Here’s a quick wrap of the COVID-19 news and case numbers from each Australian jurisdiction for the past week, as reported on Friday, June 9, 2023.
The states and territories are now reporting their COVID-19 statistics weekly, instead of through the daily updates that were provided from the early days of the pandemic.
This story will be updated throughout the day, so if you do not see your state or territory, check back later.
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New South Wales
The state has recorded 11,719 new COVID-19 cases, down from last week’s total of 13,480.
There are 1,516 cases in hospital with the virus, 48 of those in intensive care.
There were 81 new deaths announced today.
Victoria
There have been 6,135 new COVID-19 cases in Victoria this week, down from last week’s total of 8,669 cases.
The state has 429 people in hospital with COVID-19, and 13 in intensive care.
There were 64 new deaths recorded.
Australian Capital Territory
There have been 811 new cases of COVID-19 in the ACT this week, down from 946 cases last week.
There are 55 people in hospital, with one person in intensive care.
The ACT has reported five deaths this week.
Queensland
Queensland’s new COVID-19 reporting process now works on a seven-day rolling average system, which differs from the other states and territories.
The state recorded 782 average daily cases as of June 6, up from an average of 777 the previous week.
There is a seven-day rolling average of two deaths as of May 29, with 359 patients in hospital with the virus, and nine in intensive care.
Northern Territory
There have been 136 new COVID-19 cases recorded in the Northern Territory, down from 178 last week.
The Northern Territory currently has 14 patients in hospital.
There were no new deaths recorded this week.
South Australia
There have been 2,593 new COVID-19 cases recorded in South Australia, down from 3,728 cases last week.
There are currently 129 people in hospital, with four in ICU.
South Australia has reported 24 new deaths.
Western Australia
WA Health has recorded 3,014 new COVID-19 cases, down from 3,767 cases last week.
The state has 199 people in hospital with six in intensive care.
This week’s report includes seven deaths.
Flu season has started early, and doctors hold fears for children amid low vaccination rates
Kathy Smith and her family were just days away from getting their annual flu vaccines when the virus hit and caused chaos.
First her six-year-old daughter Ada came down with fatigue, then suddenly developed chills and a high fever which lasted days.
In the week that followed everyone in the family became infected, including her five-year-old sons Albert and Arthur, who both had fevers, vomiting, and heavy coughing.
Ms Smith said the illness was “brutal” and “violent”, taking the family out of work and school for up to two weeks each.
“The kids generally haven’t had anything that full on before,” she said.
“We’ve had lots of random viruses and stuff, but never like this.”
Healthcare workers are warning that young children could be at risk this year amid low vaccination rates and the flu season starting earlier than usual.
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Queensland COVID light remains on green despite rising hospital admissions for the pandemic virus and flu
Almost 600 Queensland public hospital beds were needed for COVID-19 and flu patients yesterday as some health facilities reconsider mask mandates.
Public hospitals in Bundaberg and Mackay have already re-introduced compulsory mask wearing with significant numbers of Omicron and flu cases circulating together across the state for the first time.
Following a “rise in COVID admissions”, the Mater Hospital Brisbane has also mandated masks again for staff and visitors.
Other Queensland public hospitals are understood to be discussing whether they should bring back mask rules as the state’s traffic light system for COVID transmission remains on green.
Mater Health’s director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said keeping the traffic light at green, the lowest level, during unprecedented, combined flu and COVID waves “sends the wrong message”.
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Italian court drops COVID case which investigated former PM Conte for manslaughter and mishandling the pandemic
An Italian court on Wednesday dropped a case against former prime minister Giuseppe Conte and former health minister Roberto Speranza over their initial handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, a court document said.
Prosecutors in the northern city of Bergamo, the epicentre of the 2020 outbreak of COVID in Italy, had placed Mr Conte, Mr Speranza and 17 other people, under investigation for manslaughter and mishandling the epidemic.
The two politicians’ case was automatically transferred to a separate court that deals with government figures.
The three judges of the ministerial court in the northern city of Brescia wrote in their ruling that the delays and omissions alleged by prosecutors concerned administrative managers and could not be blamed on a health minister.
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