NSW Covid cases: TikTok comedian thwarted as Health plugs leak

A TikTok comedian who has been accurately predicting the NSW daily Covid case figures had it wrong today after efforts to thwart him.

NSW Health has put new measures in place to secure the daily case numbers to thwart a TikToker who kept accurately predicting the figure.

The 98 case figure announced at 11am was different to the figure announced by viral TikTok comedian John-Bernard Kairouz last night, which was 109.

Asked if NSW Health had put a “sting” out to identify the source of the leak, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said “absolutely not”.

TikToker Jon-Bernard Kairouz.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

But he confirmed steps had been taken to seriously limit the people with access to the figures.

Mr Hazzard said “there was no sting, we are not chasing people but the figures will be distributed on a needs to know basis”.

The Daily Telegraph learnt the issue was discussed at crisis cabinet this morning as a possible sting but Mr Hazzard disputed this.

Kairouz has accurately foreshadowed covid case numbers in NSW for five days in a row.

Mr Hazzard considered the nightly announcements on TikTok a distraction and spoke to Health staff on Sunday asking them to “take steps to ensure it didn’t continue”.