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Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers across Australia for today

Thirty-three people have died with COVID-19 across Victoria and New South Wales as the two largest states recorded tens of thousands of new cases.

In Queensland there were 17,445 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, with 670 people hospitalised. South Australia reported 3450 cases and two more deaths.

And in the ACT two more COVID-19 deaths were recorded, along with 1316 new cases.

Meanwhile Alice Springs in the Northern Territory will have a seven day lockout for the unvaccinated.

And Western Australia announced three new cases.

NSW

In NSW, 20 people died with the virus in the past 24 hours as the state recorded 34,660 positive cases.

The infections were detected from 13,682 rapid antigen tests and 20,978 PCR test results.

There are 2650 people in NSW hospitals, with 191 patients in ICU.

In the face of rising hospitalisations, Premier Dominic Perrottet said there would be "difficulties" and "challenges" for hospitals in the weeks to come.

"But our health system is resilient," he said.

Of the 20 dead, two people were in their 50s, and both had "serious underlying health conditions", Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said.

One was vaccinated, the other was not.

The other fatalities included six people in their 70s, seven in their 80s, four in their 90s and one person aged over 100.

One week into the NSW vaccination program for five to 11 year olds, 11.5 per cent have that cohort have received their first dose.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard told vaccine "disbelievers" to "wake up to yourselves".

"The world is telling us that this virus will keep killing us and keep putting us in hospital, unless we get vaccinated," he said.

Mr Hazzard said "silly" anti-vaccination messages should be forgotten.

READ MORE: Tsunami warning for Australia after Tonga eruption

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1482475620940808193?s=20

Victoria

Another 13 people have died with COVID-19 in Victoria as the state recorded 28,128 new cases today.

Of the new cases, 10,337 were from rapid tests and 17,791 were from PCR tests.

Hospitalisations have grown to 1114, with 122 people in ICU and 35 patients on a ventilator.

Premier Daniel Andrews said 73,000 rapid antigen tests were handed out at the state's PCR testing locations yesterday.

Mr Andrews also detailed that three million RATs of the 44 million kits which have been ordered arrived on Friday.

Essential workers in health and aged care and people with underlying conditions will have priority on those kits, which will be delivered tomorrow.

After Victorians had experienced RAT shortages, Acting Chief Health Officer Professor Ben Cowie said "the tide is starting to turn" and people can look forward to "significantly increased access" in the coming days and weeks.

Mr Andrews strongly indicated there would be no delay to the start of Victoria's school year, saying: "We will have school open day one of term one."

He added classes "might look a bit different" and a promise that "we will deliver the safest possible environment".

Mr Andrews said the Djokovic saga, which has made world headlines over the past week, had not negatively detracted on the Australian Open, which begins Monday.

"It is much bigger than one person," he said.

Djokovic's appeal is being heard in court now, and you can follow all the legal arguments and live updates here.

More than 6000 doctors, nurses and other staff in Victoria's healthcare system are currently not able to work, because of infections or close contact quarantine measures.

READ MORE: Almost 100,000 Victorians told they will not get their PCR test results

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1482472676472274945

Queensland

In Queensland there were 17,445 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, with 670 people hospitalised.

This includes 4615 positive rapid antigen test results.

There are 49 people being treated in intensive care units in Queensland. Sixteen of these people are on ventilators.

The three people who died were in their 60s, their 80s and one aged over 100 years. They all had significant medical conditions.

Speaking generally on reported deaths, Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerard said the state is reporting deaths as soon as they see someone has died and they had a recent positive COVID-19 result.

"Rather than waiting a week or more for a coroner's inquest or a detailed report on these cases so that you can get an idea of the numbers," Dr Gerard said.

"There are a few that have died in residential aged care facilities, some have died in hospitals."

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory has recorded 1316 new cases of COVID-19, from 716 positive PCR test results and 600 positive rapid antigen tests.

The total number of active cases in the territory is 3257, as reported to ACT Health.

There are 41 people in hospital, including three people in ICU. Two people are on ventilators.

ACT Health said it has been notified of two deaths, a man in his 50s and a man in his 90s with COVID-19.

South Australia

South Australia has reported 3450 cases of COVID-19.

Premier Steven Marshall said 2401 came from positive PRC tests and 1049 came from rapid antigen tests. Mr Marshall confirmed two men have died.

There are 220 people in hospital with COVID-19 in South Australia. This includes 26 people in ICU and six on ventilators.

Mr Marshall said he is "very hopeful that we are in that peak period at the moment".

"We've had a drop-off in South Australia over the last two days," he said.

"And very pleasingly, we've seen a reduction in hospitalisations, admissions to ICU and those people who are on ventilators."

Western Australia

There were two new local COVID-19 cases and one related to travel, WA Health, said.

