Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Qld (145,294 active – 13,000 public hospital beds, 408 public/private ICU beds)
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused - announced 8/1

5/1 6781 positives, 29k tests, 265 hospital, 10 ICU
6/1 10,332 positives, 34k tests, 284 hospital, 12 ICU
7/1 10,953 positives, 36k tests, 313 hospital, 14 ICU
8/1 11,174 positives, 33k tests, 349 hospital, 17 ICU
9/1 13,680 PCR+, 37k tests, 4320 RAT+, 380 hospital, 23 ICU
10/1 5867 PCR+, 21k tests, 3714 RAT+, 419 hospital, 21 ICU (*some non-reporting labs)
11/1 16,380 PCR+, 50k tests, 4186 RAT+, 502 hospital, 27 ICU (*includes non-reporting)
12/1 18,084 PCR+, 57k tests, 3985 RAT+, 525 hospital, 30 ICU
13/1 12,102 PCR+, 33k tests, 2812 RAT+, 530 hospital, 26 ICU

ACT (5004 active – 1200 public hospital beds, 37 public/private ICU beds)
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused at 1 hospital - announced 7/1

5/1 810 positives, 3.4k tests, 16 hospital, 1 ICU
6/1 992 positives, 3.3k tests, 20 hospital, 2 ICU
7/1 1246 positives, 4.5k tests, 24 hospital, 3 ICU
8/1 1305 positives, 4.3k tests, 24 hospital, 5 ICU
9/1 1039 positives, 3.1k tests, 27 hospital, 4 ICU
10/1 938 positives, 5.2k tests, 25 hospital, 4 ICU
11/1 1508 positives, 5.9k tests, 28 hospital, 4 ICU
12/1 1078 positives, 3.6k tests, 23 hospital, 3 ICU
13/1 1020 positives, 4.7k tests, 24 hospital, 3 ICU *RAT+ will be reported from Friday

 

[drron]

Tasmanian figures. A slight decrease in new cases and active cases.


And 10 of 23 in hospital treated for covid.
However here we are giving close contacts with multiple risk factors Regen COV. I am looking after all close contacts that are in hospital.

 

[andye]

My gut feeling is that Sydney has peaked though may not see this in the NSW figures for a week as RATs are registered.
Such a high proportion have now been exposed and workplace procedures are more effective than the unfettered mixing of seasonal gatherings. Hoping we see the hospital figures fall during this month rather than the projected Feb peak.
Hostage to fortune maybe

 

[scaredeycat]

NSW (337,818 active – 21,000 public hospital beds, 884 public/private ICU beds)
13/1 30,877 PCR+, 88k tests, 61,387 RAT+, 2383 hospital, 182 ICU

So more than 10% of the patients occupying beds in NSW are Covid +ve. One also has to ask whether all 21,000 beds are open and fully staffed. If not that makes the situation even worse.
Yes, I know that many of those patients are in hospital for reasons other than Covid, but staff still have to nurse them wearing PPE and ensure that all barrier precautions are strictly followed.
We haven't reached the peak in terms of infections in the community and the trend has always been that hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths tend to lag by about 2 weeks.
But it's just a cold.
Happy days...

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NSW (337,818 active – 21,000 public hospital beds, 884 public/private ICU beds)
13/1 30,877 PCR+, 88k tests, 61,387 RAT+, 2383 hospital, 182 ICU

So more than 10% of the patients occupying beds in NSW are Covid +ve. One also has to ask whether all 21,000 beds are open and fully staffed. If not that makes the situation even worse.
Yes, I know that many of those patients are in hospital for reasons other than Covid, but staff still have to nurse them wearing PPE and ensure that all barrier precautions are strictly followed.
We haven't reached the peak in terms of infections in the community and the trend has always been that hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths tend to lag by about 2 weeks.
But it's just a cold.
Happy days...

My understanding is that approximate figure is fully staffed bed, but that was without/before the current close contact exceptions.

 

[Pushka]

Two more in the family, all isolating for the last week. A toddler and his mum. Son tested positive on Sat (RAT). So far the toddler is irritable but not unduly unwell. Nor is his mum. Latter two AZ and Pfizer booster.

