Australia has reported 18 further COVID-19-related deaths, as case numbers spike in NSW due to a data glitch, authorities say.
Victoria has also seen a 10 per cent rise in COVID-19 case numbers week-on-week, recording 9,426 new infections on Wednesday and eight deaths.
There were 30,402 new infections recorded in NSW and five further deaths.
NSW Health said about 10,000 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) registered between Sunday and Monday are included in figures released on Wednesday, due to a data processing problem.
"These positive RATs from Sunday and Monday artificially inflate the cases being reported today for the 24 hours to 4pm Tuesday," NSW Health said.
It comes a day after NSW reported 10,689 cases, up by more than 1,700 from the previous day.
On Tuesday, 1,016 people were in hospital, with 36 in intensive care and 15 on ventilation.
Three men and two women are among the latest fatalities. One person was in their 30s, one in their 60s, one in their 70s and two in their 80s.
Health authorities are warning NSW to brace for a new wave of the virus, with cases likely to double by the middle of next month.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the same researchers who correctly predicted the Omicron summer surge have forecast another wave of cases that will peak next month.
Acting Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale said within weeks the new Omicron sub-variant BA.2 will be "by far the dominant strain in NSW".
In Victoria, the daily case figure is the state's highest since posting 9,908 on 9 February and has resulted in the number of active infections in the state jumping by 1,847 to 42,250.
Another eight people have died, taking the state's toll to 2,657 since the pandemic began.
BA.2 now accounts for 50 per cent of cases in Victoria, according to wastewater analysis, and authorities say while it is more infectious, the COVID-19 third vaccine dose remains effective against it.
"We're seeing over the last couple of weeks around a 10 per cent underlying increase week-on-week of case numbers," COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar told reporters.
"Winter is coming. We are now in a position where you need to ensure you've had your third dose protection because we're going to see [in] colder months more people gathering and greater spread, particularly on this BA.2 two sub-lineage that's now starting to increase its prevalence."
Victorian government pushes vaccines ahead of winter
The state is rolling out 120 pop-up vaccination clinics in local government areas with the lowest take-up of booster shots.
It is also closing the largest hub, the Royal Exhibition Building, from 23 March since more GPs, pharmacies and local vaccination clinics are now available.
"The Victorian state hubs delivered more vaccines than any other state while the Commonwealth got around to building their distribution network of GPS and pharmacies. That's now up and running," Health Minister Martin Foley said.
"Our emphasis is now targeting those parts of Victoria, that are disproportionately under-represented."
Victoria has 62.9 per cent of residents aged 18 and over who are vaccinated with three COVID-19 vaccine doses.
People in hospital with COVID-19 stands at 201 patients. Of those, 24 are in intensive care, including six who are on ventilation.
Western Australia surpasses 6,000 cases
Western Australia has recorded 6,062 new daily infections and the death of a woman in her 80s.
There are now 28,772 active infections and 123 cases in hospital, including two in intensive care.
Case numbers had declined slightly over the weekend, likely reflecting a drop in testing numbers.
What's happening around the country?
Tasmania reported one death and 7,460 new cases. The state has 14 people in hospital, including three in intensive care.
Three further deaths were reported in Queensland as the state recorded 6,136 new infections. There are 255 people in hospital, including 21 in intensive care.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says one of the new deaths was a man in his 40s who was unvaccinated.
"We are seeing tragically people passing away from COVID who are unvaccinated," she told parliament.
The latest figures show that 91.3 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one dose of a vaccine, while 93.2 per cent have had two.
Meanwhile, South Australia reported 3,122 new cases and has 136 people in hospital, including 10 in intensive care.
The ACT has 1,226 new infections and has 39 people in hospital, including three in intensive care.
The Northern Territory posted 251 new cases and 24 people in hospital, including two in intensive care.
With SBS News.
