22,429 new cases, six deaths; Victoria nearing Omicron peak

After an alarming explosion in Covid cases, Victoria is seeing promising signs that the Omicron outbreak is nearing its peak.

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Victoria is nearing its peak of Omicron cases with the state’s chief health officer Brett Sutton predicting infections may flatten and then fall within weeks.

Cases have been on a steep climb since the variant exploded last month, with the state recording 22,429 infections and six deaths alone on Monday.

However, Prof Sutton said there were promising signs Victoria may be on the verge of overcoming the outbreak.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty but I do think we’re reasonably close to peak, if we’re not at a peak already,” Prof Sutton said.

It comes after Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly predicted there would be large numbers of cases over the next few weeks before infections plateaued.

Data around the world has shown countries of South Africa, the UK and some US states are already seeing a drop in cases.

It’s anticipated most Australian states, aside from WA, will see a peak in cases in the coming weeks and then a down swing from then on.

But Prof Sutton said he expected hospitalisations would rise in Victoria through January, before peaking in February.

“Those hospital numbers are going to increase, there’s a lag compared to our daily case numbers and over the next few weeks we will see hospital numbers go up,” he said.

“We really need to make sure we’re protecting each and every single person who is eligible for a booster to avoid hospital.”

22,429 NEW CASES, SIX DEATHS

Covid-related hospital admissions in Victoria have spiked again as infections continue to surge.

Victoria on Monday recorded 1229 hospitalisations, as experts say the state could soon overcome its peak.

The state recorded 22,429 new cases and six deaths.

Officials reported 129 people were in intensive care, with 38 on a ventilator.

According to department figures, 24 per cent of Victorians have received three doses of the Covid vaccine.

Mr Andrews urged Victorians to keep honouring close contact requirements and to get a booster as soon as possible.

“If there’s one thing you do today or tomorrow, if you’re eligible for a booster please go online and book an appointment,” he said.

“It is key to us driving down these case numbers.”

On Saturday, Victoria surpassed a grim milestone earlier in the week with more than 1000 people in hospital with the virus after the state recorded 25,526 new cases and 23 deaths.

Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said the state had “unfortunately and sadly” surpassed 1000 hospitalised patients on Friday but Saturday’s figures meant it had reached its highest number of hospitalisations since the pandemic began.

“This again highlights how transmissible Omicron is but also how avoidable it is,” he said. “Less than half of people in hospital were not fully vaccinated.

SECOND COVID JAB FOR KIDS STEP CLOSER

Aussie kids aged six to 11 years could soon have access to two Covid vaccines.

Moderna is due to provide new safety and efficacy data about its paediatric vaccine to the Therapeutic Goods Administration on Monday.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was “hopeful” the jab, which would provide another option for parents, would be approved.

“We are expecting new information imminently,” Mr Hunt said.

“They are due to provide that to the European Medicines Agency and the Australian TGA simultaneously on the 17th (January).”

Mr Hunt said he had spoken to Moderna’s Australian chief executive twice in recent days about the jabs.

Alexa, 6, getting her injection with her dad Pat Harding. Picture: David Caird

“They are very focused on bringing this forward and the TGA will do a priority assessment, but an independent assessment,” he said.

Moderna’s trials have previously shown children aged six to 11 had a strong immune response when they received half of the adult dose, one month apart.

While Pfizer’s paediatric jab is a third of the adult dose and has an eight-week interval between first and second shots.

More than 300,000 children aged five to 11 years nationwide have so far had a shot in the arm since Pfizer became available last Monday.

Questions have been raised about supply, with a spate of appointments cancelled, and some primary care providers raising concerns that they do not have not been allocated enough vaccines to meet demand.

But Mr Hunt again reiterated that “there is enough out there” and encouraged people to keep coming forward.

Lincoln 5, is one of the 300,000 children who receive the Pfizer vaccine when it became available for his age group. Picture: David Caird

He said 1.2 million doses were already in fridges, adding this would rise to almost 2 million doses by the end of this week.

“We’ll be working with GPs and pharmacists and the states to ensure that they have specialised clinics for children just to provide that additional access,” Mr Hunt said.

The Herald Sun revealed earlier this month that the federal government had urged Pfizer and Moderna to submit an application for their Covid booster shots to be given to people aged under 18.

The TGA is already considering preliminary data about the Pfizer booster shot for people aged 16-17 years, which will also be assessed by Australia’s expert immunisation panel.

“We are expecting that they will provide 12-15 year old data over the course of the coming weeks,” Mr Hunt said, adding Pfizer was going through final international scientific assessments.

Australia hit a new vaccination record on Sunday, with more than 46 million Covid doses now in arms across the country.

FIRST 3M RATS ARRIVE

The first three million rapid tests purchased by the Victorian government to ease massive shortages have arrived in the state and will be handed out in high-risk areas from Monday.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed on Sunday that the first delivery from its order of 44 million tests had arrived and would be distributed immediately.

He said health care, emergency services, food distribution and other critical areas would be among the first to receive the stock.

Prioritising medical workers will allow more staff to return to work and better protect patients.

Some tests will be sent to more than 60 community groups and multicultural associations to help tackle outbreaks, while Victorians with conditions that put them at risk of severe illness will be eligible to receive the tests.

Mr Andrews said he had been told the full order of 44 million tests would be in Victoria by the end of the month or early February.

“We are working incredibly hard pressing as much as we possibly can to make sure that each and every one of the orders that make up the 44 million are honoured and that those shipments arrive,” he said.

“Three million is a significant first batch … That will be three million tests that don’t have to be sourced elsewhere.

“That alleviates pressure and we do acknowledge there is some pressure across the board for these products.”

More than 400,000 rapid tests were handed out at state-run PCR testing centres last week, and 91,000 were supplied on Saturday alone.

Since January 7, when a new rapid test self-reporting system was introduced, 145,580 Victorians have uploaded positive rapid test results.

Mr Andrews also urged Victorians to keep honouring close contact requirements and to get a booster as soon as possible.