Australian Medical Association's President Warns Country Heading Into Bad COVID-19 Onslaught With More Loss Of Lives Expected! Many Variants At Play!

COVID-19 News: The Easter long weekend has come and gone, but Australia is reeling from the aftershocks of family gatherings and increased travel. With COVID-19 cases surging across the nation, health experts are warning that this could be the beginning of a disastrous new wave of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The state of Victoria alone has seen an alarming 60% increase in cases in just the past two weeks, leaving the nation on the brink of catastrophe.


Hospitals Across Australia Filling Up Again Due To COVID-19!
 
The Australian Medical Association's president, Dr Steve Robson, has sounded the alarm, cautioning that the situation will only worsen as the cooler winter months approach. With mitigation measures having been largely lifted, Australia could be facing an avalanche of illness, devastation, and loss of life.
 
Airports all over the country experienced significant delays during the Easter weekend as domestic travel surged, reaching near pre-pandemic levels. This massive influx of travelers only served to exacerbate the situation, setting the stage for a potential viral wildfire.
 
The bitter truth is that the real number of COVID-19 cases is likely far greater than what has been officially reported. Dr Robson warns that people have become complacent, with fewer individuals getting tested regularly.
 
The Australian healthcare system is already buckling under the pressure of handling COVID-19 cases, and the looming onslaught threatens to push it to the breaking point.
 
Hospitals nationwide are grappling with enormous backlogs, and healthcare workers continue to be overwhelmed. Many people have grown weary of the pandemic and simply want to move on, but healthcare workers on the frontlines see the ongoing devastation every day. For them, the pandemic is anything but over.
 
The situation is particularly dire in aged care facilities, where COVID-19 case numbers have skyrocketed by 65% in recent weeks. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has warned the nation that "this is not over." As he unveiled new measures to combat the virus, he urged Australians to remain vigilant and adhere to COVID-safe practices.
 
National Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly admits that predicting the trajectory of the virus is a challenge, especially as winter approaches. "I don't have a crystal ball," he said, "but in terms of future COVID waves, I think we've got a ripple at the moment." However, the potential for that ripple to escalate into a devastating wave is all too real.
 
Australians must heed the words of these health experts and act quickly to stem the tide of infection. The nation's healthcare system is already stretched to its limits as covered in various past COVID-19 News coverages, and the impending surge of cases threatens to send it spiraling into chaos. The potential for increased loss of life is a chilling reality that cannot be ignored.
 
The responsibility falls on each and every Australian to do their part in preventing the spread of COVID-19. As winter approaches, the stakes are higher than ever. With the virus on the rise, the nation must unite to protect its most vulnerable citizens and ensure that healthcare workers have the support they need to face this unprecedented challenge.
 
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Australia stands on the precipice of an unprecedented and deadly COVID-19 wave, the consequences of which could be catastrophic. The time for decisive action is now, before the situation spirals out of control. The nation's future hangs in the balance, and every individual must play their part in turning the tide of this deadly pandemic.
 
So Many SARS-Cov-2 Variants Being Found In Australia
Thanks to lack of travel screening and many Australians travelling all over the world and bringing back many ‘exotic’ SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineages with them, the country is now emerging as a hub for a variety of SARS-CoV-2 variants and sub-lineages!
 
Based on genomic sequencings, there are more than 467 different SARS-CoV-2 variants and sub-lineages currently in circulation in the country. See list below.
 
XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2, XBB.1.16 and XBC.1.6 Expected to Lead New Worrisome Onslaught in Australia.
It is predicted the following SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineages ie. XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2, XBB.1.16 and XBC.1.6 will lead the next COVID-19 onslaught in Australia with a much more bad outcomes such as increases in hospitalizations and also increased death rates.
 
