Here's a quick wrap of the COVID-19 news and case numbers from each Australian jurisdiction for the past week, as reported on Friday, March 3, 2023.
The states and territories are now reporting their COVID-19 statistics weekly instead of through the daily updates that were provided earlier in the pandemic.
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
News you may have missed
- COVID-19 cost Queensland Health about $1.3 billion last financial year, including almost $200 million in expected write-offs for unused rapid antigen tests (RATs), an auditor-general's report has found. Read the full story here.
- Hong Kong has dropped mask laws nearly 1,000 days after they were introduced, in a move to lure back visitors and business and restore normal life. Read the full story here.
Share your story
How are you dealing with the "new normal" as Australia transitions to living with COVID-19? We want to hear from you.
New South Wales
The state has recorded 7,163 more COVID-19 cases, up from 6,545 last week.
There are 800 cases in hospital, 19 of those in intensive care.
There were 29 new deaths announced today.
Victoria
There have been another 3,016 COVID-19 cases.
There are 104 cases in hospital, with four of those in intensive care.
There were 23 new deaths this week.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has recorded 90 new cases of COVID-19 this week.
There are three cases in hospital.
No new deaths have been reported.
Queensland
There have been 4,028 new cases in Queensland this week, up from 3,950.
There are 278 cases in hospital, with six in intensive care.
Queensland has recorded 23 new deaths.
South Australia
South Australia has recorded 1,700 new cases this week.
There are 35 COVID-19 patients in hospital; one is in intensive care.
There have been 13 deaths reported this week.
Australian Capital Territory
There have been 491 cases of COVID-19 recorded this week.
There are eight cases in hospital.
The ACT has recorded four deaths this reporting period.
Western Australia
WA Health is reporting a total of 2,390 cases.
There are 69 people in hospital with COVID-19.
The state is reporting eight new deaths this week.
Tasmania
There have been 622 new cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania.
There are 17 cases in hospital; one in intensive care.
One new death has been reported.
One thing to know: Wuhan COVID-19 lab leak 'likely', FBI says
FBI director Christopher Wray says the agency has assessed that a leak from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, likely triggered the COVID-19 pandemic, as the White House and other US agencies struggle to reach a definitive conclusion on the cause.
"The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan," Mr Wray told Fox News.
His comments followed a Wall Street Journal report that the US Energy Department had assessed, with "low confidence", that the pandemic resulted from an unintended lab leak in China.
Four other US agencies, along with a national intelligence panel, still judge that the pandemic was likely the result of natural transmission, and two are undecided, the Journal reported.
One more thing: Wellcamp Quarantine contract won't be renewed
The Queensland government will not renew the lease of the Wellcamp quarantine facility on the Darling Downs when it expires next month.
A spokesperson for Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the facility's location meant "that other uses … are not straightforward".
"The facility remains available until the end of the current lease and following that, its future use will be determined by Wagner Corporation."
The 1,000-bed facility opened in early 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and cost taxpayers more than $220 million in set-up and running costs.
Only about 730 people stayed at the facility when it was a designated quarantine site.
