Australia records first Omicron death, authorities determine to reopening plan

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Australia records first Omicron death, authorities determine to reopening plan (Image: Unsplash)
Australia records first Omicron death, authorities determine to reopening plan (Image: Unsplash)

Sydney : Australia has reported its first confirmed death from the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. While the daily number of coronavirus cases are rising, the authorities are not looking to put restrictions back, saying hospitalisation rates remained low.

An 80-year-old man lost his life after being diagnosed with the Omicron variant of coronavirus.The authorities have not revealed much about the death of the person and only mentioned that he caught the virus at an aged care facility and died in a Sydney hospital.

"This was the first known death in New South Wales (state) linked to the Omicron variant of concern," said NSW Health epidemiologist Christine Selvey in a video released by the government.

The man was among six COVID-19 deaths reported in Australia the previous day, all in the most populous states of NSW and Victoria, which are home to more than half the country's 25 million population.

NSW, Victoria and Queensland states reported a combined 9,107 new cases on Monday, putting the country on track for another peak in new infections.