NSW has recorded its highest Covid-19 daily cases ever with 2213 infections and one death in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.
A healthcare worker carries out a Covid-19 test at a drive-through testing station near Bondi beach in Sydney. Photo: AFP
There are 215 people in hospital, including 24 in intensive care.
As of last night, 94.8 percent of people aged 16 and over have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 93.3 percent of the same age group have had two doses.
The transmission rate and concerns over the Omicron variant has prompted NSW Health to issue a "red alert" for hospitals meaning restricting the number of people allowed to visit healthcare facilities.
NSW Health is urgently trying to contact hundreds of people who went to a Taylor Swift-themed party at the Metro Theatre in Sydney last Friday night.
So far, 97 people of the 600 people who attended the event have tested positive for Covid-19.
NSW Health believes transmission is being driven by the Omicron variant.
NSW Health last night highlighted The Great Northern Hotel, Finnegan's Hotel and The Cambridge Hotel as "venues of concern".
People who attended those venues in the evening on Saturday, 11 December have been told to monitor for Covid-19 symptoms.
Anyone who went to The Cambridge Hotel on December 12 between 6pm and closing time has also been warned they may have been exposed to the virus.
Cases top 1500 in Victoria
Victoria has recorded 1510 new local Covid-19 cases and seven deaths.
There are now 12,578 active cases of the virus in Victoria, and 624 people have died during the current outbreak.
There are 386 people in hospital with Covid-19, of whom 82 are in intensive care and 43 are on a ventilator.
The health department said a further 36 people were in ICU but their infections were no longer considered active.
The new cases were detected from 82,301 test results received yesterday.
The seven-day average for Covid-19 hospitalisations has climbed from 304 to 351 in the past week.
Health authorities are investigating whether seven recent Covid-19 cases are Omicron variant cases, after a person infected with the variant visited two Melbourne bars last Friday night.
There are around 30 people in Victoria now suspected to have the Omicron strain.
Premier Daniel Andrews left self-quarantine this morning after he tested negative following potential exposure to the virus at a gathering last weekend.
- ABC
