A staff member straightens a sign outside a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination clinic at the Bankstown Sports Club as the city experiences an extended lockdown, in Sydney, Australia, August 3, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)
The Australian Health Ministry announced that the country has recorded on Wednesday the highest single-day COVID-19 cases as the country battles with the omicron variant of coronavirus.
During the past 24 hours, Australia reported 64,767 new cases, bringing the total caseload to 612,106 and 2,289 related deaths.
As many as 47,816 infections were confirmed on Tuesday, and 37,239 on Monday.
“With omicron, as we know, as the Chief Medical Officer has said on a number of occasions now, this is a strain that is less severe but more contagious,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison following a Cabinet meeting. “As a result, we are dealing with much higher levels of cases.”
In a bid to counter the spread of omicron, authorities have sped up vaccinations, especially booster shots. In a statement, Health Minister Greg Hunt said a record 176,223 boosters were provided across Australia on Tuesday.
Australia has so far fully vaccinated 91.6% of people of age 16 and above, while 94.5% of people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