Even worrisome is the fact that all these new sub-lineages are also fast evolving themselves and are mutating at a rapid rate to evade all forms of immunity and antiviral actions against them!
(More emerging details on these sub-lineages in a separate article in TMN soon)
 
For the latest COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
List Of SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Sub-lineages currently in circulation in Australia based on genomic sequencing data:
 
BR.2.1 (12.14%)
XBF (10.88%)
BQ.1.1 (5.54%)
BA.5.2 (4.69%)
BA.5.2.1 (4.66%)
XBB.1.5 (4.28%)
BN.1.3 (2.81%)
XBB.1 (2.24%)
CH.1.1 (1.73%)
BQ.1.23 (1.72%)
BQ.1 (1.56%)
CH.1.1.1 (1.50%)
XBC.1.1 (1.41%)
XBB.1.9.1 (1.34%)
BN.1 (1.33%)
BA.5.1 (1.17%)
CH.1.1.7 (1.12%)
BA.5.2.6 (1.10%)
BF.7 (1.03%)
BN.1.2 (0.96%)
XBF.2 (0.94%)
BA.4.6.4 (0.83%)
XBF.5 (0.83%)
XBC.1 (0.73%)
BN.1.2.3 (0.72%)
EG.1 (0.62%)
BA.2.3.20 (0.60%)
DF.1 (0.59%)
BA.2.75.2 (0.56%)
BA.5.7 (0.52%)
BN.1.4 (0.51%)
BQ.1.2 (0.50%)
BF.10 (0.50%)
BM.1.1.3 (0.48%)
BA.4.6 (0.46%)
BA.5.2.47 (0.44%)
BQ.1.1.3 (0.44%)
BQ.1.5 (0.44%)
BQ.1.1.22 (0.43%)
BF.5 (0.43%)
BQ.1.1.5 (0.40%)
BE.1.1 (0.39%)
BA.5.2.57 (0.39%)
BA.5.2.33 (0.38%)
BQ.1.8 (0.37%)
BN.1.3.5 (0.36%)
XBF.3 (0.35%)
CH.1.1.11 (0.35%)
XBF.6 (0.34%)
CH.1.1.2 (0.33%)
XBB.1.16 (0.33%)
BA.5.2.24 (0.32%)
XBB.2 (0.31%)
BQ.1.10 (0.31%)
BQ.1.14 (0.31%)
XBC.1.4 (0.30%)
XBC.1.3 (0.29%)
BE.1 (0.28%)
BR.1 (0.28%)
XBF.8 (0.27%)
BA.5.2.7 (0.26%)
CH.1.1.3 (0.26%)
BA.2.75.5 (0.26%)
BQ.1.1.31 (0.26%)
BA.5.2.42 (0.26%)
BF.11 (0.26%)
CM.4 (0.25%)
XBB (0.24%)
BF.17 (0.24%)
BA.5.2.20 (0.23%)
BQ.1.3 (0.23%)
BA.5.2.34 (0.22%)
BR.2 (0.21%)
BQ.1.1.18 (0.21%)
XBB.1.9.2 (0.21%)
CK.2.1 (0.20%)
XBB.1.5.1 (0.20%)
BF.7.4 (0.20%)
BA.5.10.1 (0.19%)
CM.3 (0.19%)
XBB.2.3 (0.19%)
BR.3 (0.18%)
BF.7.20 (0.18%)
BS.1.1 (0.18%)
BN.1.3.6 (0.18%)
BQ.1.11 (0.18%)
BF.14 (0.17%)
BF.7.5 (0.17%)
CM.2 (0.17%)
BN.3.1 (0.16%)
CH.3.1 (0.16%)
BA.5.6 (0.16%)
BN.1.9 (0.16%)
XBB.1.1 (0.15%)
BN.1.1.1 (0.15%)
BQ.1.18 (0.15%)
BM.1.1 (0.15%)
EJ.2 (0.15%)
BF.18 (0.15%)
BA.5.2.21 (0.14%)
BA.4.6.5 (0.14%)
BL.1 (0.14%)
BA.5.2.27 (0.13%)
BN.1.3.7 (0.13%)
CP.1 (0.13%)
BA.5.1.12 (0.13%)
BF.7.6 (0.13%)
BA.5.11 (0.12%)
BY.1 (0.12%)
XBB.1.5.15 (0.12%)
BQ.1.10.3 (0.12%)
BA.5.2.13 (0.12%)
BE.1.1.1 (0.12%)
BA.5.9 (0.12%)
BQ.1.1.4 (0.11%)
BF.7.12 (0.11%)
BA.5.1.23 (0.11%)
BA.5.1.10 (0.10%)
CL.1 (0.10%)
BF.13 (0.10%)
BA.5.2.35 (0.09%)
BL.2 (0.09%)
XBB.1.5.13 (0.09%)
CK.1 (0.09%)
BQ.1.1.32 (0.08%)
XBB.2.1 (0.08%)
BF.7.4.1 (0.08%)
BE.7 (0.08%)
DG.1 (0.08%)
BA.5.1.5 (0.08%)
