Australia has recorded another 70 deaths from COVID-19 amid calls for more children to get vaccinated.
Sixteen people have died with COVID-19 in Queensland in the latest reporting period, including a child under the age of 10, amid calls for more children to get vaccinated before school returns.
Queensland recorded 9630 new cases after 22,437 tests in the past 24 hours.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the child who died had a "very serious underlying, rare, inherited medical condition".
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the news was "absolutely devastating".
"It's our very sad duty today to have to report our first young child that has passed away due to COVID," she said on Wednesday.
"It's absolutely devastating to wake up to hear that news.
"Can I ... please urge families to get their children vaccinated. School goes back next week, we are expecting to see increased numbers of cases.
"It is entirely a decision for parents, but unfortunately there are young people that do succumb to this virus."
"I hope parents have not become complacent," Dr Gerrard said.
"I don't want parents to be frightened but if I had a child going back to school I would want them to be vaccinated."
It comes as 52 people have died from COVID-19 across NSW and Victoria.
NSW recorded 11,807 new COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths on Wednesday, while Victoria had 12,818 new infections and 25 deaths.
Meanwhile, the number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 has fallen in both states.
There are 2,622 people in hospital in NSW - down from 2,749 reported on Tuesday. 170 patients are in ICU.
Victoria has recorded 768 hospitalisations - down from 851. There are 99 people in intensive care.
Elective surgery classed as "non-urgent" will begin resuming next week in NSW as waiting lists grow, but those seeking a procedure in Sydney's public hospitals will have to keep waiting.
The government announced on Tuesday procedures could resume in private hospitals that are below 75 per cent capacity, as well as regional and rural public hospitals.
Wait times for elective surgery have blown out during the pandemic as surgeries are cancelled to prevent overwhelming hospitals dealing with coronavirus outbreaks.
Non-urgent elective surgery could recommence as soon as next week in Victoria, but nurses are rallying against the restart.
In a letter to doctors on Tuesday, Ramsay Health Care Victorian manager Austin Wills said the private provider had been given advice the state's ban on most elective surgery would soon be lifted.
"At this point, (the Department of Health) have indicated that restrictions will be revised from urgent only to 50 per cent of allocated lists from the middle of next week," he wrote.
"We expect to receive formal confirmation of this change by the end of this week and will immediately advise you once this is received so bookings can recommence."
Category two and three elective surgery was paused earlier this month as Victoria's ailing health system prepared for an influx of COVID-19 patients amid the Omicron wave.
But COVID-19 hospitalisations dipped below 1000 last week and fell further on Wednesday to 768.
The Northern Territory has reported its third coronavirus death as case numbers continue to rise.
Health Minister Natasha Fyles says the death of a woman in her 50s has been attributed to the virus.
The woman had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The NT reported 1133 new infections on Wednesday and revised up the number of cases from Tuesday to 1038 after the inclusion of more rapid antigen test results.
Deputy Health Officer Charles Pain said the latest fatality involved a woman who was a "very significant" member of the Mutitjulu community in central Australia.
Officials also confirmed 129 people were in hospital with COVID-19 including five in intensive care.
Dr Pain said hospitalisation rates were manageable but were putting a strain on the Territory's resources.
"We're seeing over a thousand cases a day. We expected this number to reached and it may go higher," he said.
SA infection rates increasing
South Australia has reported an increase in daily COVID-19 cases and one more death as students begin to return to the state's classrooms.
SA revealed 1723 new infections on Wednesday, up from 1266 on Tuesday.
Premier Steven Marshall said the increase was not unexpected with Tuesday's low number impacted by hot weather and limited testing across the state the day before.
Mr Marshall said Wednesday's figure "isn't a number that worries us".
"But it does remind every single South Australian not to be complacent," he told reporters.
"We are past the peak, but we don't want to have a second wave."
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said 233 people remained in hospital with COVID-19 including 21 in intensive care where five people are on ventilators.
"It is very pleasing we are clearly on the decay of this outbreak and the wave is coming down," she said.
"But it's still very important that we're all doing as much as we possibly can to keep everybody safe."
The ACT has recorded 549 new COVID-19 cases.
There are 61 patients in hospital, including one in intensive care requiring a ventilator.
About half of the national capital's adult population has received a booster dose.
The proportion of children between five and 11 who have received a first dose is sitting around 70 per cent.
The ACT has recorded a total of 36,897 infections and 26 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Tasmania has recorded 666 new COVID-19 cases, with the number of people in intensive care increasing to two.
There are eight people being treated in hospital specifically for the virus, the same as Tuesday's figure.
Two of those are in intensive care, an increase of one.
With additional reporting by SBS News.
