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Grim prediction realised as Covid deaths surge

NSW has recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic as more than 29,000 new cases of the highly infectious virus were reported.

NSW Health said on Tuesday morning 36 people in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday have died with Covid-19 and a total of 29,830 new cases were recorded.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters on Monday the number of deaths is likely "to be high over the coming days".

Dr Chant said the reason for this is because of "broad" community transmission of the virus.

She called on people to get boosters and said only one of the 17 deaths reported on Monday had received their booster shot.

Members of the public are seen in Chinatown, Sydney as the Covid pandemic grips the state.
NSW has recorded its deadliest day of the Covid pandemic. Source: AAP

It is hoped that NSW is either approaching or passed the peak of the Omicron wave. Cases on Tuesday were a slight increase from Monday's total of 29,504.

The number of patients in the ICU has gone up by six in the past 24 hours with 209 now in the state's intensive care units. In total, 2,850 people are now in hospital in NSW with coronavirus which is an increase from the 2,776 reported on Monday.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet conceded the health system was under pressure but assured the public the state was on the "hard but right" road.

"We have to get on with life," he told the ABC on Tuesday.

"If we decide to continue the approach where we had a highly unvaccinated (sic) population and go into lockdown, that would have substantial consequences for men and women right across the state in terms of being able to provide food on the table for their family."

Victoria suffers 22 Covid-19 deaths

Victoria has recorded 20,180 Covid-19 cases and 22 deaths.

The new infections confirmed by the health department on Tuesday include 11,747 from rapid antigen tests and 8433 from PCR tests.

It is the second consecutive day case numbers have declined in the state.

It brings the total number of active cases in the state to 235,035 - a fall of about 10,000 cases since Monday.

There are 1152 patients in hospital, a decrease of 77 on the previous day.

The number of people in ICU has decreased by two to 127, though 43 people are now on ventilation, an increase of five.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Monday said hospitalisation numbers were yet to peak, as he predicted that may not be reached for a month.

He said there was a lag of about two weeks between case numbers and hospital admissions, and three weeks for that to translate to ICU figures.

with AAP

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