XBC.2 (0.08%)
BF.24 (0.08%)
BF.34 (0.08%)
BN.1.1 (0.08%)
XBL (0.08%)
BQ.1.25.1 (0.08%)
BA.5.1.25 (0.08%)
CE.1 (0.08%)
BA.2 (0.08%)
XBB.3 (0.08%)
CQ.1 (0.08%)
BA.5.2.26 (0.07%)
BN.1.2.2 (0.07%)
XBF.1 (0.07%)
BA.5.2.9 (0.07%)
XBC.1.1.1 (0.07%)
CK.3 (0.06%)
BQ.1.1.69 (0.06%)
BA.5.2.45 (0.06%)
XBB.1.5.18 (0.06%)
BA.5.2.4 (0.06%)
BA.5.1.27 (0.06%)
BQ.1.1.35 (0.06%)
BA.5.2.28 (0.06%)
BA.2.75.1 (0.06%)
CM.8.1 (0.06%)
BA.5 (0.06%)
CR.1 (0.06%)
BM.4.1.1 (0.06%)
DQ.1 (0.06%)
CN.1 (0.06%)
BA.5.1.30 (0.06%)
BF.15 (0.06%)
BQ.1.1.39 (0.06%)
BA.5.2.62 (0.06%)
BE.8 (0.06%)
BF.11.4 (0.06%)
BQ.1.1.8 (0.06%)
XBB.1.9 (0.06%)
DB.1 (0.06%)
BN.1.5 (0.05%)
XBB.1.5.7 (0.05%)
BF.7.7 (0.05%)
BQ.1.1.1 (0.05%)
BN.1.10 (0.05%)
CM.2.1 (0.05%)
BQ.1.1.45 (0.05%)
CK.2.1.1 (0.05%)
BA.5.1.1 (0.05%)
CA.3.1 (0.05%)
BQ.1.1.15 (0.05%)
BQ.1.1.11 (0.05%)
XBB.2.6 (0.05%)
BA.4.6.3 (0.05%)
CB.1 (0.05%)
XBB.1.5.4 (0.05%)
CM.5.1 (0.05%)
BQ.1.1.13 (0.04%)
BQ.1.1.41 (0.04%)
XBB.1.11.1 (0.04%)
BN.1.3.1 (0.04%)
BA.4.5 (0.04%)
BA.4.1 (0.04%)
XBB.1.10 (0.04%)
BQ.1.12 (0.04%)
BF.27 (0.04%)
CJ.1 (0.04%)
BA.5.2.48 (0.04%)
BA.2.75.8 (0.04%)
BE.4 (0.04%)
BA.5.3.3 (0.04%)
BW.1.1 (0.04%)
BA.5.1.2 (0.04%)
BQ.2 (0.04%)
BF.26 (0.04%)
BA.5.2.25 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.36 (0.03%)
EM.1 (0.03%)
XBB.1.5.17 (0.03%)
BA.4.6.2 (0.03%)
BF.7.14 (0.03%)
BA.5.1.22 (0.03%)
BQ.1.1.17 (0.03%)
BQ.1.1.53 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.52 (0.03%)
BU.1 (0.03%)
CM.12 (0.03%)
EF.1.1 (0.03%)
XBB.1.15 (0.03%)
BN.1.4.5 (0.03%)
BF.7.24 (0.03%)
BQ.1.1.36 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.23 (0.03%)
DY.2 (0.03%)
BA.5.3.1 (0.03%)
BR.1.2 (0.03%)
BL.1.1 (0.03%)
XBB.6.1 (0.03%)
BM.2 (0.03%)
BF.25 (0.03%)
BF.7.21 (0.03%)
BF.16 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.22 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.29 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.63 (0.03%)
BA.5.2.56 (0.03%)
DY.4 (0.03%)
BF.4 (0.03%)
CM.10 (0.03%)
XAZ (0.03%)
XBB.1.4 (0.03%)
XBB.1.5.16 (0.02%)
XBB.1.5.21 (0.02%)
CR.1.1 (0.02%)
BF.31.1 (0.02%)
BA.5.2.3 (0.02%)
BR.5 (0.02%)
XBB.2.4 (0.02%)
BA.2.75 (0.02%)
XBB.3.2 (0.02%)
BN.1.4.2 (0.02%)
CP.6 (0.02%)
BF.7.27 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.38 (0.02%)
BA.5.2.31 (0.02%)
BF.7.4.2 (0.02%)
BA.5.1.33 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.19 (0.02%)
BE.4.2 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.56 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.52 (0.02%)
BE.1.4 (0.02%)
BE.9 (0.02%)
BM.2.1 (0.02%)
CV.1 (0.02%)
