Australia PM meets with national cabinet amid virus surge

SYDNEY — Australia connected Wednesday saw different leap successful COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and agelong queues astatine investigating centers arsenic it continued to conflict the accelerated dispersed of the microorganism successful astir states.

The state recorded much than 64,000 cases, up from 47,000 a time earlier, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison met virtually with the nationalist furniture — the leaders of Australia’s states and territories — to sermon however to respond to astir regular records successful caller cases and rising unit connected hospitals.

Morrison is facing expanding calls to marque accelerated antigen tests disposable escaped to relieve unit connected PCR investigating centers, galore of which person been forced to adjacent aft reaching capacity. People who person been tested often look agelong waits for results from overburdened laboratories.

Speaking to reporters aft the nationalist furniture meeting, Morrison said authorities premiers and archetypal ministers opposed cosmopolitan escaped tests. But much than 6 cardinal Australians including seniors and others connected payment oregon with debased incomes volition beryllium eligible for up to 10 escaped tests each 3 months. Free tests besides are disposable to those who person symptoms oregon are deemed adjacent contacts.

Among different measures to alleviate unit connected PCR investigating centers, Morrison said those who instrumentality a affirmative accelerated antigen trial nary longer request to person a PCR trial to corroborate the result.

New South Wales, the country’s astir populous state, saw a grounds 35,054 caller cases connected Wednesday arsenic it awaits the accomplishment of 50 cardinal accelerated antigen tests ordered by the authorities government.

State Premier Dominic Perrottet urged residents not to question PCR tests unless necessary, adding that the accomplishment of the accelerated investigating kits expected adjacent week would “significantly assist.”

Victoria reported 17,636 cases, a authorities record, and Queensland saw 6,871 cases.

The lawsuit numbers bash not needfully bespeak the existent dispersed of the microorganism arsenic they lone number the fig of recorded cases.

Hospitalizations nationwide stood astatine 2,990 connected Wednesday, with 196 patients successful intensive care. Both numbers were higher than the erstwhile day, erstwhile 2,684 hospitalizations were recorded, with 183 radical successful intensive care.

Morrison said Australia is not unsocial successful experiencing shortages of accelerated antigen tests due to the fact that of proviso problems caused by the dispersed of omicron worldwide. He said astir 200 cardinal accelerated antigen tests are connected their mode to Australia but until they get “tension” volition proceed successful the investigating system.

“We are not connected our ain successful dealing with this. Other countries, astir countries astir the world, are dealing with precisely the aforesaid problems,” Morrison said.