in Newcastle.
Anyone who attended
The Great Northern Hotel from 12.01 Saturday 11 December until close, should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately and isolate, if they present.
Finnegan’s Hotel from 7pm Saturday 11 December until close, should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately and isolate, if they present.
The Cambridge Hotel from 7pm Saturday 11 December until close, and 6pm Sunday 12 December until close, for symptoms and get tested immediately and isolate, if they present.

Across NSW, 94.8 % of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 93.3 % are fully vaccinated.
Of the people aged 12 to 15, 81.4 % have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 77.9 % are fully vaccinated.
Of the 2,213 cases reported to 8pm last night,
674 are from Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD),
279 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
266 are from Western Sydney LHD,
261 are from South Western Sydney LHD,
204 are from Sydney LHD,
165 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
96 are from Northern NSW LHD,
88 are from Central Coast LHD,
32 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
30 are from Mid North Coast LHD,
29 are from Western NSW LHD,
25 are from Murrumbidgee LHD,
25 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
7 are from Southern NSW LHD,
4 are from Far West LHD,
and 28 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

NSW total local Delta Cases stands at 87744,
1824 Mystery cases today.
5 intls in quarantine.

NSW Positivity today = 1.73%
NSW Reff today = 2.85


SYDNEY LHAs

HUNTER-NEW ENGLAND LHA

17/12/2021

WORST day in HNE LHD, Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Maitland-Cessnock LGAs of the entire pandemic mostly stemming from the EXTREME SUPERSPREADING event held at Argyl House Nite Club on the Port Hunter Foreshore.

674 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Hunter New England region.
There are 2122 active cases in the District. 12 active cases are being cared for in our hospitals, 3 are in ICU.
A woman in her 60s from the Northern Tablelands died at St Vincent’s Hospital. She was not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

Of the 674 new cases:
- 308 are from Newcastle LGA
- 190 are from Lake Macquarie LGA
- 53 are from Maitland LGA
- 41 are from Port Stephens LGA
- 24 are from Cessnock LGA
- 13 are from Mid Coast LGA
- 11 are from Singleton LGA
- 8 are from Tamworth Regional LGA
- 7 are from Muswellbrook LGA
- 5 are from Upper Hunter LGA
- 4 are from Gunnedah LGA
- 3 are from Inverell LGA
- 2 are from Armidale Regional LGA
- 2 are from Moree Plains LGA
- 2 are from Walcha LGA ( 62km from Armidale = closest big town , 89km from Tamworth )
- 1 is from Dungog LGA

HNE LHA is flagging restrictions in Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Maitland , Cessnock and others before Xmas day.

HNE LHA total ADDED 674 , NOW stands at 6435.

WESTERN NSW LHA

17/12/2021
Up to 8pm last night there were 29 new cases identified in the Western NSW Local Health District.
Orange - 11
Dubbo - 4
Blayney Shire - 4
Bathurst - 3
Mudgee - 2
Gulgong - 2
Walgett - 1
Parkes - 1
Oberon - 1

W-NSW LHA total ADDED 29 , NOW stands at 2004

REGIONAL NSW
SYDNEY SATELLITE REGIONAL LHDs

OTHERS

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIC
The daily local covid (Delta) surged overnight , case count was 1510 overnight , 1148 mystery cases, and 7 deaths o/night.
Total LOCAL CASES in Victoria's Delta Wave = 124088.
7 intls in quarantine.

VIC Positivity today = 1.83%
NSW Reff today = 1.18

COMPARE VIC & NSW Reff

17/12/2021 VIC
Victorians are turning out for testing in huge numbers, with some even waiting four hours for their turn as the state records 1,510 new local COVID-19 cases and seven deaths.
The high turnout comes as a cluster linked to exposure at two Melbourne bars last Friday night grows to 28 cases.
A Department of Health spokesperson said there were more than 260 testing sites operating across Victoria, with many now opening earlier to cater for the morning peak.
"Eighty per cent of test results are received within 24 hours and more than 99 per cent within 48," the spokesperson said.
The COVID testing centre at the Prahran Town Hall had to close due to full capacity as some people said they had waited four hours for a test.
There are now 12,578 active cases of the virus in Victoria, and 624 people have died during the current outbreak.
Those who died yesterday were aged from their 60s to their 100s.
Six recent COVID-19 cases have been confirmed as the Omicron variant, bringing the total number of cases of that variant in Victoria to 19.
Five of the new Omicron cases are arrivals from New South Wales, and one is a recent international arrival.
Health authorities have also confirmed 28 COVID-19 cases are now linked to the Peel Hotel in Collingwood and Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy.
One of those cases is confirmed to have the Omicron variant, and genomic testing is underway on the other cases.
There are 386 people in hospital with COVID-19, of whom 82 are in intensive care and 43 are on a ventilator.
The health department said a further 36 people were in ICU but their infections were no longer considered active.
International travellers and aircrew arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer need to isolate for 72 hours, with New South Wales and Victoria agreeing to introduce consistent COVID-19 requirements for people arriving from overseas.
From the beginning of Tuesday, December 21, all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW and Victoria will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours after arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Under existing arrangements, they are also required to produce a negative pre-departure test within three days of boarding their flight.
Previously, all fully vaccinated international arrivals in both NSW and Victoria had to get a test as soon as possible and isolate for 72 hours regardless of when they received their negative test result.
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said the change would make it easier for international travellers arriving back in Victoria and New South Wales while ensuring the community remained protected

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


ACT
ACT recorded 202 cases , of whom ALL are local . Their LOCAL total in this output is 2090.
ACT recorded zero delta deaths..

17/12/2021 ACT
Canberra records 20 new cases of COVID-19, vaccination rate remains at 98.3 per cent
The ACT has reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm Thursday. This is an increase from 11 on Wednesday and seven the day before.
The new cases bring the active total to 75.
There are four people in hospital because of COVID with none in intensive care or on ventilation.
There were 2152 negative tests received in the 24 hours to 9am Friday, down from Thursday's reporting which saw 2461 negative tests returned.
Meantime, the percentage of the eligible population who are now fully vaccinated remains at 98.3 %.

CONTINUE

 

[kingofnobbys]

17 December = Day 184

DELTA WAVE IN AUSTRALIA Continued (1)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
QLD
QLD recorded 20 cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 288.
2 mystery cases.
4 are repats from o/seas.
QLD recorded zero delta deaths..

17/12/2021 QLD
Queensland has recorded 20 new cases of COVID-19, including 16 that have been in the community, a day ahead of a statewide mask mandate being introduced.
Five of the new cases are in Brisbane's north, eight in Brisbane's south, one in West Moreton, two on the Sunshine Coast, two on the Gold Coast and two in Cairns.
Seven people acquired the virus interstate, while nine contracted it in Queensland, and the source of infection was unknown for four of those.
A further four people picked up the virus overseas and tested positive in quarantine.
The state has now confirmed a total of five cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Two of those were recorded in the 24 hours to Friday morning.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said one of those was in Brisbane and the other on the Gold Coast, both have been directly linked to the large Newcastle cluster.

"Both of these individuals were vaccinated and neither had symptoms," Dr Gerrard said.

Initial tests of all residents at an aged care home in the Brisbane suburb of Holland Park, which was visited by a COVID-positive person this week, have all returned negative results.

The facility, where 83 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated, was placed into lockdown yesterday and further tests will be done.

Ms D'Ath said since the borders reopened on Monday, there had been 105,000 applications for people to enter the state from interstate hotspots.

