The Therapeutic Goods Administration says it has found false documentation that suggested a NSW company was not required to list its imported rapid antigen tests on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
Look back on all of Friday's updates in the blog below.
Key events
- Five COVID-related deaths in South Australia
- NT town of Ampilatwatja going into lockdown
- Watch the NT press conference here
- Correction: SA Premier Steven Marshall expected to hold a COVID-19 update at 2:30pm ACDT
- Australia has announced the most number of deaths since the start of the pandemic
- Police investigating alleged illegal importation of rapid antigen tests
- ACT: 734 new cases recorded, one death
- QLD: 9,974 new cases recorded, 18 deaths
- Watch the Victoria press conference here
- Watch the Queensland press conference here
- NSW Premier says every school that starts next week has their allocation of RATs
- You can watch the NSW press conference here
- Watch federal Health Minister Greg Hunt speak here
- NSW: 13,333 new cases, 2,737 in state-run hospitals. 35 deaths
- VIC: 12,755 new cases with 988 in hospital. 39 deaths
- More information on the TGA booster approved for 16 and 17-year-olds
Live updates
By Michael Doyle
Cases, hospitalisations and deaths
If you don't see your state or territory yet, don't worry - these numbers are updated throughout the day.
For a detailed breakdown of cases across the country, check out Charting the Spread.
NSW: 13,333 new cases, 2,737 people in hospital, 189 in ICU, 35 deaths. Watch the press conference here.
VIC: 12,755 new cases, 988 people in hospital, 114 in ICU, 39 deaths. Watch the press conference here.
TAS: 584 new cases, 19 people in hospital.
QLD: 9,974 new cases, 818 people in hospital, 54 in ICU, 18 deaths. Watch the press conference here.
ACT: 734 new cases, 66 people in hospital, five in ICU. One death.
NT: 940 new cases, 105 people in hospital, 3 in ICU.
SA: 1,846 new cases, 285 people in hospital, 24 in ICU.
WA: Nine new cases.
By Jon Healy
That's where we'll leave you for today
Another week of COVID in the books, and that's where we'll leave you for this Friday.
It was a sad day on which over 90 Australian COVID deaths were reported - the highest such tally we've had.
Hopefully, this wave is cresting and ready to crash.
Good luck and stay safe everybody.
By Jon Healy
Coles trying to stay fully stocked in the NT
Coles supermarkets says it's doing everything it can to restock empty shelves across the Northern Territory.
The major supermarket has been forced to introduce purchase limits in the NT as severe flooding in South Australia impacts the delivery of goods.
From today, customers will be limited to two packets of rice, flour, milk, tissue and toilet paper.
Coles regional manager Daniel Clegg says trucks are now being redirected through north Queensland.
"We have got everyone involved - from our suppliers, our transport partners and, in fact, the government - to turn this around as quickly as possible.
"We have stock on the way, we already have stock in transit [but] it's detoured; it is going to take longer."
Even massive international companies like McDonald's are feeling the pinch with supply routes cut off.
By Jon Healy
'The expectation is there will be a fourth wave'
WA Premier Mark McGowan says there was talk at yesterday's national cabinet meeting of a "fourth wave" in the eastern states.
"There'll be what they're terming a long tail and they're strongly expecting a fourth wave especially over the winter months."
By Jon Healy
Definition of close contacts at school and child care once 'high caseload' reaches WA
- Classroom contact: Staff and students have shared a classroom for a period with someone who has tested positive
- One-on-one contact: Staff member and student working one on one and masks weren't worn. For example, this would apply to support staff working closely with a student with a disability
- Workplace contact: Two adult workers at a school who worked indoors together without masks for some period of time
Again, when more details are available from the WA government, I'll post them here.
By Jon Healy
'High caseload environment' does not have a hard number attached to it
A "high caseload environment", which is the trigger point for WA to move to the new settings that most of the country is currently adhering to, does not have a number of cases attached.
Mark McGowan says it will depend on a number of factors.
"Under Omicron, spread of the virus is unavoidable," the Premier admits.
By Jon Healy
Some settings WA will have once they ease restrictions
No word when this will be, but basically once Omicron gets into the community and case numbers rise...
- Casual contacts won't be considered.
- In a high caseload environment, a close contact will be a household contact or intimate partner. Or someone who has had a close personal interaction with someone while they were infectious. A "close personal interaction" is more than 15 minutes close to someone without masks, or two hours in a small room with someone with masks.
- WA will have new testing and isolation protocols. Close contacts and critical workers.
- Positive cases will have to isolate for seven days, rather than 14 days. No test is required after seven days if symptoms are gone.
There are A LOT of 'if this happens do that, but if that happens do this' scenarios. Honestly, too many to put here and it's currently all referring to an indeterminate time in the future. So all this information will be on social media and at wa.gov.au. Once I see those links, I'll post them in this blog.
By Jon Healy
WA Premier Mark McGowan has met with the state's emergency response committee
"At some point in the future we will inevitably be in a higher caseload environment."
