On Monday, Australia reported at least 11 COVID-19 deaths, including five each in New South Wales and South Australia. Also, Western Australia reported two historical death.
NSW has been witnessing a rise in hospitalisations and ICU admissions for the past three weeks. The reported number of hospitalisations on Monday was 1,470 compared to 1,066 on 2 June. ICU admissions have risen from 28 to 58 during the same period.
Similarly, the number of hospitalisations has risen in Queensland.
Check the latest COVID-19 trends for new cases, hospitalisations and deaths in Australia .
A new study shows at least 17 per cent of Australians aged 18 and over had contracted COVID-19 by February this year.
The study by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) and UNSW Sydney showed the proportion of people infected with COVID-19 was at least twice the number of cases reported to authorities.
Victoria will ease current COVID-19 restrictions from 11.59 pm Friday, 24 June.
Positive cases are still required to isolate for seven days but can leave home to drive a household member directly to or from education or work without leaving their vehicle.
They can also leave home to get medical care, a COVID-19 test, or in an emergency.
Travellers will no longer be required to wear face masks at Victorian airport terminals. However, masks are still mandatory on public transport, taxis, ride shares, planes, and in sensitive settings such as hospitals and care facilities.
Workers in education, food distribution, meat, seafood processing and quarantine accommodations sectors will no longer be mandated to get a third vaccine dose.
However, workers interacting with a vulnerable person must take three COVID-19 vaccine doses. Such workers include residential aged care and disability care, healthcare, custodial and emergency services, and police.
Visitor caps to care facilities, including residential aged care and disability, will be removed. Residents in these facilities can see any number of people if the visitors have a negative RAT on that day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has approved COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months. Australia only allows COVID-19 vaccines in children aged five and over.
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