Had to go collect two RAT for them today using the new SA depot. So far just one operating in SA and it opened this morning. Well, SA Health got this so right. Was queued up, checked for registration and on my way in just 10 minutes.

 

[drron]

NSW (337,818 active – 21,000 public hospital beds, 884 public/private ICU beds)
13/1 30,877 PCR+, 88k tests, 61,387 RAT+, 2383 hospital, 182 ICU

So more than 10% of the patients occupying beds in NSW are Covid +ve. One also has to ask whether all 21,000 beds are open and fully staffed. If not that makes the situation even worse.
Yes, I know that many of those patients are in hospital for reasons other than Covid, but staff still have to nurse them wearing PPE and ensure that all barrier precautions are strictly followed.
We haven't reached the peak in terms of infections in the community and the trend has always been that hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths tend to lag by about 2 weeks.
But it's just a cold.
Happy days...

But those who are in hospital WITH covid are very likely to have been in hospital anyway so the impact on numbers in hospitals are somewhat exaggerated. Those numbers also say that 90% of those in hospital are not being nursed in covid wards so you comment on PPE does not cover the majority of HCW -though it is likely that they are wearing N95 masks and face shields but not full PPe

The ward I am working in is looking after all the hospitalised close contacts. So we are in full PPE and I can assure you the work can still be done in a reasonable time.

Plus having to work in PPE is not unique to Covid or respiratory infections. I worked in a major QLD hospital that 10 years ago had 2 large wards just for patients with the VRE bacteria. those had to be looked after in full PPE.

The real problem at the present is more to do with the isolation of contacts.
To end to the vast majority it is indeed just a cold and to many not even as bad as that.

 

[Lynda2475]

But those who are in hospital WITH covid are very likely to have been in hospital anyway so the impact on numbers in hospitals are somewhat exaggerated.

More than somewhat, reporting needs to be more honest re whether admitted due covid or just with covid.

 

[Pushka]

But those who are in hospital WITH covid are very likely to have been in hospital anyway so the impact on numbers in hospitals are somewhat exaggerated. Those numbers also say that 90% of those in hospital are not being nursed in covid wards so you comment on PPE does not cover the majority of HCW -though it is likely that they are wearing N95 masks and face shields but not full PPe

The ward I am working in is looking after all the hospitalised close contacts. So we are in full PPE and I can assure you the work can still be done in a reasonable time.

Plus having to work in PPE is not unique to Covid or respiratory infections. I worked in a major QLD hospital that 10 years ago had 2 large wards just for patients with the VRE bacteria. those had to be looked after in full PPE.

The real problem at the present is more to do with the isolation of contacts.
To end to the vast majority it is indeed just a cold and to many not even as bad as that.

The toddler is running around saying he's sick. He's picked up on the vibe at home. Long may that be as bad as it gets.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

What is the best face mask to wear to stop the spread of COVID-19?​

Face masks have been an essential tool throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in stopping the spread of the virus.

But as the Omicron variant continues to infect millions of people at an unprecedented rate, there are calls to reconsider what type of mask is suitable.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reported to be considering updating its mask advice to recommend people wear N95 masks.

While official Australian health advice hasn't changed, a growing number of medical experts say people should be proactive in upgrading their protection.

....courtesy ABC reporting

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NT also mandating reporting for RAT+ (last line)

NT authorities focused on ensuring health system can cope with increase in cases​

The Northern Territory community of Amoonguna has entered a lock out after 16 new cases were detected.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 hospitalisations in the NT have fallen slightly from yesterday, with 24 people receiving care. That figure is down from 28 and there is one person in ICU. There were 550 new cases were recorded in total.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner says the priority now is ensuring daily growth in numbers remain stable.

"Making sure our health system can handle the increase in cases, getting lots of tests done as quickly as possible," he said.

