Intensive care doctors are bracing themselves for a surge in COVID-19 cases, with new modelling for NSW showing the number of patients needing critical care will be “overwhelming” by early November. 

Currently, 1071 coronavirus patients are in hospital in the state, of these 177 are in ICU with 67 on ventilators. 

According to NSW Health projections released on Monday, the outbreak’s peak hospitalisations are expected from mid-October through to mid-November.

The Burnet Institute modelling on demand and capacity predicts that at this time, 560 coronavirus patients will require intensive care.