NSW Covid updates: 291 new cases with worse daily highs expected
NSW has been warned daily Covid-19 cases will climb higher than today's 291 record, as concern grows over infection numbers in Canterbury-Bankstown with extra police now set to patrol the LGA. Follow our live blog.
NSW has been warned to brace for even higher infection numbers in coming days after the state recorded 291 locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 overnight.
In what is now the state's worst day in the pandemic, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a number of cases were still under examination but at least 50 were infectious in the community.
"I do want to foreshadow that given this high number of cases, we are likely to see this trend continue for the next few days so I want everybody to prepare themselves for higher case numbers in the next few days," Ms Berejiklian said.
Tragically, a woman in her 60s from south-west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital overnight, taking the COVID-related deaths during the current outbreak to 22.
NSW has also confirmed 12 staff members at KFC Punchbowl in Sydney’s south-west have tested positive to COVID-19.
Anyone who attended the venue at 1323/1325 Canterbury Rd at any time from July 27- August 2 is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Ms Berejiklian said cases were “increasing the most” in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area.
“All the suburbs in the Canterbury-Bankstown area really need to be on extra alert,” she said.
“There will be more police on the ground, we are seeing too many people frequent certain shopping areas and perhaps not doing the right thing.”
Of the 304 people hospitalised, 50 are in intensive care and 22 require ventilation.
Two of the new cases were recorded in the Newcastle area, taking the region's total to seven. Central Coast cases remain at nine.
Of the 291 locally acquired cases, 120 are linked to a known case or cluster and the source of infection for 171 cases is under investigation.
Forty-eight cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 104 cases is under investigation.
It comes as younger, mobile people are prioritised by the NSW government as it directs a bonus supply of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines from the national stockpile.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW will start to receive an extra 180,000 doses of Pfizer on Monday.
It will be sent to locked down local government areas in Sydney plus regional communities that gave up their jabs to help high school students.
Anyone travelling to NSW who has been in Victoria after 8pm on August 5 must now follow the stay-at-home rules and only leave home with a reasonable excuse.
NSW border residents do not have to follow the stay-at-home rules if the only place they have been in Victoria is in the border region.
Anyone currently in NSW who has been in any of the 11 affected Queensland local government areas since July 21 must also follow the stay-at-home rules.
Declaration requirements remain in place for anyone who has been in Victoria, Queensland or South Australia in the previous 14 days, with the exception of those living and travelling in the NSW/Victoria border region.
People travelling from the Queensland border region only need to fill in the declaration every three days.
Interstate travellers who have been to a close-contact venue must not enter NSW unless they are a NSW resident, or are transiting to the ACT.
If they are in NSW, they must self-isolate until it has been 14 days since they were last at the close-contact venue.
Interstate travellers who have been to a casual-contact venue must not enter NSW unless they are a NSW resident (or transiting to the ACT) or they have had a negative COVID-19 result after being at the venue.
If they are in NSW, they must self-isolate until it has been 14 days since they were last at the casual-contact venue, or until they have had a negative result.
Anyone who has recently travelled from Victoria, Queensland or South Australia should check local health websites regularly.
If you have visited a listed venue of concern, immediately follow the relevant public health advice and contact NSW Health on 1800 943 553.
Vivid Sydney 2021 has become the latest victim of the current Delta variant Covid outbreak.
Organisers on Friday shared their decision to cancel the popular outdoor light event "to minimise the impact on event attendees, partners, artists, sponsors and suppliers".
Planning is continuing on next year's festiveal, with Vivid Sydney due to return from 27 May to 18 June 2022.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Vivid Sydney would be a shining light for the community to look forward to next year.
“As we work together to contain the current outbreak and get our community vaccinated, we can all look forward to the return of major events like Vivid Sydney that bring us together in celebration,” he said.
“Vivid Sydney 2022 will shine brighter than ever – our artists and creative industries are so eager to put on a show and we can’t wait to see the Harbour City shining brightly again.
“We thank everyone who has contributed to the planning for Vivid Sydney 2021. Of course, it’s incredibly disappointing to cancel for the second year but the most responsible decision was to cancel early, giving everyone certainty and minimising impacts where possible.
Ambulance with Covid patient waited six hours outside hospital
Multiple ambulances with Covid patients were forced to wait for hours outside Westmead Hospital on Thursday, on a day the ambulance service hit “status two” – meaning there were more emergency triple-0 jobs than crews available.
One ambulance queued for more than six hours while crews waited to transfer the patient to the hospital.
Another queued for more than four hours, whilee two more were forced to wait for more than three hours.
The Health Services Union confirmed the ambulance service reached status two level on Thursday, meaning managers were brought out to work on the road in a bid to plug the shortfall.
HSU NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said paramedics were being pushed “to breaking point”.
“Paramedics are exhausted and anxious. They are doing their best in trying circumstances but they are being pushed to breaking point. The Ambulance Service was already understaffed. Throwing a pandemic into the mix is simply diabolical,” he said.
NSW Health confirmed there were delays with transferring two Covid-positive patients admitted to Westmead Hospital and apologised to those involved.
“Metropolitan hospitals across NSW Health’s network are currently experiencing a period of high demand with COVID-19 cases and are observing strict protocols to ensure that all patients and staff are protected from potential exposure to COVID-19,” a spokeswoman said.
“The patients were cared for throughout that period of time and infection control procedures including appropriate PPE were observed by all staff.
“NSW Health apologises for this delay, and thanks patients and their families for their patience and understanding as we respond to this COVID-19 outbreak.
“NSW Health also thanks all its staff for their fantastic dedication in caring for the community during this challenging time.”
