Australia has reached the grim milestone of 10,000 Covid-19 related deaths, with more than 7,000 fatalities reported in the last six months.

Australia has reported 7,755 deaths over the course of 2022, and ticked over the 10,000 mark on Sunday when Victoria and NSW reported its daily death toll, with the nation now losing 10,008 people.

There were also 909 Covid-19 related fatalities in 2020 and 1,344 in 2021.

It comes as the Victorian government debates whether to bring back a mask mandate due to rising case numbers ahead of the November state election. 

Australia's Covid death toll has hit 10,000, with more than 7,000 fatalities reported in the past six months (pictured, ICU staff caring for Covid patients at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney)

Australia's Covid death toll has hit 10,000, with more than 7,000 fatalities reported in the past six months (pictured, ICU staff caring for Covid patients at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney)

Australia’s Covid death toll has hit 10,000, with more than 7,000 fatalities reported in the past six months (pictured, ICU staff caring for Covid patients at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney) 

Australia has reported 7,755 deaths over the course of 2022, taking the country's total to 10,008 (pictured, Sydneysiders)

Australia has reported 7,755 deaths over the course of 2022, taking the country's total to 10,008 (pictured, Sydneysiders)

Australia has reported 7,755 deaths over the course of 2022, taking the country’s total to 10,008 (pictured, Sydneysiders)

New South Wales and Victoria recorded 24 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, lifting Australia’s total number of fatalities over the 10,000 mark.  

That number is expected to increase even further as other states and territories disclose their numbers on Sunday. 

One infectious disease expert claims the worrying statistics will put Australia at 14,000 deaths by the end of 2022. 

‘We are going to actually end up with about 14,000 deaths this year from COVID if we keep going at this rate,’ Griffith University infectious diseases and immunology program director Nigel McMillan said.

‘That will make COVID the number two or number three killer in the country of all causes of deaths.

‘Is this what success looks like for Australia in terms of its control of this virus? I would suggest no.’

Prof McMillan said booster uptake is not good enough in states such as Queensland – the lowest in the country – at about 63 per cent.

The state with the highest booster uptake is Western Australia, at 83 per cent, with other states and territories falling somewhere in between.

‘We just seem to have become comfortable with the idea that we’re stopping vaccine mandates for all sorts of places, we have loosened our mask restrictions,’ he said.

‘So we have very little in the way of the virus at the moment in terms of (stopping) the virus spreading.’

NSW and Victoria recorded 24 Covid deaths in the last 24 hours. That number is expected to rise as other states and territories disclose their numbers on Sunday. (pictured, Covid-19 testing clinic)

NSW and Victoria recorded 24 Covid deaths in the last 24 hours. That number is expected to rise as other states and territories disclose their numbers on Sunday. (pictured, Covid-19 testing clinic)

NSW and Victoria recorded 24 Covid deaths in the last 24 hours. That number is expected to rise as other states and territories disclose their numbers on Sunday. (pictured, Covid-19 testing clinic)

Prof McMillan said booster uptake is not good enough in states such as Queensland - the lowest in the country at about 63 per cent

Prof McMillan said booster uptake is not good enough in states such as Queensland - the lowest in the country at about 63 per cent

Prof McMillan said booster uptake is not good enough in states such as Queensland – the lowest in the country at about 63 per cent

The surge in deaths and cases led to the Victorian government debating whether to bring back masks.

But Victoria’s energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio quickly ruled out a mask mandate despite describing the Covid situation in the state as a matter of ‘life or death’.

She insisted the debate over the decision had nothing to do with the November state election. 

‘We are always guided by our health advice,’ Ms D’Ambrosio said. 

‘The current heath advice in Victoria has with us the right settings for our state.

‘Health is too important – we’re talking about life or death here.

‘Conversations can happen around different states depending on their own circumstances. But here in Victoria, we have the right settings in place.

‘We know what it’s like to have Covid embedded in our community and everything this government has ever done is follow the science and health advice.’  

Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said on Saturday Victoria had no plans to reintroduce mask wearing

Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said on Saturday Victoria had no plans to reintroduce mask wearing

Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said on Saturday Victoria had no plans to reintroduce mask wearing

Her comments come after the Victorian Department of Health warned Covid deaths and hospitalisations across the state are set to soar.

‘The Department of Health anticipates the prevalence of BA.4/BA.5 in Victoria is likely to result in an increase in cases – including reinfections – and hospital admissions and deaths.

‘This is because the strain has a greater ability than BA.2 to evade immunity provided by vaccination and earlier Covid-19 infection,’ it said on Friday night.

Recent case numbers and fatalities in Victoria prompted the Department of Health to ‘strongly recommend’ bringing back masks in the state. 

‘Masks are strongly recommended in shared indoor settings; if you can’t physically distance; or you are with those more vulnerable to Covid-19. Improve ventilation by opening doors and windows, using fans or purifiers, and gathering outside where possible,’ the department said in a statement.

‘Face masks are still required for everyone aged eight and above in some locations, including on public transport, ride shares and taxis, and in sensitive settings such as hospitals and care facilities.’

The Victorian Department of Health warned Covid deaths and hospitilisations across the state are set to soar

The Victorian Department of Health warned Covid deaths and hospitilisations across the state are set to soar

The Victorian Department of Health warned Covid deaths and hospitilisations across the state are set to soar

Queensland is tipped to be the first to bring back mask mandates in a bid to stem the tidal wave of infection. 

Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said he did not want a return to mask mandates, but he admitted the possibility was being talked about.

‘It is something that is still being discussed but … we would prefer not to go down that road,’ he told Brisbane 4BC radio on Friday.

Federal Labor minister Murray Watt said on Saturday the government had not received any health advice on mask mandates and those decisions tended to be made by state governments.

‘I know that this is something that health officials have been discussing nationally,’ he said.

Prof McMillan suggested policy tweaks be made to the public health system, including widening the availability of antivirals beyond people with comorbidities.

Australia is experiencing a succession of Omicron variants that have kept infection rates high, Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said.

However Australia ranked low in deaths per capita when compared to other countries, she said.

‘Whether we look at the total COVID-19 deaths per case, or deaths per capita, Australia sits low on the league tables, together with New Zealand, Taiwan and Japan,’ Prof Bennett said.

Australia’s daily death rates per capita were comparable to the UK and Canada, and lower than France – countries currently in summer and reporting declines in case numbers, she said.

‘It is critical that we learn more about those who are ending up in hospital or not surviving their infections, so that we can identify what needs to be done to avoid preventable deaths and bring the case fatality rate down.’

You May Also Like

Excess deaths mystery ‘needs solving urgently’, says ONS

Clarity on the high number of post-pandemic excess deaths is needed “sooner…

Biden, 80, SKIPS dinner with NATO leaders and goes straight to his hotel

President Joe Biden skipped dinner with NATO leaders on Tuesday night and…

How to Patch Test Skin Care Products at Home, According to Experts

How to Patch Test Skin Care Products at Home – If you…

Nurse Lucy Letby tells murder trial that ‘raw sewage coming out of the sinks’ in hospital

Raw sewage could have been a ‘contributory factor’ in the deaths of…