Coronavirus cases in post-Christmas decline

Duncan Murray
Jan 13, 2023, updated Jan 13, 2023

NSW Health data for the first week of 2023 shows a 33 per cent decrease in COVID-19 cases. Photo: Getty

As Australians settle back into routines following the festive period, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has dramatically declined.

For the second week in a row, NSW Health data showed a decrease in cases on the previous seven days.

There were 14,053 cases reported in the latest data published on Friday, compared to 15,364 new infections a week ago.

“Key indicators show the number of COVID-19 cases in NSW are continuing to decline as expected,” NSW acting chief health officer, Dr Jan Fizzell said.

“Flu activity is at low levels in NSW but there signs activity is increasing.”

According to NSW Health there is still a “highly mixed” group of sub-variants circulating within the community, with BR.2 the most common.

In Victoria, the XBF strain accounts for the highest proportion of new COVID-19 cases (29 per cent) but the variant running rampant in the United States is almost non-existent.

There is only one confirmed case of the XBB.1.5 variant in Victoria despite earlier reports suggesting there could be four, the state’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said on Friday.

Nationally, daily positive tests are on the decline.

As of January 10, the average daily cases were 26.9 per cent lower than the week before, with significant reductions in every state and territory.

Hospitalisations and intensive care admissions are also down, declining 9.3 per cent and 13.3 per cent respectively.

Also this week, a study by Israeli researchers found most people affected by long COVID showed no symptoms after a year.

The study by KI Research Institute and published in medical journal BMJ, suggests patients with mild COVID-19 have an increased risk for a small number of health outcomes, most of which resolve within a year from diagnosis.