Australian PM Morrison: Have not received advice to shorten the isolation rules

Australia has reported a record high of COVID-19 deaths, and its second-largest state declared an emergency in hospitals to cope with surging patient admissions and a staffing shortage due to the coronavirus. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said in recent trade that he has not received advice to shorten the isolation rules.

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

More than 2,700 people have died with COVID-19 in Australia, which has a population of 26 million.

Meanwhile, this week, Morrison's approval ratings slid after his handling of the Omicron-driven coronavirus outbreak fuelled a backlash, a widely watched poll showed on Tuesday, putting opposition Labor into a leading position months away from a federal election.