The man and woman diagnosed locally were contacts of previously reported cases.

Both were infectious in the Community, WA Health said.

The other local case was somebody who has come from interstate.

Northern Territory

Alice Springs in the Northern Territory will have a seven day lockout for the unvaccinated. They'll only be allowed to leave home for essential reasons.

https://twitter.com/amy_sinclair9/status/1482556764906487811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Warning COVID-19 cases not yet at peak

Australia's healthcare system is set to receive a funding boost today as health authorities warn several states have not yet reached their peak of Omicron cases.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt is expected to announce $24 million of funding in a new boost to the health system today, which would provide free rapid antigen tests to doctors who see patients face-to-face and PPE for healthcare workers.

Staff prepare to collect samples at a drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

The Queensland Government remains confident that pop-up hospitals will not be required and the looming peak in COVID-19 cases can be managed between public and private facilities.

NSW is slated to reach its peak of Omicron infections in the next week or two, infectious diseases paediatrician Robert Booy told Today.

"We are getting close to the top of our swing in terms of numbers in NSW and Victoria, we will probably peak within the next one to two weeks," he said yesterday.

"But the hospitalisations will peak in February because they come about two weeks after cases."

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Scientists warn to expect more concerning variants of COVID-19

Get ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that Omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world.

Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and Omicron has an edge over its predecessors: It spreads way faster despite emerging on a planet with a stronger patchwork of immunity from vaccines and prior illness.

That means more people in whom the virus can further evolve. Experts don’t know what the next variants will look like or how they might shape the pandemic, but they say there’s no guarantee the sequels of Omicron will cause milder illness or that existing vaccines will work against them.

READ MORE: Latest COVID-19 figures, including 34,000 new cases in NSW

Case numbers are starting to decline in the South African epicentre of the Omicron outbreak.

They urge wider vaccination now, while today's shots still work.

"The faster Omicron spreads, the more opportunities there are for mutation, potentially leading to more variants,” Leonardo Martinez, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston University, said.

Since it emerged in mid-November, Omicron has raced across the globe like fire through dry grass. Research shows the variant is at least twice as contagious as Delta and at least four times as contagious as the original version of the virus.

Omicron is more likely than Delta to reinfect individuals who previously had COVID-19 and to cause “breakthrough infections” in vaccinated people while also attacking the unvaccinated. The World Health Organisation reported a record 15 million new COVID-19 cases for the week of January 3-9, a 55 per cent increase from the previous week.

Along with keeping comparatively healthy people out of work and school, the ease with which the variant spreads increases the odds the virus will infect and linger inside people with weakened immune systems — giving it more time to develop potent mutations.

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“It’s the longer, persistent infections that seem to be the most likely breeding grounds for new variants,” said Dr Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University.

"It’s only when you have very widespread infection that you’re going to provide the opportunity for that to occur.”

Because Omicron appears to cause less severe disease than Delta, its behaviour has kindled hope that it could be the start of a trend that eventually makes the virus milder like a common cold.

It's a possibility, experts say, given that viruses don’t spread well if they kill their hosts very quickly. But viruses don’t always get less deadly over time.

A variant could also achieve its main goal — replicating — if infected people developed mild symptoms initially, spread the virus by interacting with others, then got very sick later, Dr Ray explained by way of example.

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“People have wondered whether the virus will evolve to mildness. But there’s no particular reason for it to do so,” he said.

“I don’t think we can be confident that the virus will become less lethal over time.”

Getting progressively better at evading immunity helps a virus to survive over the long term. When SARS-CoV-2 first struck, no-one was immune. But infections and vaccines have conferred at least some immunity to much of the world, so the virus must adapt.

There are many possible avenues for evolution. Animals could potentially incubate and unleash new variants. Pet dogs and cats, deer and farm-raised mink are only a few of the animals vulnerable to the virus, which can potentially mutate within them and leap back to people.

Another potential route: With both Omicron and Delta circulating, people may get double infections that could spawn what Dr Ray calls “Frankenvariants,” hybrids with characteristics of both types.

When new variants do develop, scientists say it’s still very difficult to know from genetic features which ones might take off. For example, Omicron has many more mutations than previous variants, around 30 in the spike protein that lets it attach to human cells. But the so-called IHU variant identified in France and being monitored by the WHO has 46 mutations and doesn’t seem to have spread much at all.

To curb the emergence of variants, scientists stress continuing with public health measures such as masking and getting vaccinated. While omicron is better able to evade immunity than delta, experts said, vaccines still offer protection and booster shots greatly reduce serious illness, hospitalisations and deaths.

Anne Thomas, a 64-year-old IT analyst in Westerly, Rhode Island, said she's fully vaccinated and boosted and also tries to stay safe by mostly staying home while her state has one of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the US.

