Australia sees deadliest day amid Covid resurgence

Canberra, Jan (IANS) Australia recorded its highest ever number of Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, as the latest resurgence continued to push up the hospitalisation rates to record levels.

A total of 74 Covid-19 related deaths were reported in the country's three worst-hit states, including 36 from New South Wales (NSW), a record high number in a single day, reports Xinhua news agency.

This increased the country's overall death toll to 2,776.

"Today is a very difficult day for our state," said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who asked people to continue to follow coronavirus restrictions, including isolation for close contacts and registering positive rapid antigen tests results to the authorities.

Amid rising hospitalisations, the neighbouring state Victoria on Tuesday declared a "code brown" in hospitals, typically reserved for shorter-term emergencies, which would give hospitals the power to defer non-urgent health services and cancel the leave of healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, the country's overall Covid-19 caseload increased to 1,876,035.