Omicron Outbreak Peaks In New South Wales And Victoria, Students Test For COVID-19 Twice A Week

JAKARTA - Students in two countries in Australia will be tested for COVID twice a week to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant when schools reopen next week.

Health authorities said they believed the Omicron outbreak had peaked in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria.

Australia's two most populous states reported 20,324 and 13,091 new cases respectively on Sunday.

NSW leader Dominic Perrottet said parents would be asked to use a rapid antigen test twice a week and report to schools and the government if the results were positive.

Millions of test kits are being distributed to 3,000 schools this week and students must be tested before their first day of school, he told reporters in Sydney.

Teachers and high school students are required to wear masks.

School staff in NSW and Victoria must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Teachers in Victoria are given until the end of February to receive a booster dose, local health officials said.

Australia reported 58 deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, all from three states: NSW (34), Victoria (14) and Queensland (10).