SYDNEY, Australia - The Covid-19 cases continued to rise sharply in the state of Western Australia (WA) as health authorities said the peak of hospital cases is expected to come later this month.

On Thursday, the state recorded 4,535 new cases in the 24 hours to 8:00 p.m. local time Wednesday night, the first time for the daily infections to exceed 4,000, and an increase of more than 25 percent compared to Wednesday's 3,594 cases.

The state has recorded 34,250 cases since the Covid-19 pandemic began, with more than half of those being recorded in the last seven days after the state opened its border on March 3.

The number of hospitalization and cases needing intensive care is increasing as well. There are 80 people infected with Covid-19 in hospital, up from 67 on Wednesday.

There are also three people in ICU after a long streak of days with no cases in intensive care.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the state was at the beginning of its curve upwards of hospitalizations, and the peak in hospital cases is expected to come later this month.

"This is going to get difficult. We will see more people in hospital and more people in ICU," she said.

WA is now expected to reach the peak number of daily infections on Monday, with modeling suggesting about 10,000 people will test positive then, according to national broadcaster ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Sanderson also revealed that about half of the cases in hospitals were unvaccinated, and urged people to get vaccinated. According to the latest figure from the state's health department, more than 95 percent of WA residents aged over 12 have been double vaccinated.