"At the moment, all things considered, the growth in numbers is fairly controlled, though it is highly unlikely we have reached our peak. "

The NT government has also announced it will now mandate the reporting of rapid antigen tests.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Hope someone / AFP or SA Police swept SA Premier's house for bugs / unauthorised electronic devices - never know who might try to listen in on the super-secret National Cabinet today.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The real problem at the present is more to do with the isolation of contacts.

Since Omicron gained momentum in Victoria in the main hospitals in Melbourne the isolation of staff is causing a huge burden on the staff still working. Normal staff to patient ratios cannot currently be achieved and so while care is being provided, it is at less than preferred levels and double shifts (much more than normal) are being relied upon to keep operating. The second is not sustainable, and moreso in the main Covid Wards for which the latest Omicron surge is just in addition to what was already a long period of heavy workloads.

Plus having to work in PPE is not unique to Covid or respiratory infections. I worked in a major QLD hospital that 10 years ago had 2 large wards just for patients with the VRE bacteria. those had to be looked after in full PPE.

No it is not unique.

However based on the comments of my daughter who is permanently working in a Respiratory and Infectious Diseases Ward and was happily doing so before Covid came along, working in the ward when it becomes a Covid Ward, which has been a common occurrence for some time, becomes a lot more burdensome both physically and mentally compared to at other times.

One reason being that with other infectious diseases (or where the patient may be isolated for lack of an immune system) is that full PPE is not normally worn during the entire shift, and is just put on/off when entering a particular room. With Covid it tends to be the full shift and it is not just the patient that you are concerned about being contagious. Also the break rooms etc are not the sanctuary that they are in other times.

Often too the work is a lot more physical and demanding (her Covid patients contagious/ or recovering are very ill patients).

Casual staff social interactions are less and as are social interactions with the the Covid patients (whether still ill from Covid, or just recovering from Covid). So the quality of worklife is reduced.

My daughter loves her normal work in the ward. She however does not at all find the long Covid stretches so. They are exhausting. Her work changes from a great joy to dreading having to go in.

The other drawback is the effect on her life outside of the hospital. When Covid is rife that is very negative. In normal times she gets to lead a normal life.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

What is the best face mask to wear to stop the spread of COVID-19?​

Face masks have been an essential tool throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in stopping the spread of the virus.

But as the Omicron variant continues to infect millions of people at an unprecedented rate, there are calls to reconsider what type of mask is suitable.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reported to be considering updating its mask advice to recommend people wear N95 masks.

While official Australian health advice hasn't changed, a growing number of medical experts say people should be proactive in upgrading their protection.

....courtesy ABC reporting

At present you have the double whammy of a 1/ more contagious variant, which is exacerbated by 2/ there then also being more contagious people that you may be exposed to.


Though having said that, the main spread seems to have been when people were not wearing masks at all. ie Nightclubs, family gatherings, parties, work parties, harbour cruises.......

 

[VPS]

What is the best face mask to wear to stop the spread of COVID-19?​

Face masks have been an essential tool throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in stopping the spread of the virus.

But as the Omicron variant continues to infect millions of people at an unprecedented rate, there are calls to reconsider what type of mask is suitable.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reported to be considering updating its mask advice to recommend people wear N95 masks.

While official Australian health advice hasn't changed, a growing number of medical experts say people should be proactive in upgrading their protection.

....courtesy ABC reporting

I have a lot of cloth masks and just cringe at the thought of the waste of all the disposable ones

 

[jakeseven7]

I have a lot of cloth masks and just cringe at the thought of the waste of all the disposable ones

I know and agree but a lot of us at work don’t have a choice.

 

[dairyfloss]

More than somewhat, reporting needs to be more honest re whether admitted due covid or just with covid.

Indeed, I thought it was one of the agenda items for the last National Cabinet meeting, though I don't recall hearing more on it, and the media can't help but continue and sensationalise the numbers more and more, each day. We need some good, calming reporting from the big outlets for a change.

There's just over 750,000 active cases across Australia, right now vs peak active cases in Sep 2021 of 30,420 - up 2,375%)
Cases Admitted to Hospital* are 4,153 vs. peak hospitalisation in Sep 2021 of 1,551 - up 168% (93% better off than Sep case rate equivalent)
Hospitalised and in ICU** is 350 vs. peak hospitalisation in Oct 2021 of 312 - up 12% (99% better off than Oct case rate equivalent)
Ventilated in ICU 107 vs. peak ventilated number in Oct 2021 of 184 - less than the previous peak by 42%!

