As an epidemic centered in the eastern states spread, Australia began 2022 with a record number of new COVID-19 cases, and New South Wales reduced its isolation regulations for healthcare workers as the number of individuals hospitalized with the virus increased.

On Saturday, health department records indicated that New South Wales, the most populated state, and Victoria both had daily record case counts of 22,577 and 7,442, respectively.

COVID claimed the lives of four people in New South Wales and nine people in Victoria, bringing the national death toll from the pandemic to almost 2,250.

Including cases in Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, Saturday had already set a national record of 33,161 cases, topping Friday’s 32,946, even before numbers from South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory were released.

All Australian states, except for Western Australia, have begun to live with the virus after higher vaccination levels, and the easing in restrictions has pushed cases higher.

The New South Wales government changed its self-isolation rules for asymptomatic healthcare workers who had been classified as a close contact of a COVID case, giving them an exemption if they are considered critical to their workplace.

Over the week since Christmas Day, cases in New South Wales have more than tripled from 6,288. Hospitalisations due to COVID have more than doubled to 901 from 388, while the number of people in intensive care units has risen by around 50% to 79.

The outbreak has affected sporting events. Australia batsman Travis Head will miss the fourth Ashes cricket test against England in Sydney next week after testing positive for COVID.