"With thousands and thousands of people moving around the state over Christmas to visit loved ones and to holiday, we know this virus could pop up anywhere," she said.

Queensland-wide mask mandate announced
Ms D'Ath said because the virus was being detected in the community, masks would become mandatory in shops, hospitals, aged care, public transport and ride share vehicles across Queensland from 1:00am tomorrow.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the statewide mandate this morning but stopped short of extending it to cover workplaces, bars and clubs.

She said because bars, clubs and hospitality venues became open to only vaccinated patrons from today, she did not need to extend the mandate there.
Businesses bound to enforce restrictions on unvaccinated
Queensland brought in restrictions today on unvaccinated people, who will no longer be allowed to enter venues unless they have a legally approved medical exemption.

Ms D'Ath said she had heard erroneous reports of businesses claiming they could choose whether they would abide by the new rules.

"Can I make it clear, this is mandatory," she said.

"You don't have the choice to opt out as a business."
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said patrols were being increased today and there would be compliance checks.
She said on Friday morning there had already been eight "business-related jobs in relation to the new rules".
"If businesses are experiencing difficulties and concerns, do not hesitate to call the police," she said.
"If there is a blatant disregard for the rules for the law, there are fines for individuals, $1,378, and local businesses, $6,892."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SA
SA cases have surged overnight to 64 cases , 3 are INTL repats , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 224.
12 are mystery cases.
SA recorded zero delta deaths..

SNAPSHOT OF SA DAILY CASES FOR PANDEMIC

17/12/2021 SA
SA RECORDS 64 NEW CASES
South Australia recorded 64 new cases of Covid-19 overnight, a number that is expected to keep rising by the day, Premier Steven Marshall says.
The new cases today include five children, four teenagers, 31 women aged between 19 and 69, and 24 men aged between 20 and 70.

The number of close contacts has more than doubled in the past 24 hours, surging from around 1,300 on Thursday to 3,640 today following the announcement of numerous close contact exposure sites yesterday.
An aged care centre in Adelaide's western suburbs has confirmed a staff member has tested positive to COVID-19.

According to the Southern Cross Care website, the staff member at the Philip Kennedy Centre Residential Care developed symptoms, was tested and received a positive result late this morning.

Areas the staff member worked in have been closed to visitors, new residents and all non-essential staff.

All residents and staff who came into contact with the worker are being tested.
Of today's cases, 30 were vaccinated and 16 were unvaccinated while the vaccination status of 18 was unknown.

The double-dose vaccination rate for people 12 or over was 85.3 per cent as of yesterday.
“We’re going to see those numbers climb … we know that the Omicron variant is far more transmissible,” Mr Marshall said.

Mr Marshall also announced that SA will lift a raft of restrictions from December 28.

Of those new cases, 49 were locally acquired, three were from overseas and 12 are still under investigation.

A host of new exposure sites were also announced overnight, including a coffee shop, juice shop and tea shop in Adelaide.

One of Adelaide’s largest private urology practices has also had to postpone surgeries after its staff were exposed to a Covid positive case at a city restaurant.

More than 20 staff of South Terrace Urology, which undertakes surgeries, have been placed in isolation after the exposure.

International arrivals in South Australia will be banned from high risk settings for two weeks, under another change to rules.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TAS
TAS cases recorded 2 cases , both locals , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 17.
0 are mystery cases.
TAS recorded zero delta deaths..

17 Dec 2021
Omicron Alert Issues = travellers who have arrived in Tasmania since 15 December and had been in the Newcastle and Hunter areas of NSW on or after 6 December are asked to have a COVID-19 test as soon as possible – even if they don’t have any symptoms. The testing request has been made due to increasing COVID-19 cases in these areas of NSW due to rapidly spreading Delta and Omicron .

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WA
WA cases recorded 0 cases , AND zero delta deaths TODAY.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NT
NT cases recorded 8 cases , ALL locals , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 109.
0 are mystery cases.
NT recorded zero delta deaths..

17 December 2021
The Northern Territory has recorded eight new cases of COVID-19.

Six cases are linked to the NT outbreak, bringing the total number of ACTIVE cases to 100.

These include four cases in Tennant Creek, who were infectious while in the community, and two cases from Katherine East who were in isolation at the Centre for National Resilience (CNR) during their infectious period.

The remaining two cases are not connected to the NT outbreak. They are workers at Yulara and were close contacts of a recent positive case while in Brisbane. At this stage we believe the risk of spread for these cases is very low as they took tests as soon as they were made aware they were close contacts while in transit to the Territory. There will be close contacts from their flight and that work is being done to determine who they are and they will be contacted.at the bars in Fitzroy and Collingwood last Friday night.
Lockdown for Tennant Creek
Tennant Creek will enter into a lockdown immediately until 5pm on Monday, 20 December 2021.

This means that residents must stay at home for the lockdown period and people are only permitted to leave for the following five reasons:

Medical treatment, including COVID testing or vaccination
For essential goods and services, like groceries and medications. Only one household member should visit the store, once per day.
For work that is considered essential.
For one hour of outdoor exercise a day within 5 km from your home with one other person or people from your house.
To provide care and support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves. In case of an emergency.
Masks must be worn outside of the home.

Essential workers who are fully vaccinated or have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can continue to go to work.

Non-residents in the Barkly Local Government Area (LGA) who wish to leave, must get tested for COVID-19 and can apply to exit following a negative result.

All people who have been in Tennant Creek in the past seven days, since 10 December, must immediately isolate, get tested for COVID-19 and remain in isolation until they receive a negative result.

Those people who have since left the area and are in transit – must stop at the nearest COVID-19 testing facility. Anyone who has travelled interstate is highly encouraged to get tested for COVID-19.

People may not enter the lockdown area, unless it is to access essential services, such as fuel or to transit through.

Mask mandates
A mask mandate will be implemented for the Barkly LGA until 5pm on Monday, 20 December.

Kalkarindji, Daguragu, Timber Creek and Gilwi will exit lockout as planned at 2pm today. There are now no restrictions on the reasons to leave home for people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated.

A mask mandate remains in place until 5pm 20 December for: Barunga, Beswick, Bulla, Daguragu, Gilwi, Katherine, Kalkarindji, Lajamanu, Manyallaluk, Pigeon Hole and Timber Creek.

 

[kingofnobbys]

17/12/2021
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NEW ZEALAND'S DELTA WAVE

NZ recorded 75 local delta cases overnight , includes 21 mystery cases .Total of local Delta transmissions is now 10146.
NZ recorded 1 delta death AGAIN..

17/12/2021
Omicron ALERT in NZ
A child with COVID-19 has died in New Zealand, where three new Omicron cases have been picked up in quarantine.
the ministry revealed the child died earlier this week, and was tested for COVID-19 after death as they were a contact of another COVID-19 case.

"The death remains under investigation and has been referred to the coroner," a ministry spokesman said.

New Zealand remains on high alert for the Omicron variant, first identified in the country's quarantine regime in a Christchurch hotel on Thursday.

On Friday night, a further three cases, unlinked to the first, were found while quarantining in Rotorua.

The new cases travelled to Auckland from the UK, Spain and Nigeria, transitting via Dubai.

Authorities believe further Omicron cases may also be present in quarantine hotels.

Three close contacts of NZ's first case, a traveller from Germany, have tested positive for COVID-19, with further testing underway to determine the strain.

In an attempt to ringfence the German case, a wide net of close contacts has been drawn, and additional testing ordered.

Omicron has not yet been found in the community, and Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said an outbreak of Omicron was "by no means inevitable".

