NSW Covid updates: 863 new cases, 15 new deaths

NSW has recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began with 15 people dying from Covid and 863 new cases. Read our Covid blog.

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell and Georgia Clark

less than 2 min read

September 28, 2021 - 9:24PM

NSW records 863 COVID-19 cases, 15 deaths

NSW has recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began with 15 people dying from Covid and 863 new cases.

The latest fatalities include seven women and eight men - two people were aged in their 40s and just one person was double vaccinated.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday that hospitalisations from Covid were below expected.

"Interestingly, our hospitalisation rate and ICU rate is doing OK compared to our modelling. We are tracking under what we envisaged we would but there is no time for complacency," she said.

The premier also announced aged care residents will be able to welcome two fully-vaccinated visitors per day from October 11.

But children under 12 won’t be allowed, because they can’t yet be vaccinated.

NSW Health said it would continue to work with the aged care sector “to support children under 12 years of age to visit aged care facilities in due course”

“We ask people to exercise a degree of caution. If you have symptoms or you are not well, don't do it. We don't want to compromise the safety of your loved ones and those around you,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Follow Wednesday morning's updates below.

Updates

Today's Covid news so far

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Thanks for tuning in to our Covid blog so far. In case you missed it, here's a few of the highlights:

NSW has recorded 863 new cases, a second day of identical infection rates. But 15 people have died, marking the state's worst daily death toll yet.
NSW aged care facilities will open to visitors on October 11, with elderly residents allowed two visitors a day, either separate or together, according to Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
The return date to school for NSW kids is also under review, with officials "looking at options" to move it closer than October 25.
The Commonwealth will pull the pin on financial support for Covid-impacted people at 70 per cent, with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announcing a plan to wind back cash in NSW from October 11.
QLD has recorded one new case but a truckie who tested positive in NSW spent time in the Gold Coast community while infectious.
Victoria has 950 new cases and seven deaths, and the ACT has 22 new cases and plans to reopen for travel into NSW once regional travel is allowed.

Thanks again for joining us, see you tomorrow morning- stay at home and stay safe.

'Looking at options' to get kids back to school

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has hinted at a possible early return to school for students saying: “we are looking at options if we can bring things forward.”

It comes on the day the Daily Telegraph revealed an overwhelming majority of people want children to return to their classes at the same time pubs reopen.

“Parents should assume it is October 25 and if there is better news than that, we will convey it. I want to stress we are carefully considering the options we have to get kids to school earlier if we can,” Ms Berejklian said today.

For more on this story, click here.

Cop suspended over wild protest incident

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

A Victoria Police officer has been suspended over a confronting incident captured on camera at Flinders Street station.

The footage, that was shared widely on social media, shows a Melbourne man being flung headfirst to the ground by a police officer who approached him from behind.

The incident occurred on September 22 during a week of unrest in Melbourne over construction workers being forced into mandatory vaccinations.

For more on this story, click here.

International travel start date at risk

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

A promise to open up international travel could be at risk of slipping through our fingers as Aussies are warned the current quarantine system is not yet up to scratch.

Last week, Tourism Minister Dan Tehan declared Australia’s international borders would open by Christmas “at the latest”

But Jane Halton, the chair of the coalition for epidemic preparedness, has poured cold water on that plan, saying Australia’s quarantine system was not yet ready for international travel to restart.

For more on this story, click here.

CMFEU headquarters hit with Covid exposure

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

The CFMEU head office – at the centre of multiple protests in Melbourne last week – has been declared a Covid-19 exposure site.

State secretary John Setka has been forced into isolation as a result.

In a statement, the CFMEU blamed the “reckless and irresponsible behaviour of protesters” for the transmission of coronavirus at the headquarters in North Melbourne.

The CMFEU headquarters which was swarmed by protesters is now battling a Covid outbreak.

For more on this story, click here.

Don't delay getting tested: ACT Chief Minister

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Andrew Barr has begged Canberrans not to delay getting a Covid test, declaring it makes all the difference in ensuring survival.

"If you have any symptoms it's essential you get tested as soon as possible, the Chief Minister said.
"Every day you delay being tested has a big impact on how you as a patient can be treated, especially if you're not vaccinated.
"There are some COVID-19 treatments that need to be administered within five days of an individual getting symptoms in order to be effective."

