SYDNEY, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases have surged in the Australian states of New South Wales (NSW), Queensland and Victoria, raising concerns over a new wave of infection driven by a mix of variants.
In a weekly update of COVID-19 data released on Friday, the NSW Ministry of Health said that there were a total of 19,800 cases reported over the seven days to 4:00 p.m. local time Thursday, a jump of 7,350 cases from the week before.
The state's Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant warned on Thursday that several different variants contributed to the current new wave of transmissions. While the BA.2.75 sub-lineage grew the most recently, the case number of the XBB and BQ.1 subvariants also increased.
"There is a sense that the wave may well peak before Christmas and we may be on the decline," she said.
Meanwhile, Queensland switched its COVID-19 traffic light system from "green" to "amber" on Friday, recommending the return of masks among vulnerable people and in high-risk settings.
The state's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath called on local residents to follow the new health advice and take a rapid test, if they get symptoms or if someone in the household tests positive to COVID-19.
Queensland recorded a total of 5,828 cases and 15 deaths from Nov. 3 to Wednesday, with 202 hospitalizations, almost doubling that of the week before.
In the state of Victoria, 41 related deaths and 16,636 new cases were registered this week, up from 10,226 infections over the seven days to Nov. 4. ■