"We'll continue to do everything we can to make sure we keep Omicron either out of the country or at the border if it does come on a flight," he told Radio NZ.

The Ministry of Health is poised to recommend a shorter lead-in time for fully vaccinated Kiwis to get a booster shot, in preparation for Omicron's possible arrival.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

OMICRON OUTBREAK

17/12/2021
NSW Omicron +63 = 185
VIC Omicron +6 = 19


NSW's COVID-19 cases are rising at the steepest rate this year with every infected person on average passing the virus onto two other people.

NSW and Victoria both recorded about 1,700 COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

On the face of it, the two states are on level pegging, but another number tells a very different story.

The effective reproductive rate - the measure of how fast the virus is transmitting from one person to another - is now above two in NSW, while in Victoria it is hovering just over one.

It means that every positive case in NSW is transmitting the virus to two other people on average.

Adrian Esterman, chair of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of South Australia, said the number indicated cases were growing "at a very steep rate".

"So with an effective reproduction number of about two, you're looking at case numbers doubling every four days," Professor Esterman said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Wednesday that modelling by UNSW suggested that with a reproductive rate of 1.5, cases could reach 25,000 a day by the end of January.

However, he said the modelling was based on data from the UK and South Africa, which was not exactly analogous to the NSW situation.

Professor Esterman said a reproductive rate of two did not mean that every case transmitted the virus to two others, but rather it was an average over all positive cases.

"There's a wide amount of variability, in the sense that it is a small number of people who cause most of the ongoing infections," he said.

"So 10 per cent of infected people caused eighty per cent of infections.

In practice, the majority of people infected no-one and just one or two others were superspreaders.
superspreader event at The Argyle House nightclub in Newcastle on December 8 has resulted in at least 200 cases in one night.

More than 600 cases were identified in the Hunter New England local health district on Wednesday.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said on Wednesday that the Omicron variant was driving the high reproductive rate, resulting in an uptick in cases.

The total number of confirmed Omicron cases in NSW now stands at 122.

Professor Esterman was critical of the NSW government's decision to push ahead with relaxed restrictions on mask-wearing, QR code check-ins and the rules for the unvaccinated.

"We know from Europe and other places that vaccination alone, no matter how high, will not stop an outbreak," he said.

"You need vaccination, plus some public health measures. And that's exactly what's happened in New South Wales and Victoria until now.

"They both had quite strong public health measures and that's why it's been so stable."

On Wednesday, Dr Chant urged people to keep wearing masks inside.

"It's a very tiny act, and you're actually protecting yourself, but more importantly, you're protecting others," she said. "You often don't know you've got COVID, and you're infectious," she said.

NSW Health also changed the definition of a close contact on Wednesday, where only household contacts of a case and those who had been to a high risk venue would need to isolate for seven days.

Professor Esterman said an effective reproductive rate of about one meant case numbers were stable and below one meant the outbreak was dying out.
The chart above shows how the effective reproduction rate fell during the NSW lockdown as vaccinations and restrictions took effect ( AZ , Pfizer mostly against Delta + mask mandates and soc distancing & good contact tracing )
He said booster shots were one of the few ways to control the Omicron variant.

"If I was running the government, I'd be reducing it down to a three month time period, because that's the minimum recommended by FDA," he said.

Booster shots are currently recommended five months after the primary course of vaccination.


OUTLINE OF AUSTRALIA OMICON STIUATION TODAY
>>>>>>>>
NSW = 185
ACT = 5
NT = 2
QLD = 3
VIC = 19
SA = 2
WA = 2
TOT OMICRON = 218
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[kingofnobbys]

iMPERIAL COLLEGE REPORT INTO Reff FOR OMICRON AND OMICRON SEVERITY CF DELTA

Modelling suggests rapid spread of Omicron in England but same severity as Delta | Imperial News | Imperial College London
Report 49 - Growth, population distribution and immune escape of Omicron in England | Faculty of Medicine | Imperial College London
he new report from the Imperial College London COVID-19 response team estimates that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant is 5.4 times greater than that of the Delta variant. This implies that the protection against reinfection by Omicron afforded by past infection may be as low as 19%.
Researchers estimate the growth and immune escape of the Omicron variant in England. They used data from the UKHSA and NHS for all PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in England who had taken a COVID test between November 29th and December 11th 2021.
The study includes people identified as having Omicron infection due to an S gene target failure (SGTF), as well as people with genotype data that confirmed Omicron infection. Overall, 196,463 people without S gene target failure (likely to be infected with another variant) and 11,329 cases with it (likely to be infected with Omicron) were included in the SGTF analysis, as well as 122,063 Delta and 1,846 Omicron cases in the genotype anFirstly, the report looks at factors associated with testing positive for Omicron compared to non-Omicron (mostly Delta) cases. The results suggest that the proportion of Omicron among all COVID cases was doubling every 2 days up to December 11th, estimated from both S-gene Target Failure and genotype data. Based on these results they estimate that the reproduction number (R) of Omicron was above 3 over the period studied.

The distribution of Omicron by age, region and ethnicity currently differs markedly from Delta, with 18–29-year-olds, residents in the London region, and those of African ethnicity having significantly higher rates of infection with Omicron relative to Delta. London is substantially ahead of other English regions in Omicron frequency.

Omicron transmission is not yet uniformly distributed across the population. However, the researchers note that given its immune evasion, the age distribution of Omicron infection in the coming weeks may continue to differ from that of Delta.

The study finds no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection. However, hospitalisation data remains very limited at this time.



Reinfection rates
To assess the impact of Omicron on reinfection rates the researchers used genotype data, since even prior to Omicron, reinfection was correlated with negative S gene Target Failure data, likely due to random PCR target failure caused by the lower viral loads associated with reinfections.

Controlling for vaccine status, age, sex, ethnicity, asymptomatic status, region and specimen date, Omicron was associated with a 5.40 (95% CI: 4.38-6.63) fold higher risk of reinfection compared with Delta. To put this into context, in the pre-Omicron era, the UK “SIREN” study of COVID infection in healthcare workers estimated that prior infection afforded 85% protection against a second COVID infection over 6 months. The reinfection risk estimated in the current study suggests this protection has fallen to 19% (95%CI: 0-27%) against an Omicron infection.
accine effectiveness against Omicron
The researchers found a significantly increased risk of developing a symptomatic Omicron case compared to Delta for those who were two or more weeks past their second vaccine dose, and two or more weeks past their booster dose (for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines).

Depending on the estimates used for vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection from the Delta variant, this translates into vaccine effectiveness estimates against symptomatic Omicron infection of between 0% and 20% after two doses, and between 55% and 80% after a booster dose. Similar estimates were obtained using genotype data, albeit with greater uncertainty.

Prof Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London said: “This study provides further evidence of the very substantial extent to which Omicron can evade prior immunity given by both infection or vaccination. This level of immune evasion means that Omicron poses a major, imminent threat to public health.”

Prof Azra Ghani from Imperial College London said: “Quantifying reinfection risk and vaccine effectiveness against Omicron is essential for modelling the likely future trajectory of the Omicron wave and the potential impact of vaccination and other public health interventions.”

The work, which is not yet peer-reviewed, is presented in the latest report from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling within the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute, Imperial College London.

Since the emergence of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) in December 2019, the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team has adopted a policy of immediately sharing research findings on the developing pandemic.

