Covid hospitalisation rates: how is Australia’s health system coping with the spread of Omicron?
As Covid cases surge in Australia, attention is turning to how the health system is coping.
To track the impact of the spread of the Omicron variant on hospitals, we have brought together the data on hospitalisations and new case numbers – both nationally and across states and territories for the last six months. Cases include those infected locally, overseas and where the source is unknown or under investigation.
Due to the difference in reporting times between jurisdictions it can be difficult to get a picture of the numbers, trends and impact on the healthcare system.
But the seven-day average of new cases shows how cases are trending in each jurisdiction. Experts say there can be a lag of 10 to 14 days from when cases are reported and subsequent hospitalisations.
Here, you can see hospitalisations and 7-day rolling Covid cases average in New South Wales:
Here, you can see hospitalisations and the rolling case average in Victoria:
In Queensland, the number of hospitalisations is higher as the state has at times required all active cases to be admitted in Covid wards.
Here are the figures for South Australia:
And here is the data for the ACT showing the difference between case numbers and hospitalisations:
Notes:
The data is released daily and this page will be updated throughout the day. As there are different reporting times for each jurisdiction, the most recent day’s data may not always be available for each state and territory.
States and territories have differing criteria for when someone is admitted to hospital for a Covid infection. Some states such as Queensland have periodically isolated all active cases in hospitals, which can make comparisons across states difficult.
The states also have differing thresholds for when their healthcare networks become overburdened.
You can find this data and more on our main Covid cases tracking page, or continue to check here for the updated charts.