DV.1 (0.02%)
BN.1.5.1 (0.02%)
CT.1 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.7 (0.02%)
EF.1 (0.02%)
XBB.8 (0.02%)
XBB.4 (0.02%)
BQ.1.13.1 (0.02%)
CM.5 (0.02%)
BA.5.2.38 (0.02%)
BQ.1.8.2 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.67 (0.02%)
XBB.1.5.11 (0.02%)
XBB.7 (0.02%)
XBB.6 (0.02%)
BQ.1.16 (0.02%)
BQ.1.13 (0.02%)
BF.28 (0.02%)
CM.5.2 (0.02%)
BQ.1.1.24 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.23 (0.01%)
BA.5.1.36 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.46 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.54 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.47 (0.01%)
BA.5.5.1 (0.01%)
BA.2.75.3 (0.01%)
BF.2 (0.01%)
EJ.1 (0.01%)
XBB.2.2 (0.01%)
CQ.1.1 (0.01%)
XBD (0.01%)
BA.5.5 (0.01%)
BN.4 (0.01%)
BE.1.2.1 (0.01%)
BF.7.22 (0.01%)
BF.30 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.30 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.26 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.37 (0.01%)
BN.1.7 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.12 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.68 (0.01%)
XBK.1 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.40 (0.01%)
DY.3 (0.01%)
BM.1.1.1 (0.01%)
CK.1.2 (0.01%)
BQ.1.2.1 (0.01%)
BF.11.1 (0.01%)
CQ.2 (0.01%)
CA.7 (0.01%)
CA.4 (0.01%)
BF.7.8 (0.01%)
ER.1.1 (0.01%)
BF.32 (0.01%)
BF.38 (0.01%)
CM.8 (0.01%)
BA.5.1.24 (0.01%)
BE.10 (0.01%)
CL.1.3 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.16 (0.01%)
BE.4.1 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.70 (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.12 (0.01%)
BA.5.2.49 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.49 (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.20 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.44 (0.01%)
B.1.1.529 (0.01%)
BE.1.2 (0.01%)
BA.4.1.9 (0.01%)
DF.1.1 (0.01%)
BT.2 (0.01%)
CP.1.2 (0.01%)
BN.1.5.2 (0.01%)
BA.5.1.3 (0.01%)
XBB.2.5 (0.01%)
BA.4 (0.01%)
BN.1.3.8 (0.01%)
XBC.1.5 (0.01%)
CH.1.1.10 (0.01%)
XBJ (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.3 (0.01%)
BN.5 (0.01%)
BA.2.3 (0.01%)
BN.2 (0.01%)
BQ.1.22 (0.01%)
BL.4 (0.01%)
BF.7.19 (0.01%)
CM.7 (0.01%)
BA.1.17.2 (0.01%)
BF.3.1 (0.01%)
BW.1.1.1 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.10 (0.01%)
DL.1 (0.01%)
XAY.3 (0.01%)
CZ.2 (0.01%)
BF.7.14.4 (0.01%)
BF.7.14.1 (0.01%)
BH.1 (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.14 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.58 (0.01%)
BF.7.13.2 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.51 (0.01%)
