The World Health Organisation has urged people not to panic as scientists around the world work to learn about COVID's Omicron variant.
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The source of NSW's growing Omicron Covid-19 cluster has been discovered, with more cases of the new variant confirmed overnight.
Genome sequencing has uncovered six new Omicron infections, bringing the total number of cases of the variant in NSW to 31.
The results come as NSW recorded 260 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
The source of the Omicron cluster is believed to be a returned overseas traveller who arrived in Sydney from Doha on flight QR908 on November 23. This person had spent time in Nigeria.
NSW health authorities have been busy scanning hundreds of Covid-positive tests each day, both new samples and ones that have been recorded in previous weeks, to see whether they carry the new variant.
To date, none of NSW's Omicron cases have been admitted to hospital for treatment of Covid-19, raising further hopes this variant could be milder than the Delta strain.
Some of the new Omicron infections in NSW have been recorded in school-aged children, with at least one confirmed case being a student at St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School in Regents Park.
Contact tracing and genome sequencing is underway on several Covid cases identified within the school community.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has assured residents that the rise in Omicron cases won't impact plans to further ease restrictions next week.
The set of eased restrictions will be implemented on December 15. The changes mean:
• Unvaccinated people will be included in the new freedoms
• Mask wearing will only be required on public transport, planes, at airports and for hospitality staff who aren't fully vaccinated
• QR check-ins will no longer be required for all businesses. It will still be a requirement for hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, gyms, places of worship, funerals or memorial services, pubs, small bars and registered clubs, nightclubs, strip clubs and indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people
• Density limit requirements will be removed
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has committed to a further easing of restrictions. Photo / Getty Images
Queensland
Queensland has recorded one new locally acquired Covid-19 case, following a warning from the state's health minister to prepare for a spike in case numbers
The new case, detected in a man on the Gold Coast, is linked to the existing cluster in that area. It brings the total number of cases in the Gold Coast cluster to five.
Health officials are working to determine whether the case could be the source of the cluster, with reports the man recently travelled to NSW.
"The person has been infectious in the community for a number of days and we understand may have recently travelled from NSW," Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said on Tuesday.
D'Ath warned the cluster still posed a risk to the Gold Coast, with a number of the new cases having spent time in the community.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Photo / Getty Images
The new case comes as Queensland continues to fall behind the other states and territories in the race to vaccinate Australians against Covid-19, with concerns it could take a spike in infections to encourage people to get the jab.
Having 90 per cent or more of the eligible Queensland population fully vaccinated is currently considered the trigger point for when life can return to almost pre-pandemic times, with very minimal restrictions in place.
Predictions for when this target will be reached have continued to be pushed further back as vaccination rates slow down across the state. The milestone is now expected in late January.
At least 87.4 per cent of Queenslanders over the age of 16 have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 78.7 per cent have had two doses.
D'Ath spoke directly to unvaccinated Queenslanders on Tuesday, pleaded with them to come forward and get vaccinated.
"I say to the almost 15 per cent of eligible Queenslanders out there who are not yet vaccinated with one dose, please come out and get vaccinated," she said.
"The borders are opening on Monday and mandatory vaccination social measures come into effect on the 17th of December. We want everyone to have a safe Christmas and to enjoy time with loved ones and you can do that by going and getting vaccinated."
With Queensland's hard border due to come down on December 13, residents have been warned that there will likely be an influx of Covid-19 cases as interstate travellers arrive.
Queensland's hard border is due to come down on December 13. Photo / Getty Images
But a Covid surge may be the one thing that will encourage unvaccinated residents to get the jab and push Queensland over that 90 per cent milestone, according to D'Ath.
"The first doses have slowed a little," she said on Monday. "Sadly, I do think once we start getting cases, we will see an uptake."
Queensland has fallen behind all other Australian states and territories in first dose vaccinations and has the second-lowest rate of fully vaccinated residents.
The state is well behind both NSW and Victoria, which have 92.8 per cent and 91.3 per cent of residents over the age of 16 fully vaccinated.
Victoria
Victoria recorded 1185 new coronavirus cases and seven more deaths on Tuesday.
There are 297 people hospitalised with the virus. Of those patients, 47 people are in intensive care, including 25 on ventilation.
The update comes as Premier Daniel Andrews assured residents the border with NSW would not be shut and the state would not pursue an aggressive "Omicron zero" strategy to lock out the new Covid-19 variant.
"The notion that we try and keep this out forever … that just doesn't make sense," he said.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Photo / Getty Images
Andrews said both he and his NSW counterpart agreed it was important to reassure residents that the borders weren't at risk of shutting ahead of Christmas.
"We think that's important not just for the people of Victoria and NSW, but if Victoria and NSW are working closely together, I reckon that's pretty good for the rest of the country as well."
In South Australia, new restrictions on travellers from NSW, Victoria and ACT have been imposed after Premier Steven Marshall announced authorities were "extraordinarily concerned" about the Omicron variant.
He said people from NSW, Victoria and the ACT would be required to have a Covid test on arrival into the state. If they planned on staying in South Australia, they would need to have a further test on day six.
"We don't know enough about the Omicron variant at this stage so we are being extremely cautious," he said.
WA Premier Mark McGowan. Photo / Getty Images
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan also last week stood by his decision to maintain travel restrictions for most of the country.
The state's borders are set to come down when 90 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, expected in late January or early February.
WA's policy deviates from the national cabinet plan to drop borders at 80 per cent, but after the Federal Government announced a ban on travel from nine countries in southern Africa over concerns about the Omicron variant, McGowan took a thinly veiled swipe at his critics.
"I think what the Federal Government has done is a fair enough measure. I support it," he said. "It turns out that borders and measures to keep people out who might be infected work."
