New South Wales has reported a new record-high number of daily COVID-19 cases after 2566 infections were confirmed on Sunday.
It's the fourth day in a row the Australian state has set a record for the highest number of new daily cases.
NSW Health says it's likely the majority of Sunday's cases are the Omicron variant.
"With the high number of COVID-19 cases now in NSW, NSW Health will only undertake genomic sequencing for the Omicron variant in the circumstances where it will make a clinical difference to the care of a patient," they say.
"For instance, where it will inform treatment choices as some therapies work with Delta but not for Omicron, and in situations where it will inform public health action."
There are no new deaths in the state.
There is a slight rise in the number of hospitalised patients - it's now at 227 compared to Saturday's number of 206. Twenty-eight people are in intensive care, 10 of whom need ventilators.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says authorities are on "high alert" after Sunday's latest record-high number of cases. He adds that the government is keeping a close eye on hospitalisation numbers.
"It is hard to distinguish or understand the full impact [of Omicron] until we see more weeks of experience in what is going on here in NSW as to whether or not it is going to really lift our hospital intake or not," he says.
"We are on high alert, as you would expect us to be."
Premier Dominic Perrottet hasn't reinstated restrictions despite the high case numbers, but he admits that COVID-19 will have more "curveballs" in the future and the government will continue considering any advised responses.
He says the key is limiting the spread of the virus is "personal responsibility".
"The government can't do everything," he says. "It's over to the people of our state."
Meanwhile, the state of Victoria reported a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases on Sunday, reporting 1240 new infections and four virus-related deaths.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says people need to be careful not to cause alarm when talking about case numbers.
"We're past the time when we just talk about case numbers," he says.
"It is a leading indicator on some issues, but the real issue is how many people are experiencing serious illness."