DZ.1 (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.19 (0.01%)
EF.1.1.1 (0.01%)
BA.2.3.2 (0.01%)
BV.2 (0.01%)
BF.9 (0.01%)
BA.2.75.7 (0.01%)
BF.8 (0.01%)
BA.4.1.8 (0.01%)
BF.7.19.1 (0.01%)
BA.4.1.1 (0.01%)
BM.2.2 (0.01%)
BA.1.17 (0.01%)
BM.1.1.4 (0.01%)
DV.4 (0.01%)
BS.1 (0.01%)
XBB.1.9.3 (0.01%)
BF.11.2 (0.01%)
BF.11.3 (0.01%)
DN.1.1 (0.01%)
CD.1 (0.01%)
CH.1.1.8 (0.01%)
CH.1.1.5 (0.01%)
BA.2.82 (0.01%)
BE.1.1.2 (0.01%)
BA.2.76 (0.01%)
BN.1.3.2 (0.01%)
EE.1 (0.01%)
XBB.1.14 (0.01%)
XBH (0.01%)
XBQ (0.01%)
BN.1.4.1 (0.01%)
XBB.1.5.5 (0.01%)
BA.2.9 (0.01%)
BN.6 (0.01%)
XBB.1.4.1 (0.01%)
BQ.1.21 (0.01%)
BQ.1.20 (0.01%)
BQ.1.31 (0.01%)
BF.39 (0.01%)
BF.7.18 (0.01%)
XBB.4.1 (0.01%)
CM.1 (0.01%)
EP.1 (0.01%)
BA.5.1.18 (0.01%)
BQ.1.1.37 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.28 (0.00%)
BE.4.1.1 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.27 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.25 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.20 (0.00%)
EN.1 (0.00%)
BA.5.2.19 (0.00%)
BF.7.14.6 (0.00%)
BF.7.14.5 (0.00%)
XAY.2 (0.00%)
DJ.1.1.1 (0.00%)
BF.5.2 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.66 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.64 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.63 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.60 (0.00%)
BA.5.2.44 (0.00%)
XBB.1.5.10 (0.00%)
BA.5.2.55 (0.00%)
EL.1 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.42 (0.00%)
BA.5.2.60 (0.00%)
EC.1.1 (0.00%)
CH.2 (0.00%)
BQ.1.10.1 (0.00%)
EK.2 (0.00%)
BA.2.75.4 (0.00%)
BN.1.2.4 (0.00%)
BN.1.2.1 (0.00%)
BU.3 (0.00%)
BE.6 (0.00%)
XBF.4 (0.00%)
CM.11 (0.00%)
BA.5.3.2 (0.00%)
CJ.1.1 (0.00%)
BA.5.3.5 (0.00%)
EH.1 (0.00%)
BN.2.1 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.6 (0.00%)
DU.1 (0.00%)
BQ.1.1.2 (0.00%)
CD.2 (0.00%)
CH.1.1.6 (0.00%)
BA.5.1.7 (0.00%)
CM.8.1.2 (0.00%)
EF.2 (0.00%)
BA.2.62 (0.00%)
DS.2 (0.00%)
EE.2 (0.00%)
BA.4.4 (0.00%)
EE.3 (0.00%)
XBB.1.11 (0.00%)
XBB.1.13 (0.00%)
XBE (0.00%)
CH.1.1.13 (0.00%)
XBG (0.00%)
XBK (0.00%)
XBN (0.00%)
CA.3 (0.00%)
CA.2 (0.00%)
ED.1 (0.00%)
BA.5.3 (0.00%)
XBB.1.6 (0.00%)
XBB.1.5.9 (0.00%)
XBB.1.5.8 (0.00%)
XBB.1.5.6 (0.00%)
DA.1 (0.00%)
CP.5 (0.00%)
BE.1.4.2 (0.00%)
BF.7.3 (0.00%)
BF.7.9 (0.00%)
CM.4.1 (0.00%)
BQ.1.24 (0.00%)
BQ.1.19 (0.00%)
BQ.1.15 (0.00%)
BA.3.1 (0.00%)
XBB.3.1 (0.00%)
BF.23 (0.00%)
BF.21 (0.00%)
BF.7.23 (0.00%)
BF.7.26 (0.00%)
BF.31 (0.00%)
BQ.1.32 (0.00%)
BA.2.12.2 (0.00%)
BA.5.1.28 (0.00%)
BA.5.1.26 (0.00%)
BA.5.1.17 (0.00%)