According to the official data, around 5,450 Australians have been admitted to hospitals on Monday (25th July) with COVID-19, setting a record as the spread of extremely infectious new sub-variants of Omicron puts pressure on the country's healthcare system.

Since late June, the infection rates have increased significantly as the BA.4 and BA.5 strains swept the country because they are known to be immune-evading and can overcome immunizations as well as previous infections, which some experts claim can be just as contagious as the measles.

For the unaware, the number of patients in hospitals has risen to its highest level since the Coronavirus pandemic began, surpassing the peak of 5,390 recorded in January during the initial wave of Omicron infections. The number of deaths per day has also increased, reaching 100 for the first time on Saturday (23rd July).

Australian authorities have claimed that the outbreaks have afflicted more than 1,000 senior homes, primarily impacting the elderly. According to Defense Minister Richard Marles, the support of defense personnel in such facilities will be continued through the end of September, as some aged care homes are experiencing a staffing shortfall.

It is worth mentioning here that the health care crisis is made worse by the fact that many hospitals' front-line staff members were also found to be ill or isolated.

Authorities have advised using masks indoors and urgent booster doses of vaccine during a harsh winter when both COVID-19 and the flu virus are spreading. They have also advised employers to encourage work from home.

Australia, one of the nations with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates, has received two doses of the vaccine for around 95% of people aged 16 and above, while only about 71% have received booster shots. Besides that, it had recorded fewer deaths (1,181) and illnesses (9.13 million) than many developed countries.

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2128891/world