It comes as Deputy CHO Vanessa Johnson shared 40 per cent of ACT locals were delaying two days or more before getting a test.

"This is far too high … especially as we are considering our pathway forward, the proportion of cases that are waiting five or more days is 10 per cent. That's one in 10 cases," Dr Johnson said.

Mr Barr flagged that ACT travel restrictions would come into line with NSW at the 80 per cent mark, claiming his "presumption" was that residents in both areas could travel in and out freely.

ACT records 22 new cases

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

The nation's capital has recorded 22 new Covid cases.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said that at least seven of those cases spent some time infectious in the community.
Twelve have been linked to existing cases so far, and 10 people are in hospital with the virus.

Three people are in ICU on ventilators.

ACT COVID-19 update (29 September 2021):
◾ New cases today: 22
◾ Active cases: 237
◾ Total recovered cases: 566
◾ Total cases: 804
◾ Negative test results (past 24 hours): 3,443
◾ In hospital: 10
◾ Lives lost: 1 pic.twitter.com/dPvC2p98gr
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) September 29, 2021

VIC contact tracing changes

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

VIC contact tracers have now adopted a similar system to NSW, texting confirmed cases of Covid19 in order to prioritise high risk exposure sites and tracing.

Health deputy secretary Kate Matson said while 99.7 per cent of cases were contacted in 24hrs, text messages would be used to tell them their results and ask if they're vaccinated or need further care or support.

"In areas with higher case numbers we have started providing a text message with the confirmation of your confirmed positive result so we can provide triage and ensure we can address, with a phone call, the highest risk cases," Ms Matson said.

She said everyone would still be called but would be prioritised in turn with the text responses.

It comes as Health Minister Martin Foley repeated that VIC had still received no word on whether promised doses of vaccine would arrive in October, stopping officials from halving the time between doses.

"We are confident we have the supply to achieve that to bring forward the double-dose rate to the earliest possible opportunity we can,” he said.
“That requires us to have confirmation of supply over October … as of last night we still do not have confirmation of that last week in October.”

For more on VIC's Covid latest, click here.

VIC's Covid numbers breakdown

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Of VIC's 950 new cases:

240 of Wednesday’s 950 new cases were from the local government area of Hume.
102 were linked to the Whittlesea area, there were 63 in Moreland and 28 in Darebin.
31 new cases were reported from the Melbourne City Council.
There were 55 in Melton, 54 in Wyndham, 63 in Brimbank, 29 in Moonee Valley and 22 in Maribyrnong.
There were 50 new cases in Casey, 14 in Cardinia, 18 in Port Phillip, 16 in Greater Dandenong and 10 in Stonnington.
The east had recorded 15 new cases in Manningham and six Boroondara.
Regional Victoria recorded 30 new cases, including nine from the Mitchell Shire, four cases in Warrnambool, two cases in Moorabool Shire; two cases in Wellington Shire; and one case each in Strathbogie Shire, Surf Coast, Ballarat, Murrindindi Shire, Corangamite Shire, Baw Baw Shire, and South Gippsland. There were four new cases across two households in Latrobe.
Seven people died, all from northern Melbourne, including three women in their 80s, a woman in her 90s a man in his 80s, a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 50s.
There are 371 people in hospital with Covid, with 81 in ICU and 55 are on a ventilator.
78.7 per cent of eligible Victorians have received a single dose of the vaccine, while 48.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.

'Few weeks' until border discussion with VIC

Kaitlyn Hudson-O'Farrell

Gladys Berejiklian has ruled out an open border discussion with VIC Premier Daniel Andrews for a few more weeks.

The Premier said she wanted to give Mr Andrews a bit more time to grapple with Victoria's outbreak, which has now outstripped NSW in daily case numbers.

"I actually want to give the Victorian premier a few weeks before I have these conversations with him," Ms Berejiklian said.

"I''ve been through what he's going through, it's very scary when you the case numbers are going up… I think he'll be in a position to have those conversations in a few weeks so I'll leave him to manage the delicate situation down there for now."

She added she hoped NSW and VIC citizens could "move forward together" towards greater freedom and travel.

Read related topics:COVID NSW COVID-19 Vaccine Gladys Berejiklian