NSW Covid updates: 12 deaths, 1431 new cases

NSW has recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began with 12 people dying from Covid and 1431 new cases. Read Friday's blog here. 

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NSW has recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic with 12 deaths as health authorities say people are waiting until it’s too late to be tested. 

Jamila Yaghi, from south-west Sydney, has been remembered as an active and generous member of the community, after she was found dead in her home. 

Ms Yaghi, who was in her 30s, was unvaccinated and had a Covid-19 test on August 31. Just a day later she passed away. 

The mother of four was remembered fondly by MP Julia Finn. 

“Jamila lived in Guildford until recently and was deeply engaged in the community,” she said. 

“She leaves behind four children and an extended family and many, many friends who loved her dearly.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there were more and more people waiting too long to get tested and suffering terrible consequences.

"Without giving away anybody's public or private circumstances, some people who are very sick are leaving getting a test until right at the last minute," Ms Berejiklian said.

"Then it is almost too late by the time they get to hospital to treat them. I do say to everybody that the job of our contact traces is made easier if people get tested as soon as they think they may have been exposed."

Of the 12  people who died with Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, eight were unvaccinated and two had only received one dose. 

The Premier warned that the next two weeks will see case numbers peak, and in October NSW will see the hospital system hit peak admissions - potentially at the same time we start to open up.

“The next fortnight is likely to be our worst in terms of the number of cases, but as I have said it is not the number of cases we need to be focusing on but how many of those cases end up in our intensive care wards and hospitals,” she said.

“September and October will be the most challenging because we will be going through the phase of dealing with extra hospitalisations and extra ICU hospitalisations but we will also be going through both the exciting and challenging time of opening up.”

While staying shy on the details, the Premier also said that as vaccinations hit 70 and 80 percent targets, there will be a “transition” away from the current contact tracing and quarantine systems. 

"It stands to reason that once you have a safe rate approximation in the adult population you start to transition,” she said.

“Whether there is contact tracing where there will be a better use of technology, the quarantine system, the way in which we treat our intensive care patients during the peak of the hospitalisation, things will be done differently."

In the 24 hours until 8pm Thursday, NSW recorded 1431 cases, a new daily record, which included 53 cases in in the state's west.  

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