“I have no doubt at all that these viruses are going to continue to mutate and we’re going to be dealing with this for a very long time," she said.

This electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles which cause COVID-19.

Dr Ray likened vaccines to armour for humanity that greatly hinders viral spread even if it doesn't completely stop it. For a virus that spreads exponentially, he said, "anything that curbs transmission can have a great effect”. Also, when vaccinated people get sick, Ray said their illness is usually milder and clears more quickly, leaving less time to spawn dangerous variants.

Experts say the virus won't become endemic like the flu as long as global vaccination rates are so low. During a recent press conference, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that protecting people from future variants — including those that may be fully resistant to today's shots — depends on ending global vaccine inequity.

Dr Tedros said he’d like to see 70 per cent of people in every country vaccinated by mid-year. Currently, there are dozens of countries where less than a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins University statistics. And in the United States, many people continue to resist available vaccines.

Australians will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster shots after four months from early next year, and then three months from the end of January.

“These huge unvaccinated swaths in the US., Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere are basically variant factories,” said Dr Prabhat Jha of the Centre for Global Health Research at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

“It's been a colossal failure in global leadership that we have not been able to do this.”

In the meantime, new variants are inevitable, said Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota.

With so many unvaccinated people, he said, “the virus is still kind of in control of what's going on.”

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Woman killed in apparent subway shove at Times Square

A woman was pushed to her death in front of a subway train at the Times Square station Saturday, police said.

The death comes a little more than a week after the mayor and governor announced plans to boost subway policing and outreach to homeless people in New York City's streets and trains.

The man believed responsible fled the scene but turned himself into transit police a short time later, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news conference with Mayor Eric Adams at the station.

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A woman was pushed to her death in front of a subway train at the Times Square station Saturday, police said.

The 40-year-old victim, a city resident, was waiting for a southbound R train around 9.40am (local time) when she was apparently shoved, according to police.

"This incident was unprovoked, and the victim does not appear to have had any interaction with the subject," Ms Sewell said.

A second woman told police the man had approached her minutes earlier and she feared he would push her onto the tracks.

"He approaches her and he gets in her space. She gets very, very alarmed," Assistant Chief Jason Wilcox said, describing the earlier encounter.

"She tries to move away from him and he gets close to her, and she feels that he was about to physically push her onto the train.

"As she's walking away she witnesses the crime where he pushes our other victim in front of the train."

The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, has a criminal history and has been on parole, Mr Wilcox said.

READ MORE: Heater sparked fire in the Bronx that killed 17 people

"He does have in the past three emotionally disturbed encounters with us that we have documented," he said.

Charges against him in connection with the alleged subway attack were pending, he said.

Subway conditions and safety have become a worry for many New Yorkers during the pandemic.

Although police statistics show major felonies in the subways have dropped over the past two years, so has ridership, making it difficult to compare.

And some recent attacks have gotten public attention and raised alarms.

In September, three transit employees were assaulted in separate incidents on one day.

Several riders were slashed and assaulted by a group of attackers on a train in lower Manhattan in May, and four separate stabbings — two of them fatal — happened within a few hours on a single subway line in February.

In recent months there have been several instances of people being stabbed, assaulted or shoved onto the tracks at stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn and at Times Square.

Mr Adams, who has been mayor for two weeks, has noted that a perception of danger could drive more people to eschew the subway, complicating the city's economic recovery as it tries to draw people back to offices, tourist attractions and more.

READ MORE: Harrowing tales of escape after fire tears through New York building

Mayor Eric Adams, with city law officials holding a press conference inside a subway station after a woman was pushed to her death in front of a subway train at the Times Square station.

"We want to continue to highlight how imperative it is that people receive the right mental health services, particularly on our subway system," the mayor said Saturday. "To lose a New Yorker in this fashion will only continue to elevate the fears of individuals not using our subway system."

"Our recovery is dependent on the public safety in this city and in the subway system," Mr Adams said.

Under his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, the city repeatedly said it was deploying more police to subways after attacks last year and pressure from transit officials.

The agency that runs the subway system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, sped up work to install security cameras in all 472 subway stations citywide, finishing that project in September.

However, the city also has repeatedly faced complaints in recent years about heavy-handed policing in subways.

Protests erupted, for example, after police were seen on bystander video handcuffing a woman they said was selling churros without a licence at subway stations in 2019 and punching a Black teenager during a brawl on a subway platform that same year.

Six police officers were assigned to the station Saturday, authorities said.

Joining Mr Adams last week to discuss the state of the subways, Governor Kathy Hochul said she was planning to put together five teams of social workers and medical professionals to help the city guide people living on streets and subways to shelter, housing and services.

Both Ms Hochul and Mr Adams are Democrats.