New Australian COVID 19 cases dip, but hospitalizations rise

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New Australian COVID-19 cases dipped on Sunday (January 2) as testing slowed over a holiday weekend, but remained well over 30,000 and hospitalizations rose further in New South Wales as concerns grow about potential strains on the national health system.

Newly diagnosed cases in New South Wales, the most populous state, dropped to 18,278 from 22,577 the day before as the number of tests conducted on New Year's Day dropped by a quarter, health department figures showed. But hospitalizations, which authorities have signaled is a figure they are more closely monitoring than total case numbers as they shift towards living with the virus, jumped by 18% to 1,066.

In Victoria, daily case numbers remained above 7,000 and Queensland reported a record 3,587 new cases.

All Australian states, except for Western Australia, have begun to live with the virus as vaccination levels have risen, and the easing in restrictions has pushed cases higher. There were five deaths reported in New South Wales and Victoria, bringing the national death toll throughout the pandemic to almost 2,260 people.

New Australian COVID-19 cases dip, but hospitalizations rise

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