Victoria has recorded a new spike in Covid-19 cases as infections continue to plummet in NSW.
NSW recorded 7437 cases and 14 deaths on Monday, down from 7893 infections and 28 deaths reported 24 hours earlier.
South of the border, Victoria recorded 8,275 new infections, a spike of more than a 1,000 reported on Sunday. Seven lives were also lost.
Hospitalisations are also on the decline in both states as booster rates edge towards 50 per cent.
It’s the third consecutive day NSW has recorded fewer than 10,000 cases – after the state recorded an average of close to 30,000 cases a day last month.
Hospitalisations in NSW cases plummeted from 2,321 to 2,099 in the space of 24 hours, while ICU admissions dropped from by 10 to 137.
Non-urgent elective surgery will resume on Monday, with some public patients being treated in private facilities as well as some regional public hospitals.
In Victoria, hospitalisations dropped by 14 to 638 while ICU admissions remain steady 73, one more than reported on Sunday.
Private hospitals and day centres across Victoria will restart non-urgent surgeries to 50 per cent capacity from Monday.
Around 45 per cent of Victorians aged over-18s have now received their third jab and have overtaken NSW, where 43,8 per cent have had their booster.
From the 7,437 NSW cases, almost 4,000 were from positive rapid antigen tests.
All indoor mask mandates – including in workplaces – are expected to be lifted in NSW from March 1 by Premier Dominic Perrottet, days after his Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews warned the rule could remain in place indefinitely in his state.
Meanwhile, NSW parents who homeschooled their children during long-running lockdowns in the state last year are now eligible for a government subsidised holiday.
One person from every eligible household will receive five $50 vouchers from Monday that can be used to book accommodation or entertainment around the state until early October.
More to come.
