Omicron subvariant expected to double cases 'in the next four to six weeks'

New South Wales COVID-19 cases are rising, which experts believe is due to a new subvariant of Omicron called BA.2.

Infectious diseases expert ANU Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake says the variant is 25 to 30 per cent more transmissible than Omicron.

"But in terms of severity, it does not seem to be more severe, and in terms of its response to vaccines and its ability to evade vaccines, it doesn't seem any more different than Omicron," he said.

State and territory leaders at cabinet today will discuss Australia’s ability to handle a COVID-19 wave this winter, in addition to what is expected to be the worst flu season in three years.

Experts believe cases in the state could double in the next four to six weeks as a result of the BA.2 variant and current restrictions in place.

[stevep]

Australia is the only country talking about Covid anymore. Let’s talk about people dying of heart attacks in their 50’s.

[TheExcalibur]

Did the reporters even listen to the professor??
Reporters: It's going to be terrible! Are we ready?
Expert: There's really nothing to worry about.
Reporters: We're all going to die, and mosquitos, and Covid. Aaarrghh!
Come on guys. This is what we would have expected from the ABC or SBS.

[brb]

And they'll be wrong just like all the other times

[christianpatriotnomad]

How many 'variants' do you think they have in store for us?

[jsmith]

These so called experts need to accept that their fifteen minutes of fame is over. Piss off

[tlb]

Are you sure they are not mosquito bites? OMG give it up for God’s sake and start helping the flood victims. EVERYONE IS OVER THE VIRUS, HELLO?

[tarabryant]

Wow, so Russia and Ukraine weren’t enough? Ya’ll had to go back to Rona? Seriously? Isn’t there more pressing matters than annoy citizens with COVID?

[Curtis-tq]

I feel bad for the people of Australia...their government sux!

[rebeccastallard]

Time to dissolve the system starting with the media!! Nuremberg tribunals for All!

[VinceG]

It’s funny how they just started releasing gmo mosquitos and now people are getting sick from mosquitoes.

[Krstan_]

Ah how I enjoyed the break from cvid news. Here we go again…

[brandon]

Whatever, more propaganda from the media. BIOYA

[reality]

Still wearing masks there?
I just went to visit a friend after he had a heart attack and entered post recovery floor and asked if I was supposed to wear a mask and a doctor at the monitoring station I was at just laughed and said, "No, that sh*t don't work, it's causing more lung infections than they're worth." LOL.

[organicrobot]

Stop...just stop it...the truth has been coming out here recently, you think we hadnt been doing our own independent research about this?

[susanthauks]

You didn't get Maxed you got Bio-Haxed, then you got Vaids. That's if you didn't have a heart attack first!

[harryisawesome]

The boy that cried wolf is at it again

[BADDONE]

Mosquitoes?
Are we not going to talk about all the gmo Mosquito experiments from 10 years ago?

[TheMindofGod]

Here we go again. Two weeks to flatten the … never mind.

[ArkhonXIX]

I didn't realize covid was a thing still

[mk]

Hahahaha... Yep, here we go again... And you thought these muppets would it let it slide huh? Now they're working on a test that can differentiate between the bugs... I need to strap myself in the chair as I'm falling off laughing..
In WA, ALL the 3ple poked people I know, have contracted it, some are even in hospital..
So effective, it's unreal.