Health workers paint dire picture of Australia’s hospital systems as more than 8,500 staff isolate

A nurse who has had Covid twice in four months says Victoria’s hospital system is buckling due to staffing shortages. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Healthcare workers say they are struggling to care for patients with more than 8,500 medical staff across four states in Covid isolation as Omicron puts added pressure on the system.

In New South Wales, 2,650 healthcare staff are currently in isolation. Another 2,477 are isolating in Queensland, 1,873 in Victoria and 1,557 in Western Australia, according to the latest numbers.