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Australia posts record high 74 Covid-19 deaths; The previous daily record was 59 in September 2020.

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Byline: By, Rod McGuirk, Associated Press & Alan Johnson

Australia has reported a record high number of COVID-19 deaths January 17 as its second-largest state declared an emergency in hospitals to cope with surging patient admissions and a staffing shortage.

The 74 deaths occurred in its three most populous states with New South Wales NSW reporting 36, Victoria 22 and Queensland 16. The previous daily record was 59 coronavirus-related deaths on September 4, 2020.

Federal health minister Greg Hunt said there were signs that New South Wales' infection rate was peaking and Victoria was near to plateauing.

The NSW government has ruled out a return to lockdown to counter the highly contagious Omicron variant, however.

In October, Sydney ended a 108-day lockdown because the population of Australia's most populous city was largely vaccinated.

Another lockdown would have "substantial consequences for men and women right across the state in terms of being able to provide food on the table for their family," state premier Domonic Perrottet told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Victoria declared an emergency for hospitals in its state capital, Melbourne, and several regional hospitals from midday on Wednesday because of staff shortages and a surge in patient admissions. Around 5,000 staff are absent because they are either infected or close contacts.

"We've reached a point...

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