Report 49 - Growth, population distribution and immune escape of Omicron in England

Report 49 - Growth, population distribution and immune escape of Omicron in England

www.imperial.ac.uk

Omicron largely evades immunity from past infection or two vaccine doses | Imperial News | Imperial College London ( Modelling suggests rapid spread of Omicron in England but same severity as Delta )

MAIN POINTS

OMICRON Reff > 5 DELTA Reff
OMICRON Severity ~ same as DELTA Severity.
Natural convalescent immunity is neutralised entirely by OMICRON.
AZ immunity is neutralised entirely by OMICRON , boost with Pfizer or Moderna restores most of AZ's efficacy and protection .
mRNA vaxx immunity is greatly neutralised by OMICRON , Pfizer efficacy fall to < 50% in about 12wks from 2nd Pfizer dose , boost with Pfizer or Moderna restores most of Pfizer's efficacy and protection to about 80% ..

 

[kingofnobbys]

18 December = DELTA WAVE Day 184 & OMICRON TSUSAMI Day 10

NSW REMAINS IN CovidNORMAL , PM ScoMo, Fed Health Min Hunt, Fed Treasurer Fredenberg , and NSW Premier "Let-it-rip" Dom & NSW Health Min Hazzard , are all telling us "'think happy thoughts" and "learn to live with covid". This despite a chorus of health experts including NSW's CHO calling for IMMEDIATE ENFORCED reinstatements of
mask mandates for EVERYONE EVERYWHERE
the acceleration of the mRNA booster rollout ( gap called for being 3mnth to 4mnth for those in Groups 1 to 2
and social distancing for EVERYONE in all situations
along with Stage 4 CCT BKR HD LKDNs in HOTSPOT LGAs with these LGAs RING FENCED to slow Omicron leakage to other regions.

The advise is if NSW Health and NSW Cabinet & Premier wait for hospitalizations to show a rapid acceleration IT WILL ALREADY BE TOO LATE because there is always a lag of 2wks to 4wks before hospitalizations go pearshaped and ICUs become overwhelmed.

Meanwhile the Delta Wave and Omicron Outbreaks in NSW are hitting new all time daily local case records DAILY and showing now sign of the vertical case number curve slowing --- going from bad to worse .

Omicron is NOW the dominant strain in NSW and is NOW totally out of control and spreading at faster rates in the community than any other strain of covid we've seen to date especially in the following regions
in Greater Sydney ,
Hunter New England ( Australia's worse Omicron outbreak ) ,
Central Coast ,
North Coast ,
Illawarra - Shoal Haven,
Nepean - Blue Mountains ,
Northern NSW ,
Western NSW .

With daily case numbers doubling as fast as T2x = 3days.


NSW is starting look very similar what is happening in places like UK , EU , Russia , USA , Brazil wrt out of control covid spread , positivity , daily cases and we'll soon have overwhelmed hospitals ( ICUs ) and morgues , especially since a large port of the "fully vaxxed" population have been vaxxed using AstraZeneca . And again there are accelerating outbreaks in residential aged care facilities .



COMBINED DELTA & OMICRON WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

NSW recorded the Australia's highest ever overnight case numbers of 2482 .

Australia set a new VERY BAD record AGAIN today , the new covid pandemic record highest national daily covid case numbers over night up 8%
from yesterday's , now 4114 ,
Australia's CUMULATIVE LOCAL DELTA + OMICRON cases as of today = 218762.

National record highs daily for 5 days.
Previous Australian record = 2005 on 14/10/2021
New Australian records
14/12/2021 = 2018
15/12/2021 = 2815 UP 40%
< NSW moves to COVIDNormal based on 80% of +16ys being FULLY VAXXED ONLY , according Federal Opening Plan >
16/12/2021 = 3423 UP 22%
17/12/2021 = 3837 UP 12%
18/12/2021 = 4114 UP 8%

Contact tracing in NSW & Vic are being overwhelmed again.

18/12/2021 POSITIVITY
Australia 1.539%
NSW: 1.81%
VIC: 1.707%
QLD: 0.192%
WA: 0.056%
SA: 0.38%
TAS: 0.066%
ACT: 0.378%
NT: 1.014%

NATIONAL VAXX ROLLOUT

18/12/2021 vaxx rollout ( over 18y old )
Australia 90.32%
NSW: 93.38%
VIC: 92.09%
QLD: 84.22%
WA: 81.61%
SA: 86.30%
TAS: 91.56%
ACT: 99.26%
NT: 82.78%

Vaccinations By Age 18/12/2021

12-19: = ( 83.17% 1st , 76.92% 2 doses )
20-29: = ( 86.92% 1st , 81.71% 2 doses )
30-39: = ( 92.05% 1st , 87.82% 2 doses )
40-49: = ( 93.48% 1st , 90.45% 2 doses )
50-59: = ( 95.48% 1st , 93.21% 2 doses )
60-69: = ( 97.38% 1st , 95.42% 2 doses )
70-79: = ( ALL 1st , 99.65% 2 doses )
80-89: = ( ALL 1st , 99.57% 2 doses )
90+: = ( ALL 1st , 97.45% 2 doses )

NATIONAL mRNA VAXX BOOSTER ROLLOUT

NATIONAL & STATE DAILY HOSPITALIZATION SNAPSHOTS ( 1 month )

DELTA DEATHS TODAY

Australia = 8
NSW = 1, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 588
Victoria 7, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 637
ACT = 0 . ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 12
NT total in this DELTA WAVE ( and for entire pandemic ) = 1
QLD = 0

 

[kingofnobbys]

18 December = DELTA WAVE Day 184 & OMICRON TSUSAMI Day 10 < continued +1>

NSW
18 December 2021
NSW recorded 2,482 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

A total of 226 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron have been confirmed by the required additional testing in NSW.
NSW Health advises that the Omicron variant likely accounts for the majority of today's cases.

With the high number of COVID-19 cases now in NSW, NSW Health will only undertake genomic sequencing for the Omicron variant in the circumstances where it will make a clinical difference to the care of a patient. For instance, where it will inform treatment choices as some therapies work with Delta but not for Omicron, and in situations where it will inform public health action.

NSW Health is today reporting the death of a woman from south western Sydney in her 90s who died at the Gillawarna Village Aged Care Facility in Georges Hall, where she acquired her infection. She had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and had underlying health conditions. This is the fourth death linked to an outbreak at this facility.

Across NSW, 94.9 % of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 93.3 % are fully vaccinated.
Of the people aged 12 to 15, 81.4 % have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 78 % are fully vaccinated.

Of the 2,482 cases reported to 8pm last night,
899 are from Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD),
362 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
286 are from South Western Sydney LHD,
232 are from Sydney LHD,
219 are from Western Sydney LHD,
159 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
81 are from Central Coast LHD,
62 are from Northern NSW LHD,
42 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
35 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
29 are from Western NSW LHD,
28 are from Mid North Coast LHD,
13 are from Murrumbidgee LHD,
6 are from Southern NSW LHD,
and 29 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.


New South Wales has seen COVID-19 case number skyrocket for the third consecutive day, recording 2482 new infections.
NSW Health said the majority of today's cases are the Omicron variant.==> Omicron strain is already the dominant strain NSW ,
It is likely several hundred additional cases will be sequenced with the Omicron variant today, as health authorities believe it is driving the state's upswing in cases.

Meanwhile, NSW hospitals have moved back to "red alert" operations, meaning visitors have been temporarily restricted at healthcare facilities due to the emergence of the Omicron variant and the risk of staff furloughing. Visitors will be permitted in some essential and compassionate circumstances including for women in labour and palliative care.

"Local Health Districts will apply a risk assessment to allow local exemptions on a case-by-case basis," NSW Health said. "Any person permitted to visit must be fully vaccinated, agree to wear a mask and follow advice from healthcare staff."