WA is not currently in the environment that requires new, stricter settings, the Premier says.
When WA's higher caseload rules kick in they will be broadly in line with other jurisdictions with a few state-specific changes.
By Jon Healy
Nine new Omicron cases in WA
WA has recorded nine cases of locally transmitted COVID-19, all linked to an existing outbreak of Omicron, Premier Mark McGowan says.
One case is a close contact of the Willagee IGA sub-cluster.
Three are linked to a nightclub cluster — two from The Library club in Northbridge and one from the Hip-e club in Leederville.
One is a close contact of the Coolbellup cluster.
Two are from the Wheatbelt, one from Cunderdin and one in Goomalling.
By Jon Healy
More international visitors before Easter?
The Prime Minister says he would like to see Australia welcome back more vaccinated tourists before Easter (that's mid-April for those among us who don't operate according to the Christian/school holidays calendar).
Skilled migrants and tourists from some countries — NZ, Singapore, Japan and South Korea are now allowed to visit without having to quarantine if they're vaccinated.
Scott Morrison says if the health advice states the hospital system is coping, Australia will open to more people.
"Should that continue to be the case then I think there is an opportunity for us to extend further with international visitors and I would hope to see that happen in the next few months.
"But we don't want to put too early pressure on our hospital system just yet. And that's the issue that I will be taking further health advice on."
He flagged at his Great Barrier Reef announcement the importance of those international visitors to the Far North Queensland economy.
By Jon Healy
Some restrictions easing in SA from midnight
SA Premier Steven Marshall says from midnight tonight …
- The government will restore 50 per cent density limits for hospitality in South Australia. Still only seated consumption and no change to outdoor density limits.
- Elective paediatric surgery can resume
- Requirements for using QR codes will be narrowed. They will no longer be required in retail (i.e. supermarkets or servos), but will still be required in hospitality and high-risk settings like hospitals and aged care facilities.
More details will be revealed later today.
By Jon Healy
Five COVID-related deaths in South Australia
Five South Australians have died with COVID in the last reporting period, all of them over the age of 80.
285 people are in hospital, 24 in ICA and four on ventilators.
The state has recorded 1,846 cases, the lowest daily numbers since the start of the year.
We're unable to stream Steven Marshall's press conference, but you can watch it on the Premier's Facebook page.
By Jon Healy
Consumers sound alarm about retailers repackaging RATs
Regional NSW residents say they're being forced to buy COVID rapid antigen tests in ziplock bags with no instructions.
Authorities say it could be illegal, but the people buying them say they feel like they have no choice.
"I figured that the $99 for five was better value — $20 each, even though very expensive.
"Because we had had no luck finding them in town we just wanted to buy them."
By Jon Healy
NT to extend vaccine mandate to third shot
Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner says the NT's existing COVID-19 vaccination mandate will be extended to include booster doses.
A first deadline will be imposed on March 11, and will apply to high-risk workplaces including hospitals and healthcare facilities, aged care and disability centres, and correctional and detention facilities.
A second deadline on April 22 will apply to the remainder of Territory workers who are required to get vaccinated.
Mr Gunner encouraged Territorians to get their booster shots as soon as possible.
"Right now only one-third of adult Territorians have received their booster jab. That leaves a lot of Territorians more vulnerable to COVID than they have to be. The mandate worked, the booster is important, and now it is part of the mandate."
By Jon Healy
Weather threatening to cut off some supplies to NT
Adverse weather is a causing issues for food supply to the Northern Territory, according to Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker.
He said the Barkly Highway, which connects Queensland and the NT, was at risk of being cut off by weather and it was causing shortages.
He urged people to buy only what they needed for now to avoid making the situation worse.
Mr Chalker stressed "there is significant supply currently held in the Northern Territory" but some highly sought-after perishable items could be at risk of shortages.
"Mother Nature has many whips in her tail.
"If we're cut off from Queensland and our major routes, then we'll be in an emergency situation."
By Jon Healy
NT Police disappointed by lack of mask-wearing
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker says the mask-wearing mandate isn't being adhered to well enough.
"That particularly saddens me to say that in our remote communities.
"We really do need you to put your mask on when you're out and about.
"It's a community effort."
By Jon Healy
NT government changing the way it notifies potential COVID cases
Rather than receiving a text if you've been to an exposure site, people will be notified through the NT Check-In app from this afternoon.
Mr Gunner said the Territory check-in app would include information on any exposure site you'd been to. He said if you had notifications set up, you should also get an alert through the app.
"It should be up and running later today," the NT Chief Minister says.
"Getting an alert is not cause for panic or a direction to isolate. Make an informed judgement. If you get an alert and are feeling unwell, that's a very, very good sign to take a test."
By Jon Healy
NT town of Ampilatwatja going into lockdown
From 2pm today, the Central Australian town of Ampilatwatja is entering a 48-hour lockdown.
NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner says there are more details still to come on the case numbers, but he says the government is aware of several cases and the concern is that the community has a very low vaccination rate.
