SYDNEY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As a surge of COVID-19 cases sweep across Australia's states and territories, health authorities have urged the public to receive their booster shot of the vaccine.
The more contagious Omicron BA.2 sub-variant is fast becoming Australia's dominant strain of the virus. Early reports suggest that it may be 30 to 40 percent more transmissible than Omicron BA.1, making it by far the fastest variant to date.
On Friday the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) reported 20,050 daily cases, in line with 20,087 recorded the day before, more than double the numbers seen just one week ago.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has flagged growing complacency in the community despite the virus' rapid uptick.
"People need to understand that while the community has gone to sleep on the virus, the virus hasn't gone to sleep on the community," said Hazzard.
"The virus is still out there and it can wreak havoc if we don't go and get our boosters fast."
According to NSW health, just 57.8 percent of vaccine-eligible citizens in the state have had their third booster dose of the vaccines, despite 94.5 percent having received their first two doses.
The story is similar in the Australian state of Victoria. Over the last several weeks daily cases have doubled from an average around 5,000 to 9,036 reported on Friday.
In Victoria, 63.4 percent of the population have received a booster dose of the vaccine.
Experts have warned that two doses of the vaccines is fast becoming inadequate in protecting against the virus, especially as immunity wanes in older and immunocompromised Australians.
"The way forward is that people who have not been boosted need to get their booster shot because it makes a real difference to protection against Omicron, whether it's BA.1 or BA.2," infectious diseases paediatrician from the University of Sydney Robert Booy told Xinhua.
"There are things that people have learned in the last few years that they should continue to act upon (mask wearing, social distancing), particularly if they're an older person or a person with immunosuppression for whatever reason." ■