Australia's Omicron-Led Covid Surge Leaves People Scrambling For Tests
NDTV
Covid in Australia: Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said "We have to live with this virus" as Australia registers more cases of the Omicron variant
Australia reported a record daily tally of nearly 50,000 Covid-19 cases Tuesday as the Omicron variant raced through the population and sent people scrambling for tests.
While the Omicron surge has apparently left relatively few dangerously ill, it has driven a rush on increasingly scarce self-administered rapid antigen kits and created hours-long queues at centres providing more reliable PCR tests.
Australia had successfully suppressed infections for much of the pandemic through border closures and aggressive testing and tracing.
But an earlier wave fuelled by the Delta variant dashed zero-Covid ambitions in much of the country, including the major cities Sydney and Melbourne.
