Australia's new health minister to be appointed, COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed Senator Anne Ruston will take over as the minister for health if the government is re-elected.

Morrison on Sunday announced that Ruston, currently the Minister for Families and Social Services and Minister for Women's Safety, will replace the retiring Greg Hunt should the Coalition win a fourth consecutive term in government on May 21.

He said that Ruston's role in social services made her the right candidate to lead Australia's ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Anne's experience as a senior minister managing a complex portfolio touching millions of lives makes her the right pick to help guide Australia's health system out of the pandemic," Morrison said in a media release.

"I know she'll bring that ability to understand complex issues, and her compassion to the health portfolio."

Ruston said she was honored to be appointed to the portfolio.

"Health care has been a part of my life ever since I was born as my mum was a nurse in our regional town, which also gave me great insight into the vital role country hospitals play in the lives of their communities," Ruston said.

According to the latest Department of Health data, there had been approximately 5.17 million confirmed cases and 6,762 deaths in Australia as of Saturday afternoon. The number of new cases reported in the previous 24 hours was 41,660.

There were about 3,002 coronavirus cases being treated in Australian hospitals including 134 in intensive care units.

So far about 69 percent of the eligible population have received booster vaccines in the country.

On Sunday morning, Australia reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases. Six new deaths were reported in New South Wales, the country's most populous state.