Australian health officials warn of new Covid wave

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• By Avi Yemini

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Australia’s chief health officers are warning of a new Covid-19 wave.

Kerry Chant and her Victorian counterpart Brett Sutton this week urged people to get a booster vaccine as defence against a new Covid variant.

“We’re starting to see an increase in Covid-19 cases and changes in the variants circulating in NSW,” Chant said in a video released this week.

“We’re entering the next Covid wave.”

Chant said the protection the people in NSW had received from vaccination and previous infection would reduce the risk of severe illness.

But she added: “The elderly and those with underlying health conditions will continue to be at higher risk.

“Make sure you’re up to date with your vaccinations. This is your best protection.”

Chant also urged people to stay home if they felt unwell.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there were “indicators” to show “we are at the start of another Covid-19 wave”.

Waterwaste testing in Victoria had shown the Omicron subvariants BQ. 1 and XBB now comprised 10 per cent of total cases in the state, and were set to overtake BA. 5 as the dominant variant.

The World Health Organisation has said there was no evidence to suggest the latest variants were more severe.