Australia recorded 61 new COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday, as the number of new cases continued to climb for a second day in New South Wales.
The state reported 10,650 new cases and five more deaths, bringing a second day of a significant uptick in infections.
It is the first time the number of daily recorded cases has risen above 10,000 in two weeks.
There are 1,072 people with the virus in hospital, 45 of them in intensive care.
NSW Health reports 54.5 per cent of people have received their booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, 79 per cent of people aged 12-15 have had two doses, and 47.6 per cent of children aged 5-11 have had one jab.
There were 8,874 cases of the virus recorded on Monday and 5,856 on Sunday.
Restrictions have eased this week with the requirement to wear masks in offices ditched in a bid to encourage people to return to work in city centres.
Mask mandates in most indoor settings were dropped on Friday, and were lifted in schools on Monday.
Staff and students are no longer required to undertake twice-weekly rapid antigen tests.
Another 28 COVID-19 deaths in Victoria
Victoria has reported 7,126 new COVID-19 infections and 28 deaths, with more than 41,000 active cases across the state.
The new infections include 4,743 from rapid antigen tests and 2,383 from PCR lab tests, the health department said on Wednesday.
The number of people in hospital has risen by nine from Tuesday, with 264 infected people admitted.
Of those patients, 37 are in intensive care and five on ventilation.
Some 59.4 per cent of Victorian adults have received three vaccine doses.
There are 41,162 active cases in the state.
WA hospitals on red alert as borders reopen
Hospitals in Western Australia will perform fewer elective surgeries and further restrict visits as the health system moves to "red alert", reflecting widespread COVID-19 transmission.
The decision comes as WA prepares to reopen its borders on Thursday midnight and the number of active cases climbs to almost 6,000.
Healthcare workers across all clinical areas will be required to wear N95 face masks, while there will be greater use of telehealth for outpatient services.
Fewer category two and three elective surgeries will be performed at both public and some larger private hospitals across the next month and there will be greater use of rapid antigen tests for all patients attending a hospital.
Public hospital visits will be restricted to approved essential visitors, although exemptions may be granted on compassionate grounds or for children, maternity patients and those with a disability.
Northern Territory eases masks rules
The Northern Territory will drop region-wide mask mandates from next week in response to a downward trend in COVID-19 cases.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said from Monday, masks will no longer be required in indoor settings, other than in high-risk locations.
But he said they remain strongly recommended, especially where social distancing is difficult.
The change came as the NT reported two deaths linked to COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The NT recorded 624 new virus infections, while 76 people are in hospital with COVID-19, including two in intensive care.
Queensland records 28 deaths
Queensland has recorded 24 COVID-19 deaths and 5,011 new cases with 316 patients being treated for COVID-19 in hospital and another 26 in intensive care. Six people are on ventilators.
Two new deaths in South Australia
South Australia reported 2,075 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. There are currently 16,938 active cases in the state.
SA Health said a man in his 50s and a man in his 70s, who tested positive for COVID-19, have passed away.
What's happening elsewhere?
Tasmania has recorded 868 new COVID-19 cases, a dip on the number reported 24 hours earlier.
Wednesday's daily figure follows 957 fresh infections on Tuesday, the island state's highest count since 19 January.
There are 5,076 documented active cases statewide - the 15th day in a row the number has risen.
There are 12 people with COVID-19 in hospital, with nine of those being treated specifically for virus symptoms. Two patients are in intensive care.
Tasmania has recorded 12 virus deaths since reopening borders on 15 December and a total of 25 since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Australian Capital Territory recorded 1,053 new cases on Wednesday. There are 40 people in hospital in the ACT, with none in ICU or on ventilators.
