Patients in New South Wales (NSW), Australia faced longer waits for ambulances and care in emergency departments as the state grappled with the COVID-19 Omicron variant, according to new data.
The health system was under stress as non-urgent elective surgery was suspended and the government relaxed most public health restrictions between January to March, the latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Quarterly Report has shown.
Some 734,704 people attended emergency departments during the period, down 2.8 per cent from the pre-pandemic period in 2019, but well above levels from five years ago.
The number of people admitted to hospital from ED fell 15.6 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, and those people generally waited longer….