There are 206 people in hospital and 26 people in intensive care, a slight rise from yesterday.

More than 93 % of the state's eligible population is now fully vaccinated.

NSW Health also announced they will only test for the Omicron variant "where it will make a clinical difference to the patient" due to the high number of COVID-19 cases.

"For instance, where it will inform treatment choices as some therapies work with Delta but not for Omicron, and in situations where it will inform public health action," NSW Health said in a statement.

A new exposure site on the state's Central Coast has also been alerted by NSW Health.

Anyone who attended The Savoy at Long Jetty on Saturday December 11 from 7pm until midnight is asked to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Meanwhile, the outbreak in Newcastle has continued to grow. Of the state's 2,482 new cases, 899 are in the Hunter New England region.
Cases are being driven by a number of exposures in Newcastle and Sydney nightlife spots, primarily among attendees in their 20s.

Nearly 100 people linked to the "On Repeat: Taylor Swift Red Party" music event, held at the Metro Theatre on George Street, tested positive in the past week. All 600 attendees were advised to get tested and isolate.

Another 50 cases were linked to Newcastle venues The Great Northern Hotel, Finnegan's Hotel and The Cambridge Hotel, from gatherings last weekend.

NSW Health said late on Friday that 4 cases of coronavirus had been detected among guests at Discovery Park Byron Bay, with results for another 6 guests who were tested yet to be confirmed.
A spokeswoman for the Northern NSW Local Health District said it had strongly advised all guests to isolate within the park grounds, where Nine News reported at least 100 recent school-leavers were holidaying.
Police were at the site helping guests at the park on Friday afternoon.
A number of Schoolies checked out this morning and have boarded transport to the airport.
The group will be required to get a rapid antigen test before boarding flights back to Sydney. If they test positive, alternative transport will be arranged.

A dozen residents and staff at an aged care facility in the New South Wales central west have tested positive to COVID-19. A resident at the Gosling Creek Aged Care facility in Orange tested positive for the virus after displaying flu-like symptoms. During subsequent testing, a further 6 residents and 5 staff have returned positive results, and will subsequently have to isolate over Christmas.
In a statement, the facility says no residents are displaying concerning health conditions. "Eighty-six % of Gosling Creek residents are fully vaccinated, and 68 % of those have received their booster shot," a spokesperson said. "All staff members at Gosling Creek, including allied health contractors, are fully vaccinated. "Currently there are no residents feeling unwell."

NSW total local Delta Cases stands at 90221,
2110 Mystery cases today.
5 intls in quarantine.

NSW Positivity today = 1.81%

NSW Reff today = 3.49

GREATER SYDNEY LHAs

SYDNEY SATELITE REGION LHAs

HUNTER-NEW ENGLAND LHA

18/12/2021

WORST day in HNE LHD, Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Maitland-Cessnock LGAs of the entire pandemic mostly stemming from the EXTREME SUPERSPREADING event held at Argyl House Nite Club on the Port Hunter Foreshore.

899 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Hunter New England region.
There are 3013 active cases in the District. 13 active cases are being cared for in our hospitals, 2 are in ICU.

Of the 899 new cases:
- 418 are from Newcastle LGA
- 265 are from Lake Macquarie LGA
- 93 are from Maitland LGA
- 54 are from Port Stephens LGA
- 19 are from Cessnock LGA
- 16 are from Singleton LGA
- 10 are from Mid Coast LGA
- 9 are from Tamworth Regional LGA
- 4 are from Armidale LGA
- 3 are from Inverell LGA
- 2 are from Muswellbrook LGA
- 2 are from Moree Plains LGA
- 1 is from Dungog LGA
- 1 is from Glen Innes Severn LGA
- 1 is from Gunnedah LGA
- 1 is from Narrabri LGA
- 1 is from Dungog LGA

HNE LHA total ADDED 899 , NOW stands at 7334 , and increase of 14%.

HNE LHA & a chorus of university & national health & epridemiological experts are STRONGLY calling for NSW Cabinet to call HNE a National Desaster , to callback NSW Cabinet and National Covid Cabinet , and are STRONGLY advising reimposition of Stage 4 restrictions for ALL residents of HNE ( Newcastle , Lk Macquarie , Pt Stephens , Maitland , Cessnock being the worse hotspot LGAs ) .

Omicron is NOW the dominant strain in NSW, is NOW totally out of control and spreading at faster rates in the community than any other strain of covid we've seen to date especially in the following LHAs and regions
Greater Sydney ,
Hunter New England ( Australia's worse Omicron outbreak ) ,
Central Coast ,
North Coast ,
Illawarra - Shoal Haven,
Nepean - Blue Mountains ,
Northern NSW ,
Western NSW .

Daily case numbers doubling as fast as T2x = 3days.

WESTERN NSW LHA

18/12/2021
Up to 8pm last night there were 29 new cases identified in the Western NSW Local Health District.
Orange - 16 (1 Cabonne LGA address)
Dubbo - 4
Bathurst - 2
Mudgee - 2
Gulgong - 1
Walgett LGA- 1
Gilgandra- 1
Coonamble - 1
Parkes - 1

WNSW LHA total NOW stands at 2033

OTHER REGIONAL NSW

 

[kingofnobbys]

18 December = DELTA WAVE Day 184 & OMICRON TSUSAMI Day 10 < continued +2 >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIC
VIC recorded 1504 cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 125587.
1182 mystery cases.
5 are repats from o/seas.
VIC recorded 7 delta deaths..

18/12/2021 VIC
Victoria has recorded 1504 new DELTA infections in the past 24 hours.

7 people have died with the virus.

There are 384 people in hospital with the virus and 84 people in intensive care.

More than 92 % of the state over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.

At least 28 COVID-19 cases have been linked to Melbourne pubs, with 16 connected to The Peel Hotel in Collingwood and 12 to Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy.

1 case is confirmed to be the Omicron variant.

More than 700 people will leave isolation today after the infected person visited the 2 pubs last Friday.

Fears continue to mount around a potential Omicron cluster connected to 2 popular nightspots in Melbourne's inner north, with genomic sequencing of 27 positive COVID-19 cases in the outbreak underway.
Health authorities said on Friday there were 19 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Victoria, with five additional cases drawn from travellers into Victoria from NSW, and one an overseas arrival.

There were 16 positive cases of COVID-19 linked to the Peel Hotel in Collingwood, with a further 12 linked to Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy, the Department of Health said in a statement.

One person who has tested positive in the nightclub cluster is now confirmed to have Omicron, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said. The other cases are being investigated to verify the strain.

Though the nation's chief vaccine advisers have said the COVID-19 situation is "evolving rapidly", there will be no change to Australia's booster program, with the gap between second and third doses to stay at five months.

Australia's chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, confirmed on Friday that the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) had met on Thursday night, and after hours of deliberations opted to keep the interval before the booster shot to 5 months for most Australians.
"ATAGI recognises that the epidemiological situation and evidence regarding boosters is evolving rapidly and will frequently review the timing of booster doses," a statement said.

Vic Health scrapped a major travel restriction, with fully vaccinated international travellers now only required to isolate until they return a neg On Friday night, Victoria and NSW announced they would scrap the 72-hour isolation requirement for international arrivals from next Tuesday, which will allow people flying into Melbourne and Sydney to spend Christmas with family and friends.

In a joint statement with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino ( Vic Premier is in Covid Iso after being exposed to someone infected with Delta ) said that all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew would be required to get a PCR test for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until they received a negative result.

