Coronavirus: Australia sees record deaths as Omicron variants push up hospital cases

The country reported 89 Covid deaths and more than 55,600 new cases on Thursday as the highly contagious BA.4/5 variants take hold

The government has resisted pressure from doctors to impose mask mandates, while businesses have been urged to let staff work from home

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The Australian government has resisted pressure from doctors to impose mask mandates amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in the country. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:54pm, 21 Jul 2022

Australia reported one of its highest daily death tolls from the coronavirus on Thursday while hospital admissions hovered near record levels, as authorities struggle to get ahead of highly contagious Omicron variants.

The BA.4/5 variants are good at evading immune protection from vaccination or prior infection and have been driving a surge of new infections globally.

Australia is reporting the highest daily numbers since the first Omicron wave earlier this year, with 89 deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday and 90 on Wednesday. Just over 55,600 new cases were recorded on Thursday, the highest since May 18.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said state leaders and federal health officials have not recommended making masks mandatory in indoor venues, despite calls by some doctors to do so.

Australia avoided the high death tolls seen in other countries during the first waves of the pandemic thanks largely to high levels of public compliance with tough social distancing restrictions.

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