Record COVID case numbers reported in 2 Australia states

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia’s Victoria and Queensland states have reported record levels of new daily coronavirus infections as pressure on testing centers prompts calls for wider use of rapid antigen tests. Queensland state reported 1,158 cases, the first time the state has seen more than 1,000 cases in a day, but hospitalizations remained low. The state has more than 4,000 active cases of which 257 are reported to be the omicron variant. State Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced Tuesday that travelers from out of state no longer will have to have a PCR test five days after arrival. D’Ath said of the tens of thousands arriving recently, only 0.6 percent had tested positive on day five.