New arrivals who were in isolation over the weekend will be permitted to leave quarantine on Tuesday when the changes take effect if they have returned a negative PCR test.

International arrivals will still be required to produce a negative pre-departure test within three days of boarding their flight, as well as one between days five and seven in Victoria. Unvaccinated travellers will still be required to complete 14 days hotel quarantine & PCR test negative prior to release .

Vic positivity = 1.71%

Vic Reff = 1.22

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

17/12/2021 ACT
ACT recorded 18 cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 2109.
0 mystery cases.
0 are repats from o/seas.
ACT recorded zero delta deaths..
ACT positivity = 1.01%

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

QLD
QLD recorded 31 cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 317.
15 mystery cases.
2 are repats from o/seas.
QLD recorded zero delta deaths..
QLD positivity = 0.19%

18/12/2021 QLD
Queensland has reported 31 new DELTA cases in the past 24 hours, 24 of these were locally acquired.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said this is a 20 per cent increase from yesterday.

Dr Gerrard said none of the cases are seriously unwell.
There are 12 more confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Queensland.
"We expect the omicron strain to become dominant in Queensland in the coming weeks," Dr Gerrard said.

He added the increase in the state's case numbers was to be expected as borders reopened."In coming weeks we're going to see very large numbers of cases in the community," he said.

DELTA has reached the outback Queensland town of Mount Isa in the state’s north-west. The case arrived in the mining city from Brisbane on Qantas flight 1076 about 9am on Thursday, December 16.
Member for Traegar Robbie Katter said he was concerned about lax protocols at some mines in the area. "The mines need to up the ante on those protocols and that's not just Mount Isa Mines, that's Eloise Copper Mine, Capricorn Copper Mine, Lady Annie, Lady Loretta," he said."(And) all these other little mines around the place. I'm not convinced they have strong enough protocols in place. "And it doesn't have to be vaccinations. It can be rapid testing and it really still baffles me that that's not in place at some of those mines," he said. As at December 16, 73 % of Mount Isa residents were fully vaccinated, while 87 % had their first dose.
Across the entire north-west region, 68 % of people have had both jabs while 83 % had the first vaccination.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SA
SA recorded 73 cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 297.
37 mystery cases.
1 repats from o/seas.
SA recorded zero delta deaths..
SA positivity = 0.38%

18/12/2021 SA
South Australia has recorded 73 new COVID-19 cases overnight. Just one of the new infections was recorded in an overseas arrival.

The new cases included eleven teens, two children, 34 women aged between 18 and 67, and 26 men aged between 19 and 74.

A man in his 30s and a man in his 60s are in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition.
The state has eight recorded Omicron infections.

Exposure sites continue to grow amid the outbreak.
Including new today
Adelaide
Eastwood
Magill
Prospect
Stepney
Derrimut

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TAS
TAS recorded 1 LOCAL case , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 18.
0 mystery cases.
0 repats from o/seas.
TAS recorded zero delta deaths..

18/12/2021 TAS
A fourth person has tested positive for DELTA in Tasmania, four days into the island's reopening. The latest case is a teenager who flew to Launceston from NSW on Thursday.
e was tested after NSW Health notified him he had been at an exposure site, but before the notification arrived he visited a cafe and a JB Hi-Fi store on Thursday afternoon.

Those 2 venues are now exposure sites, along with Launceston Airport baggage carousel.

Close contacts on board the man's flight and people who checked in to the venues he visited around the same time have been contacted by Tasmanian public health services.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein says initial investigations have identified 19 close contacts, and advised anyone in Launceston experiencing symptoms to get tested.

He says that he "would expect" the teen had received a negative PCR test before coming into Tasmania, as the entry conditions require, but did "not have that public health advice" when asked on Saturday.
Recent arrivals from Newcastle are being contacted after the first three cases were linked to superspreader events in the town.

Positive wastewater samples have been collected from Norwood in Launceston, where there are no known cases.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NT
NT recorded 5 LOCAL case , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 114.
0 mystery cases.
0 repats from o/seas.
NT recorded zero delta deaths..
NT positivity = 1.01%

18 December 2021
One new case of DELTA has been recorded in the Northern Territory, taking the outbreak to 101 ACTIVE cases.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles says 26 other people are being transferred to quarantine in Darwin after being identified as close contacts of 2 DELTA cases reported in the Central Australian community of Yulara yesterday.

There have been no new cases of DELTA recorded in the town of Tennant Creek overnight.

The latest case is a child who is a known close contact from Katherine who tested positive for the virus while at the Howard Springs quarantine facility.

Ms Fyles said the new case was not infectious while in the community.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WA
WA recorded 0 LOCAL caseS
WA recorded zero delta deaths..

 

[kingofnobbys]

18 December = NZ DELTA WAVE & OMICRON OUTBREAK
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NEW ZEALAND'S DELTA WAVE

NZ recorded 39 LOCAL cases , . Their LOCAL total in this wave is 10185.
1 mystery cases.
13 repats from o/seas.
NT recorded zero delta deaths....

18 Dec 2021
Latest update on cases from the NZ Ministry of Health.

Vaccintaions
Total vaccinations administered:

3,961,764 first doses (94%)
3,791,509 second doses (90%)
24,355 third primary doses
205,979 booster doses

Hositalisations
49 cases in hospital:

8 in North Shore
24 in Auckland
12 in Middlemore
2 in Waikato
3 in Tauranga

New cases
39 new cases in the community
10 new cases identified at the border

NZ OMICRON SITUATION
Omicron cases
18 Dec 2021
Whole genome sequencing has now detected a further 4 cases of Omicron in recent international arrivals.
There are now a total of 8 cases with the Omicron variant isolating in MIQ facilities, none have been in the community.

Whole genome sequencing for two other passengers on the international flight with New Zealand’s first Omicron case has confirmed they have the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

2 additional cases we are announcing today arrived on separate flights from Singapore.

One case travelled on a flight from Singapore to Auckland on 13 December and the second case was on a flight from Singapore to Christchurch on 15 December.

Of the 8 Omicron cases,
2 are in a bubble
but the other 6 cases are unrelated to each other suggesting no cross-contamination or cross-infection either in-flight or within MIQ facilities.

Whole genome sequencing is being carried out on all new border cases of COVID-19 to rapidly identify any new cases of the Omicron variant.

As a precautionary interim measure, all passengers on flights with Omicron cases are required to complete all ten days at a managed isolation facility – rather than spending the last three days of their isolation period in self-isolation.

Health and MIQ teams around the country have been planning for Omicron cases at the border and will continue to manage all arrivals cautiously.

We are well placed to manage Omicron cases with isolation and testing requirements for all new arrivals, robust infection and prevention control and PPE measures at airports and MIQ facilities, and frequent surveillance testing of staff who have any contact with recent international returnees.

 

[kingofnobbys]

AUSTRALIAN OMICRON OUTBREAK

18/12/2021 NSW OMICRON +63 NEW = 185
Omicron is now believed to be dominant varient being transmitted locally in HNE , Ctral Cst , ISH , BMts , N Coast , N NSW

18/12/2021 VIC OMICRON +1 NEW = 20

18/12/2021 QLD OMICRON +12 NEW = 15

18/12/2021 SA OMICRON +6 NEW = 8

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NSW = 185
ACT = 5
NT = 2
QLD = 15
VIC = 20
SA = 8
WA = 2
TOT OMICRON = 237

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[kingofnobbys]

19 December = DELTA WAVE Day 185 & OMICRON TSUSAMI Day 11

NSW REMAINS IN CovidNORMAL , PM ScoMo, Fed Health Min Hunt, Fed Treasurer Fredenberg , and NSW Premier "Let-it-rip" Dom & NSW Health Min Hazzard , are all telling us "'think happy thoughts" and "learn to live with covid".

