Key Points
- Millions of protein-based Novavax vaccine doses are set to expire
- Global COVID-19 deaths decline by 17 per cent: WHO
- Victoria scraps face mask rules on public transport
NSW Health said it was closely monitoring Omicron's BA.2 sublineages as early evidence suggests infections from BA.2.75 are rising in the state.
Its latest data shows BA.2.75 constitutes about 17.5 per cent, and BA.5 comprises 76 per cent of all cases detected through PCR testing.
The number of BA.2.75 infections has been increasing for the past three weeks but declining for all other subvariants.
Some studies show that BA.2.75, dubbed "Centaurus", is more transmissible than BA.5 and can evade immunity from all treatments.
Overall, the state's current wave driven by BA.5 and BA.4 is in decline.
The number of hospital and ICU admissions with COVID-19 have also come down in the past week.
Victoria has joined other Australian states in scrapping face mask requirements on public transport.
Victorians are no longer required to wear face masks on buses, trains, taxis, rideshare services and tourism vehicles from 11:59 pm today (Thursday).
New research from the Australian National University shows stricter lockdowns had a stronger impact on mental health and wellbeing than the increase in COVID-19 case numbers.
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported that millions of protein-based Novavax COVID vaccine doses are set to expire.
Of the 13.3 million vaccine doses delivered to Australia, only 210,000 doses have been administered so far.
The number of new global COVID-19 cases remained stable. However, deaths declined by 17 per cent for the week ending 18 September, the World Health Organization said in its latest report.
Japan, the US, Korea, Russia and China reported the highest weekly global COVID cases.
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