Hospitalisations On The Rise Across NSW As Covid Keeps Knocking

NSW recorded 20,794 new infections and four Covid-related deaths on Monday.

The new cases were detected from 96,765 swabs collected on Sunday, as people settled into a hopeful new year.

There are currently1, 204 people in hospital, with 95 of those are in ICU, up from 83 yesterday.

The rapid surge in presentations and hospitalisations, continues to gain momentum, more than doubling last Monday's cases where 521 people were in hospital with Covid. 

In NSW, 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of the vaccine, while 93.5 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Chair of the AMA NSW Council Michael Bonning told ABC on Monday that vaccines are keeping people out of hospital.

“But certainly, the higher case rates across the state and across the country do mean we should expect to see increasing rates in hospital."

“Now, whether that will extend to ICU is a story where, you know, we’re still working to understand," he said.

“Our understanding of the new variant and whether it is milder, we’re developing evidence on that at the moment.“

- Dr Michael Bonning

Meantime, Australian Medical Association vice president Chris Moy told the AAP the Australia's health system was “struggling” 

“People look at the numbers and see the 1066 in hospitals, but the health system doesn’t just look after COVID and people are having critical surgery delayed,” he said.

Furthermore, a small study of patients in two local health districts taken by NSW Health over the past two weeks has revealed that some patients in hospital with Covid were admitted for unrelated illness or injury.

Included in Covid hospitalisations are women in labour, people seeking mental health support and care, and people with appendicitis or bowel obstruction, NSW Health said in a statement.

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