New Covid wave ‘well established’ as mutant, vaccine resistant strains sweep Victoria

A top doctor has signalled public hospitals will be “overwhelmed by patients” because of the new Covid wave.

One of the country’s top doctors has signalled major public hospitals on Australia’s east coast will be “overwhelmed by patients and facing staff shortages” because of the new Covid wave.

Australian Medical Association president Professor Steve Robson took to social media on Saturday — following news a cruise ship had docked in Sydney with 800 Covid patients — to say he would personally donate $1000 to charity if that scenario did not evenuate.

“If the major hospitals on the east coast aren’t overwhelmed with patients and facing staff shortages over the holiday break — I’ll donate $1000 to charity,” Professor Robson tweeted.

It comes as Covid cases in Victoria soar, with health authorities declaring a new wave is now “well established”.

Mutant, vaccine-resistant Omicron strains are being increasingly detected across the state, both through genomic sequencing and waste water testing.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Friday said there had been 16,636 Covid cases reported in Victoria this week, an increase of 63.1 per cent on last week.

Mutant, vaccine resistant strains are becoming more prevalent across Victoria. Picture: David Crosling

The average daily number of new cases was 2377, up from 1461 last week.

In total, the number of active cases in Victoria on Friday was 15,653, up from 9607 the same time last week.

Hospitalisations of Covid patients had also increased by more than 18 per cent in a week, with eight people now in intensive care, Professor Sutton said.

“Hospitalisation rates are likely increasing due to waning immunity from past vaccination and the ability of these new sub-variants to escape immunity from past infection.

“Cases increased this week across all age groups,” he said.

And genomic sequencing showed mutant, vaccine resistant Omicron strains were becoming more prevalent across Victoria, as the previously dominant BA.4 and BA.5 sub variants were eplaced by BQ.1, XBB and BF.7 over the past five weeks. BF.7 is a rapidly growing sub variant of BA.5.

“A similar pattern is seen in wastewater surveillance with recent detections with widespread distribution of BQ.1 across Victoria. XBB, BF.7, BA.2.75 and their sub variants are also showing growth and increasing distribution across Victoria,” Professor Sutton said.

“As we are in a well-established wave, increasing community and public health actions will reduce transmission and the impact on illness, deaths and the health system.”

Of the 3365 Covid patients hospitalised in Victoria over the past three months, 42.3 per cent had not received their third vaccine dose and 30.2 per cent were unvaccinated, he said.

A total of 41 Covid related deaths were reported to Victorian health authorities in the past week, an average of six deaths per day.

Of the 3365 Covid patients hospitalised in Victoria over the past three months, 42.3 per cent had not received their third vaccine dose and 30.2 per cent were unvaccinated. Picture: AFP

The Department of Health said Victorians could help protect themselves against the new Covid wave sweeping the state by:

1. Wearing a mask

2. Getting a vaccine booster

3. Letting fresh air in by opening windows and doors

4. Getting tested or taking a rapid antigen test if symptomatic

5. Staying at home for at least five days if symptomatic

6. Talking to a doctor about Covid medicines if they were particularly at risk

Study shows Covid vax safe for pregnant women

Pregnant women have been reassured that mRNA Covid-19 vaccines do not cause birth defects or impair a baby’s growth in a new large-scale Melbourne study.

Involving 32,536 pregnant women attending Victoria’s 12 public maternity hospitals, the study confirms the vaccines are safe and women who are vaccinated have better pregnancy outcomes.

Chief investigator Lisa Hui from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne also found vaccinated mums had fewer preterm births and fewer stillbirths than unvaccinated women.

The results of the study were published last week in the prestigious American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and, said Associate Professor Hui, provide the first large-scale evidence on the safety of mRNA Covid-19 vaccination in an Australian pregnant population.

An obstetrician, Professor Hui said she was noticing a lot of women who had received two doses of the mRNA vaccine before conceiving were delaying having the third vaccine if they were pregnant.

“They assumed they were covered, and wanted to wait until after the baby was born to receive a booster,” she said.

A Melbourne study has confirmed Covid vaccines do not cause birth defects or impair a baby’s growth. Picture: Brendan Radke

“For many, their immunity will be waning and we don’t want pregnant women to wait.

“There is no specific time in a pregnancy to get vaccinated, just do it when your booster is due.”

First-time mum Sarah Marcola was about 10 weeks pregnant when she received her (mRNA) Pfizer booster, and admits it didn’t come without some hesitancy.

But after discussing the vaccine with her doctor, Ms Marcola said she knew that getting the booster was in the best interest of herself and her daughter’s health.

The 29-year-old believes online forums and opinions backed by unreliable information played a role in deterring pregnant women from getting the vaccine. Her advice to vaccine hesitant mums-to-be is to raise any concerns they may have with their doctor.

Professor Hui said there were benefits to a newborn if the mother was vaccinated, referencing studies from America and the UK that showed antibodies were present in cord blood.

“They were shown to pass from the umbilical cord to provide some protection at birth,” she said.

“Newborns don’t get vaccinated for Covid so this is the only way to give protection.”

With Covid numbers rising, pregnant women have been urged to have their boosters when due. Picture: AFP

The study also found vaccination rates were related to the socio-economic factors which A/Prof Hui said highlighted the need to engage local communities in public health messaging and to remove barriers to accessing accurate health information and medical care for under-served communities.

The study involved all women who gave birth at a public hospital in Melbourne from July 2021 until March 2022 and found by the end of the study period 85 per cent of women had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

It also found they were also:

• usually older, first time mums

• nonsmokers with a higher socio-economic status

• not needing an interpreter

• also vaccinated against pertussis and influenza

Professor Hui said that with Covid numbers rising again, it was a timely reminder for pregnant women to have their booster when due.

“We conducted this multicentre study to provide robust local evidence on mRNA Covid-19 vaccination and peri-natal outcomes including stillbirth, preterm birth and congenital anomalies.” she said.

“Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with any adverse impacts on foetal growth or development and was associated with benefits in terms of lower rates of stillbirth, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care.

“The vaccine is safe and helps protect both mother and baby,” she said.

— Robyn Riley, Rebecca Borg

Originally published as New Covid wave ‘well established’ as mutant, vaccine resistant strains sweep Victoria