The national average for daily positive tests as of January 3 was 23.3 per cent lower than the week before, with significant reductions in almost every state and territory.

The Northern Territory was an exception, with a two per cent bump in the first official daily case statistics for the year.

On Christmas Day, the average number of daily cases nationally was 13,742, compared with 8950 on January 3, the most recent date for which national figures are available.

NSW Health data for the first week of 2023 shows a 33 per cent decrease on the previous seven days, with 15,364 new positive tests.

The figures also reveal the number of people receiving PCR tests decreased 11 per cent.

“Key indicators show the number of Covid-19 cases in NSW are continuing to decline as expected,” NSW acting chief health officer, Dr Jan Fizzell said.

“Flu activity is at low levels in NSW but there signs activity is increasing.”

According to NSW Health there is still a “highly mixed” group of sub-variants circulating within the community, with BR.2 the most common.

While new cases are down, the number of people admitted to hospital and intensive care with the virus remains high and actually recorded a small increase.

More than 3500 people were hospitalised in the seven days leading up to January 3 and 120 were sent to intensive care, respective increases of two and 11 per cent on the week before.

Also this week, a study by Israeli researchers found most people affected by long Covid showed no symptoms after a year.

The study by KI Research Institute and published in medical journal BMJ, suggests patients with mild Covid-19 have an increased risk for a small number of health outcomes, most of which resolve within a year from diagnosis.