This despite a chorus of Australia's leading health experts calling for a pause on reopening plans , and return to restrictions for at least 3 weeks effective IMMEDIATELY ENFORCED reinstatements of
>>mask mandates for EVERYONE EVERYWHERE ( esp indoor settings )
>>the acceleration of the mRNA booster rollout ( gap called for being 3mnth to 4mnth for those in Groups 1 to 2)
>>and social distancing for EVERYONE in all situations
>>along with Stage 4 CCT BKR HD LKDNs in HOTSPOT LGAs with these LGAs RING FENCED to slow Omicron leakage to other regions.

The advise is if NSW Health and NSW Cabinet & Premier wait for hospitalizations to show a rapid acceleration IT WILL ALREADY BE TOO LATE because there is always a lag of 2wks to 4wks before hospitalizations go pear-shaped and ICUs become overwhelmed.

Meanwhile the Delta Wave and Omicron Outbreaks in NSW are hitting new all time daily local case records DAILY and showing now sign of the vertical case number curve slowing --- going from bad to worse .

Omicron is NOW the dominant strain in NSW and is NOW totally out of control and spreading at faster rates in the community than any other strain of covid we've seen to date.

COMBINED DELTA & OMICRON WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

Australia recorded cases o/night ,
Australia's CUMULATIVE LOCAL DELTA + OMICRON cases as of today = 222704.

National record highs daily for 6 days.
Previous Australian record = 2005 on 14/10/2021
New Australian records
14/12/2021 = 2018
15/12/2021 = 2815 UP 40%
< NSW moves to COVIDNormal based on 80% of +16ys being FULLY VAXXED ONLY , according Federal Opening Plan >
16/12/2021 = 3423 UP 22%
17/12/2021 = 3837 UP 12%
18/12/2021 = 4114 UP 8%
19/12/2021 = 3958


DELTA DEATHS TODAY

Australia = 4
NSW = 0, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 588
Victoria 4, ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 641
ACT = 0 . ==> total in this DELTA WAVE = 12
NT total in this DELTA WAVE ( and for entire pandemic ) = 1
QLD = 0

Omicron Outcompeting Delta and Spreading with a 550% advantage.

NSW
19 December 2021
NSW recorded 2,566 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
NSW total local Delta Cases stands at 90221,
2110 Mystery cases today.
5 intls in quarantine.

A total of 313 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant have been confirmed by the required additional testing in NSW. However, NSW Health advises that the Omicron variant of concern likely accounts for the majority of today’s cases.

With the high number of COVID-19 cases now in NSW, NSW Health will only undertake genomic sequencing for the Omicron variant in the circumstances where it will make a clinical difference to the care of a patient. For instance, where it will inform treatment choices as some therapies work with Delta but not for Omicron, and in situations where it will inform public health action.

7 COVID-19 cases have been excluded following further investigation, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 97,369.

There are currently 227 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 28 people in intensive care, ten of whom require ventilation.

There were 148,937 COVID-19 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 137,149.
Across NSW, 94.9 % of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 93.4 % are fully vaccinated.

Of the people aged 12 to 15, 81.5 % have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 78.1 % are fully vaccinated.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 13,265,984 with 4,257,471 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 9,008,513 administered by the GP network, pharmacies and other providers to 11.59pm on Friday 17 December 2021.

NSW Health encourages everyone who is eligible to book into a NSW Health vaccination clinic or another provider without delay through the COVID-19 vaccine clinic finder.

Everyone aged 18 years and older may now receive a booster five months after receiving their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

We urge people to get their booster dose as soon as they are eligible, to best protect yourself, your loved ones and the community from the ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

We also strongly recommend that people aged 12 years and over who are severely immunocompromised have a third primary dose of vaccine from two months after their second dose. Talk to your GP for more advice.

NSW Health continues to remind everyone across the community to continue to practice COVID-Safe behaviours, including wearing a mask in settings where you cannot physically distance.

Get tested and stay home if you have the mildest of symptoms. Do not go out and visit family, friends or go to social events if you are unwell. Practice good hand hygiene, washing and sanitising your hands regularly.

Please consider using a Rapid Antigen Test before going out, if you do not have symptoms.

Of the 2,566 cases reported to 8pm last night,
712 are from Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD),
446 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD,
303 are from South Western Sydney LHD,
311 are from Sydney LHD,
279 are from Western Sydney LHD,
189 are from Northern Sydney LHD,
72 are from Central Coast LHD,
66 are from Northern NSW LHD,
50 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD,
31 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD,
37 are from Western NSW LHD,
23 are from Mid North Coast LHD,
6 are from Murrumbidgee LHD,
7 are from Southern NSW LHD,
1 is from Far West LHD
and 33 are yet to be assigned to an LHD.

NSW premier Dominic Perrottet rejected enforcing mask mandates despite the state setting another record for daily Covid infections – 2,566 new cases were reported today.

Leading epidemiologists have called for masks to be reintroduced to indoor settings such as retail in NSW, and have expressed concernabout mask mandates lifting as the Omicron variant appears to be partly driving a spike in cases.
Today Perrottet emphasised vaccination and booster shots as key to keeping hospital admissions down:


What’s key to us is personal responsibility. Vaccination has been key, booster shots are crucial to keep people safe, and as we move through the next phase, case numbers will increase. That is the new normal.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation. It’s a time for calm. But it’s also an important time to go out and get your booster shot. Because vaccination here has been key to New South Wales’s success. That’s not on the government, it’s on the people and our fantastic health teams.

World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week warned governments against becoming complacent about Omicron, even if it turns out to be milder than Delta, saying its infectiousness alone is enough to overwhelm health systems:

Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant. Surely we have learned by now that we underestimate this virus at our peril



GREATER SYDNEY LHAs

Lost control in all Greater Sydney LHDs esp SE , SW and W LHDs

NSW GREATER SYDNEY SATELLITE LHDs

HUNTER NEW ENGLAND LHD

19/12/2021

VERY BAD day in HNE LHD, Newcastle , Lake Macquarie , Maitland-Cessnock LGAs

712 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Hunter New England region.
There are 3725 active cases in the District. 17 active cases are being cared for in our hospitals, 3 are in ICU.

Of the 712 new cases:
- 356 are from Newcastle LGA
- 176 are from Lake Macquarie LGA
- 85 are from Maitland LGA
- 35 are from Port Stephens LGA
- 19 are from Cessnock LGA
- 10 are from Singleton LGA
- 7 are from Muswellbrook LGA
- 6 are from Mid Coast LGA
- 6 are from Tamworth Regional LGA
- 4 are from Moree Plains LGA
- 3 are from Upper Hunter LGA
- 2 are from Gunnedah LGA
- 1 is from Armidale LGA
- 1 is from Glen Innes Severn LGA
- 1 is from Narrabri LGA

HNE LHA total ADDED 712 , NOW stands at 8042 cases since start of Delta wave.

WESTERN NSW LHD

19/12/2021

Up to 8pm last night there were 37 new cases identified in the Western NSW Local Health District.
Orange - 10
Midwestern LGA - 2 ( AROUND MUDGEE )
Mudgee - 6,
Gulgong - 2
Bathurst - 5
Cabonne LGA - 3
Blayney LGA - 3
Dubbo - 3
Parkes - 1
Walgett - 1
Coonamble - 1

WNSW LHA total ADDED 37 , NOW stands at 2070 cases since start of Delta wave.

