Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives for Question Time.

As it happened:Labor senator suspended after vowing to cross the floor again on Palestine;Tax reform needed to stop climb

Follow today’s national news headlines with our live blog.

  • Josefine Ganko andTimna Jacks

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Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike,in Gaza City.

Hamas-Israel conflict as it happened:Israel ‘at war’ over Gaza attack,hundreds dead

Hundreds of people are dead after Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel from Gaza.

  • Timna Jacks andCatherine Naylor
Gaurav Tripathi and his two-year-old daughter Paavika who had the flu earlier this year.

Flu season fizzles out,but chance of a double peak looms

Victoria’s influenza wave has passed its peak,but the possibility of a second wave continues to loom over state hospitals that are already struggling to cope with the onslaught of COVID-19 and respiratory virus hospital admissions.

  • Timna Jacks
Hospitals seeing disproportionate rise in paediatric admissions,driven by the spread of RSV.

Respiratory virus sends more children to hospital than flu or COVID

The virus can cause people to have trouble breathing or suffer dehydration,potentially lead to pneumonia,and is most severe in babies.

  • Timna Jacks
WA daily case numbers have fallen as the long weekend begins.

Testing change cuts off PCR access to symptomatic close contacts

When Matt Nevett arrived at a PCR testing site he was turned away,even though he had symptoms,was a close contact and was the only person waiting for a test.

  • Timna Jacks
Urgent category one surgery is having to be rescheduled at some Victorian hospitals amid crippling staffing shortages and as doctors warn of a rise in people arriving at hospital with life-threatening complications post coronavirus and flu infections.

Surgery delays ramp up amid rise in post-viral complications

Urgent category-one surgery is having to be rescheduled at some Victorian hospitals amid crippling staff shortages,as doctors warn of a rise in people arriving at hospital with life-threatening complications after coronavirus and flu infections.

  • Melissa Cunningham andTimna Jacks
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Ella Chorazy is about to have her first baby.

COVID surge hits maternity wards,expectant mothers face delays

Expectant mothers are facing repeated delays to planned caesareans and birth inductions as oversubscribed maternity wards battle diminishing staffing levels and a surge in COVID-positive women giving birth.

  • Timna Jacks andMelissa Cunningham
Masks in schools

Your responsibility:The best advice on ... masks in schools

What can we do as individuals to combat the winter COVID-19 wave? In the fifth instalment of a special series,The Age’s health team asks experts for the best advice on wearing masks in schools.

  • Timna Jacks
Grace and Sarah wear masks to school in 2021.

Mask-wearing in schools will only provide ‘marginal’ gain,experts say

The Victorian Education Department says students aged eight and over are expected to wear masks until the end of winter. The education minister said the new messaging was not a change in policy.

  • Ashleigh McMillan andTimna Jacks
The best advice on testing

Your responsibility:The best advice on ... COVID testing

What can we do as individuals to combat the winter COVID-19 wave? In the third instalment of our special series,The Age’s health team asks experts for the best advice on testing.

  • Timna Jacks