Australia’s daily COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000

In this file photo taken on Dec 22, 2021, health workers conduct PCR tests at the St Vincent's Bondi Beach COVID-19 drive through testing clinic in Sydney, as the number of COVID-19 cases keeps on the rise across the New South Wales state ahead of the Christmas festivities. (MUHAMMAD FAROOQ / AFP)

NEW DELHI / JERUSALEM / DUBAI / SYDNEY – Australia's daily coronavirus infections on Sunday fell below 100,000 for the first time in five days, amid expectations that the Omicron wave had neared its peak in New South Wales, the worst-hit state.

A total of 85,824 cases were reported by midday, down from the pandemic high of more than 150,000 hit on Thursday, with infections steadily falling since then. Northern Territory, which has been reporting cases in the hundreds, and largely virus-free Western Australia are due to report later.

Australia's total infections since the pandemic began topped 1.5 million on Sunday, while deaths stood at 2,673

Health authorities on Saturday said modelling suggested Australia was close to the peak of its worst outbreak in the pandemic but warned cases would remain elevated over the "next few weeks". read more

After successfully restricting virus spread earlier in the pandemic, Australia has seen a runaway Omicron outbreak clocking more than 1.3 million cases in the past two weeks as states began easing strict COVID-19 curbs late last year when vaccination levels hit 70 percent-80 percent.

More people have also been admitted to hospitals than at any other time during the pandemic but authorities have said the health systems can cope with the rising cases.

Amid the Omicron surge, officials have been pushing for more residents to get vaccinated in Australia, where more than 92 percent of the population above 16 are already double-dosed.

Australia's total infections since the pandemic began topped 1.5 million on Sunday, while deaths stood at 2,673.

New South Wales reported 34,660 new infections, while neighbouring Victoria logged 28,128 and Queensland 17,445 cases.

Relatives and friends stand next to the funeral pyre of a person who died due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a cremation ground in New Delhi on Jan 13, 2022. (PRAKASH SINGH / AFP)

India

India's COVID-19 tally rose to 37,122,164 on Sunday, as 271,202 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.

This is the fourth consecutive day in India with more than 200,000 new cases registered in a day.

This is the fourth consecutive day in India with more than 200,000 new cases registered in a day

Besides, as many as 314 deaths due to the pandemic since Saturday morning took the total death toll to 486,066.

There are still 1,550,377 active COVID-19 cases in the country. A total of 35,085,721 people have been successfully cured and discharged from hospitals so far, out of which 138,331 were discharged during the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the country's Omicron tally has reached 7,743, with an increase of 28.17 percent since Saturday. Most of the Omicron cases have been reported from the states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Delhi.

Australia's daily coronavirus infections on Sunday fell below 100,000 for the first time in five days, amid expectations that the Omicron wave had neared its peak in New South Wales, the worst-hit state.

A total of 85,824 cases were reported by midday, down from the pandemic high of more than 150,000 hit on Thursday, with infections steadily falling since then. Northern Territory, which has been reporting cases in the hundreds, and largely virus-free Western Australia are due to report later.

Health authorities on Saturday said modelling suggested Australia was close to the peak of its worst outbreak in the pandemic but warned cases would remain elevated over the "next few weeks". read more

After successfully restricting virus spread earlier in the pandemic, Australia has seen a runaway Omicron outbreak clocking more than 1.3 million cases in the past two weeks as states began easing strict COVID-19 curbs late last year when vaccination levels hit 70 percent-80 percent.

More people have also been admitted to hospitals than at any other time during the pandemic but authorities have said the health systems can cope with the rising cases.

Amid the Omicron surge, officials have been pushing for more residents to get vaccinated in Australia, where more than 92 percent of the population above 16 are already double-dosed.

Australia's total infections since the pandemic began topped 1.5 million on Sunday, while deaths stood at 2,673.

New South Wales reported 34,660 new infections, while neighbouring Victoria logged 28,128 and Queensland 17,445 cases.

Iran

Iran's health ministry reported the country's first three deaths from the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday.

"The number of patients with Omicron in the country has reached 1,162 and … one death has been reported due to Omicron in each of the cities of Tabriz, Yazd and Shahrekord, and one critically ill patient is hospitalized in Ahvaz," ministry spokesman Mohammad Hashemi told state broadcaster IRIB.

Iran this week lifted restrictions on land travel to and from neighbouring countries and some European states but maintained a ban on arrivals from Britain, France and eight countries in Southern Africa over Omicron fears, Iranian media reported. read more

Iran, the pandemic's epicentre in the Middle East, has suffered 132,044 deaths in five waves of COVID-19 infections since February 2020. Deaths have fallen in recent months and stood at 18 on Saturday, a 22-month low, according the state television.

More than 53 million of Iran's population of about 85 million have received two doses of coronavirus vaccine, and 12.2 million have received three doses.

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman speaks on his cell phone as he attends a plenum session on the state budget on Sept 2, 2021. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

Israel

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Saturday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would self-isolate but continue working from home.

"I feel good and will isolate in the next few days," Lieberman said on Twitter. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid tested positive on Monday.

Lieberman has faced some public criticism for not providing more government aid to businesses as the Omicron variant has pushed Israeli infection rates to new highs, keeping many employees in isolation and customers at home.

"I will continue to pursue responsible economic policies from home, keep track of the data and plan future steps," Lieberman, 63, tweeted in an apparent response to the criticism.

On Jan 10, Lieberman posted a photo of himself receiving a fourth COVID-19 vaccination dose. Israel began administering a second round of boosters to immune-compromised people in late December, expanding the campaign to its over-60-year-olds and medical staff in January.

ALSO READ: Israel starts vaccinating young children as COVID-19 cases rise

The Health Ministry says that a first booster increases protection seven days after the shot but has not yet released data on the effectiveness of a fourth dose.

Israel, population 9.4 million, has confirmed around 1.7 million coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and more than 8,000 deaths.