OTHER REGIONAL NSW LHDs

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[kingofnobbys]

19 December = DELTA WAVE Day 185 & OMICRON TSUSAMI Day 11 < continued +1 >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIC

19/12/2021 VIC
VIC recorded 1239 LOCAL cases , VIC local total for DELTA WAVE now 126826 cases.
927 mystery cases.
1 repats from o/seas.
VIC recorded 4 delta deaths..


94.3% of Victorians aged 12 and over have now had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 92.5% have had two doses.

There are 392 Covid-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. This includes 81 active cases in ICU, with 41 of those on a ventilator. As mentioned earlier in the blog, Victoria was notified of 1,240 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday.

All cases were locally acquired except for one case which was acquired overseas. The 10 local government areas with the highest number of new cases are Casey, Whittlesea, Hume, Wyndham, Brimbank, Greater Dandenong, Melton, Moreland, Melbourne and Moonee Valley.

There are 13,093 active Covid-19 cases in Victoria. 76,033 Covid-19 tests were processed yesterday. There are now more than 31,000 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.

There were five new confirmed cases of the Omicron variant identified in Victoria yesterday. The total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases in Victoria is 24.

Of the Omicron cases in Victoria, 16 acquired their infection overseas and eight acquired their infection in Australia.

The Department of Health has been taking a cautious approach to the designation of contacts of known Omicron cases. The department directly advised a number of non-household contacts to get tested and quarantine for seven days if fully vaccinated (or 14 days if not). These settings were applied on a case-by-case basis.

Going forward, contacts in Victoria are now following the standard protocols regardless of variant: household contacts quarantine for 7 or 14 days, but non-household contacts (such as social, workplace or education contacts) are advised to get a PCR test and isolate until they get a negative result

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ACT

19/12/2021 ACT
ACT recorded 17 LOCAL cases , VIC local total for DELTA WAVE now 2125 cases.
3 mystery cases.
1 repats from o/seas.
ACT recorded 0 delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

QLD

19/12/2021 QLD
QLD recorded 41 LOCAL cases , QLD local total for DELTA WAVE now 358 cases.
21 mystery cases.
1 repats from o/seas.
QLD recorded 0 delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SA
19/12/2021 SA
SA recorded 80 LOCAL cases , SA local total for DELTA WAVE now 374 cases.
42 mystery cases.
0 repats from o/seas.
SA recorded 0 delta deaths..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TAS
19/12/2021 TAS
TAS recorded 2 LOCAL cases , TAS local total for DELTA WAVE now 19 cases.
2 mystery cases.
1 repats from o/seas.
TAS recorded 0 delta deaths..

19/12/2021 TAS
Tasmania recorded 3 new cases of Covid on Sunday, bringing the state's total active infections to 7 after the island state reopened borders on Wednesday.
Of the 7 cases,
6 are receiving treatment at home
while 1 is being cared for in a community facility.
Authorities believe one of the cases is a 'man in his 30's who arrived in Hobart from Melbourne on Friday'.

Another case was a woman in her 50's who arrived from Sydney in Launceston on Wednesday, while one was a family member and close contact of a previous case.

On Saturday, health officials announced a man in his 'late teens' had tested positive for the virus in Tasmania's north, triggering a list of new Covid exposure sites.

On the same day as the island state flung open its doors to travellers, NSW relaxed a suite of Covid restrictions and allowed new freedoms to the unvaccinated.

Tasmania will order residents to wear masks in all indoor spaces after a handful of Covid cases triggered a sweeping mandate.

Premier Peter Gutwein announced the new rules on masks would come into force from 12.01am on Monday during a press conference on Sunday.

The mask mandate applies to all indoor settings including offices, retail, gyms, supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, clubs, public transport and ride-share vehicles.

'We've done this before and as a matter of fact, a lot of Tasmanians are already doing it,' Mr Gutwein told reporters. December 2021

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WA
19/12/2021 WA
WA recorded 0 cases , 0 delta deaths..

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NT
19/12/2021 TAS
NT recorded 7 LOCAL cases , NT local total for DELTA WAVE now 121 cases.
0 mystery cases.
2 repats from o/seas.
NT recorded 0 delta deaths..

19/12/2021 NT
9 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Northern Territory as health authorities consider extending a lockdown in Tennant Creek.
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said seven of the nine cases were at the Wuppa Town Camp in Tennant Creek, which was due to come out of lockdown on Monday after restrictions began on Friday.

The health minister said authorities believe the cases are all linked to the Katherine cluster and all residents in the Wuppa Town Camp had now been tested.

"We have done 330 tests in Tennant Creek in the past 24 hours" Ms Fyles told reporters on Sunday.

She said the government would "likely" extend the lockdown but a final decision was yet to be made.

"If you get vaccinated it is the best tool to keeping you, your loved ones and your community safe and it is not too late," she said.

"There won't be any questions asked when you turn up for vaccine."

The health minister said one of the Wuppa Town Camp cases was a woman in her 60s who had "pre-existing vulnerabilities" and was "quite unwellCovid live: UK minister not ruling out ‘circuit breaker’ before Christmas…
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Nine new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Northern Territory as health authorities consider extending a lockdown in Tennant Creek.

The NT health minister is urging people to get vaccinated after nine new COVID cases were reported.© Katherine Morrow/AAP PHOTOS The NT health minister is urging people to get vaccinated after nine new COVID cases were reported.
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said seven of the nine cases were at the Wuppa Town Camp in Tennant Creek, which was due to come out of lockdown on Monday after restrictions began on Friday.

The health minister said authorities believe the cases are all linked to the Katherine cluster and all residents in the Wuppa Town Camp had now been tested.

"We have done 330 tests in Tennant Creek in the past 24 hours" Ms Fyles told reporters on Sunday.

She said the government would "likely" extend the lockdown but a final decision was yet to be made.

"If you get vaccinated it is the best tool to keeping you, your loved ones and your community safe and it is not too late," she said.

"There won't be any questions asked when you turn up for vaccine."

The health minister said one of the Wuppa Town Camp cases was a woman in her 60s who had "pre-existing vulnerabilities" and was "quite unwell". She has been hospitalised, as has a woman in her 50s, two people in their 40s and two people in their 20s.
A child has also returned a positive COVID-19 test.

Two additional cases were detected at the Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin.

Ms Fyles said testing is yet to reveal the variant this pair of returned travellers has but fellow passengers on a flight from Johannesburg have tested positive for Omicron.

There are currently 236 close contacts in the NT, 183 of whom have been contacted by authorities and are isolating.

"The chief health officer directions are not a guideline, they are the law and so penalties will be issued," Ms Fyles said.

Meanwhile, police apprehended two teenagers who absconded from quarantine in Howard Springs on Saturday night.

The two 16-year-old women from Katherine were nearing the end of their quarantine period and had returned negative results on their most recent COVID-19 test.

Police took the women back to the quarantine facility hours after they left.
Some breaking news from the Northern Territory, where nine new Covid-19 cases were announced today. An additional case has been identified in Ali Curung, taking new cases in the NT to 10, eight of those in the community. Ali Curung is an Indigenous community of about 500 people, and they are now in lockdown.

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NZ
19/12/2021 NZ
NZ recorded 52 LOCAL cases , NZ local total for DELTA WAVE now 10237 cases.
7 mystery cases.
7 repats from o/seas.
NZ recorded 1 delta deaths..