34.1 C
Delhi
Saturday, September 13, 2025

Australia set for multiple COVID-19 waves in 2023: Chief Medical Officer

Date:

Share post:

Donate-GC-Razorpay

Canberra: Australians have been warned to prepare for multiple coronavirus waves throughout 2023 by the nation’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

Fronting a senate hearing on Thursday, CMO Paul Kelly said the most recent wave, among a “number of waves” to hit Australia in the last 14 months, is now settling, but that the population should still remain vigilant.

“There will be more waves in the future. I predict there will be at least another couple this year, so we need to be ready for those,” he said.

According to the latest update from the Department of Health, there were an average of 2,403 new confirmed cases every day in the week to Feb. 7, down from more than 15,000 daily cases at the peak of the current wave in December last year.

The number of cases being treated in hospitals has also fallen.

Kelly and his predecessor Brendan Murphy, now the secretary of the Department of Health, will appear on Friday before a senate inquiry into long COVID-19, which was established by Health Minister Mark Butler in September.

On Thursday, he predicted the pandemic would have a “long tail.”

“I think there will be a long tail to this pandemic even once the acute phase is slowing down,” Kelly said.

“I think it would be useful to look back so that we can learn lessons for the coming years, not only in relation to COVID but other disease threats. We have to learn lessons from this extraordinary time, so we can be more prepared for the future.”

Related articles

Israel, Qatar, Pakistan, and India’s Lesson in Survival

The Middle East is once again in turmoil. This time, Israel has turned its attention to Qatar. A...

PM, Environment Minister hail Greater Nicobar Project as of ‘national importance’, counter Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav today strongly backed the Greater Nicobar Island...

PM Modi hails CP Radhakrishnan’s dedication, wishes him successful tenure

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended his best wishes to new Vice President Thiru CP Radhakrishnan,...

Mauritius Prime Minister along with his wife worshipped Ram Lalla in Ayodhya

Ayodhya: Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navin Chandra Ramgoolam visited Ayodhya and offered prayers at the Ram temple with...