* All admitted and who have COVID, regardless of the reason admitted (broken arm, dodgy prawns at xmas, etc.).
** All in ICU who have COVID, presumably regardless of the reason admitted, per above (car accidents, really dodgy prawns, etc.).

I expect that the majority who are on ventilators are so due to COVID, and not just there with COVID. Could one argue that until the right separation of the reason for hospitalisation and ICU can be stated, that ventilated cases, and ventilated as a % of total cases is a reasonable and relevant indicator as to how severe the COVID disease is, in this highly vaccinated nation?

Ventilated as a % of total active cases today is 0.014% (vs case fatality of 0.1% for confirmed influenza, in 2019), and here's that stat, over time, starting from the last day we had zero active cases on a ventilator, nation wide (4-Jul-2021). The more cases we may have out there, the better this would look:



EDIT: I realise that there is a significant impact on health services, now and ongoing, regardless of the actual reasons that people are in hospital, together with close contact rules and testing, etc. However it would be beneficial to a number of groups if health and the media would provide new and positive views that might help with people's mental health, after nearly 2 years of living in fear.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Indeed, I thought it was one of the agenda items for the last National Cabinet meeting, though I don't recall hearing more on it, and the media can't help but continue and sensationalise the numbers more and more, each day. We need some good, calming reporting from the big outlets for a change.

There's just over 750,000 active cases across Australia, right now vs peak active cases in Sep 2021 of 30,420 - up 2,375%)
Cases Admitted to Hospital* are 4,153 vs. peak hospitalisation in Sep 2021 of 1,551 - up 168% (93% better off than Sep case rate equivalent)
Hospitalised and in ICU** is 350 vs. peak hospitalisation in Oct 2021 of 312 - up 12% (99% better off than Oct case rate equivalent)
Ventilated in ICU 107 vs. peak ventilated number in Oct 2021 of 184 - less than the previous peak by 42%!

* All admitted and who have COVID, regardless of the reason admitted (broken arm, dodgy prawns at xmas, etc.).
** All in ICU who have COVID, presumably regardless of the reason admitted, per above (car accidents, really dodgy prawns, etc.).

I expect that the majority who are on ventilators are so due to COVID, and not just there with COVID. Could one argue that until the right separation of the reason for hospitalisation and ICU can be stated, that ventilated cases, and ventilated as a % of total cases is a reasonable and relevant indicator as to how severe the COVID disease is, in this highly vaccinated nation?

Ventilated as a % of total active cases today is 0.014% (vs case fatality of 0.1% for confirmed influenza, in 2019), and here's that stat, over time, starting from the last day we had zero active cases on a ventilator, nation wide (4-Jul-2021). The more cases we may have out there, the better this would look:

View attachment 268902

Cheers,
Matt.

You can't really blame media, when governments don't make it readily available. From my observation only Tas consistently reports with/for distinction in their daily reports of hospitalisation.

Other may do it from time to time at a press conference or be buried elsewhere in weekly reports etc.

 

[dairyfloss]

You can't really blame media, when governments don't make it readily available. From my observation only Tas consistently reports with/for distinction in their daily reports of hospitalisation.

Other may do it from time to time at a press conference or be buried elsewhere in weekly reports etc.

Agreed - and I just added a footnote after posting while thinking more about that

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

National cabinet agrees to concessional access to RAT kits​

"Today we agreed the concessional access to rapid antigen tests, which will commence on the 24 January, after discussions with the pharmac_ Guild," Mr Morrison has announced.

"That will be done on a 50-50 basis. Pharmacies will source those supplies and you will be able to get it on the terms that I announced last week.

"To be clear, that is 10 tests in total over three months with a maximum of five a month. You go to the pharmac_, present your relevant concession card, which we have announced before, and they can process that can provide you with that test from the 24 January."