Alert for multiple shops at Newcastle shopping centre
A long list of shops in Charlestown Square shopping centre in Newcastle have been added to Covid venues alert list, just a day after the coastal city went into lockdown.
The shops include McDonalds, Priceline Pharmacy, Apple Store, Boost Juice, Cotton On, a newsagency, Pearl Nails and more.
Charlestown Square shopping centre in Newcastle.
Anyone who visited the venues during specific times on the afternoon of Thursday, July 29 is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days.
A woman from south-western Sydney who died at Liverpool Hospital after catching Covid-19 was infected by a nurse working across two wards at the site, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has confirmed.
Dr Chant confirmed the woman was the second death connected to the outbreak at the hospital.
“She tested positive for COVID on July 29 and she was not vaccinated. She acquired her infection in Liverpool hospital and that was a transmission in the hospital,” she said.
“That was the second death connected with the outbreak following a death in his 90s at this hospital.”
Dr Chant said she believed the nurse wasn’t working on a Covid ward.
“But can I be clear that we know, sadly, the lady was exposed by a health worker who worked across to wards, the aged-care ward and the ward this woman was on,” she said.
It’s the 22nd death related to the outbreak.
“I extend my apologies and sympathies to the family,” she said.
A coronavirus outbreak at a KFC in south-west Sydney has resulted in 12 staff testing positive, as NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant warned case numbers in the Canterbury-Bankstown council area are escalating.
“What we are seeing is some flattening of the curve in Fairfield and some of our other local government areas, but … we are seeing escalating cases in Campsie, Bankstown, Lakemba, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Yagoona, Greenacre, Earlwood, Summer Hill and Chester Hill,” she said on Friday.
When asked where the virus was spreading, Dr Chant said it was “tough” to pin down exact instances.
“We have a mix of things. We have people who go out into workplaces and go home. I will give an example. There are 12 staff members at the KFC at Punchbowl on Canterbury Road. They have tested positive to COVID,” she said.
Anyone who attended the venue between July 27 and August 2 must now isolate and get tested.
“It highlights that you have one person introduced to a workplace. You then have 12 people had become infected because we don't all maintain social distancing,” she said, although she ruled out closing fast-food takeway shops.
“This is about a balance of access to food and other things that people need,” she said.
“I think my major point would be that you minimise your exposure in those settings, minimise your shopping. You should be out of your house for the minimal time and please don't go out unnecessarily, and don't use shopping as a social event in any way.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard has revealed a goal to vaccinate 24,000 year 12 students with Pfizer next week in a bid to allow students back to school to complete their HSC exams in October.
Invoking the spirit of the Olympics and pure star power, Mr Hazzard said students had a “golden opportunity” to get their jabs at Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park next week.
“We've seen our Olympic stars go for gold, we've seen the most amazing stars in the Qudos Bank Arena, I think there has been Lana Del Ray, Keith Urban, P!nk, Madonna, (now) you have a chance to go to that stadium next week and (get) some gold by getting your first vaccination,” Mr Hazzard said Friday.
He said year 12 students would receive a message with a link outlining what was required to book in for a jab at the arena.
Mr Hazzard said: “I want to stress to the mums and dads, your children will be well looked after inside when they arrive, they will be literally ushered, we will have nurses, some of the youth command, some of the young police from the various operations within police there just to guide them through as to where they go, they will be looked after every moment inside the stadium, and they will be well cared for so mums and dads, feel secure.”
“Twenty four thousand students is what we are aiming to get through next week stopping the messages will come out this week and the opportunity is there.
“But really, you've got to take it. Grasp it with both hands. If you talk to any of our Olympians, they will tell you you've got to grasp opportunity so don't waste it.”
Woman in 60s dies as NSW records 291 Covid cases
Greg Dunlop
NSW recorded one death on Friday and 291 new local cases of Covid-19 – the state’s highest number of local cases in a 24-hour period.
A woman in her 60s from south-west Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital.
At least 50 of the new Covid cases were active in the community.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "I do want to foreshadow that given this high number of cases, we are likely to see this trend continue for the next few days."
The premier also signalled that more police would patrol in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area to ensure compliance with stay-at-home orders.
"We are seeing too many people frequent certain shopping areas and perhaps not doing the right thing," Ms Berejiklian said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to the media on Friday.
The HSC trials will be held remotely across Sydney
The HSC trials will be held remotely across Sydney and students in Covid-19 hotspots won’t be back at school on August 16 under a revised return-to-school plan announced Friday by the NSW government.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell unveiled a “flexible operating model” for Sydney after new health guidance as infection numbers continue to grow.
It came after stakeholders including teacher unions for public, independent and Catholic schools expressed concerns that the return to school date announced last week by Premier Gladys Berejiklian was too soon.
“Education is essential, and we must provide our HSC students the opportunity to receive the curriculum and wellbeing support they need during the last few months of their schooling,” Ms Mitchell said in a statement released Friday morning.
“A comprehensive and flexible model will allow schools to provide HSC students essential lessons and check-ins with teachers sensibly and safely.”
Ms Mitchell said the trial exams and school assessments would be completed from home.
Year 12 students who live or study in the the eight worst-hit local government areas of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta would not be required to return to school.
They are also the student cohort who will be given Pfizer vaccinations at a Qudos Bank Arena from Monday after doses were diverted from regional NSW.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said: “we strongly encourage every eligible student to take up the opportunity to protect themselves and their loved ones”.
Different lockdowns in NSW, Victoria and Queensland
Greg Dunlop
Australia’s three states of NSW, Victoria and Queensland are now experiencing different versions of lockdowns and snap lockdowns to overcome the Delta outbreak.
Covid cases are on the rise in NSW, and the true toll of the virus this year has been revealed, with almost 4000 Australians dying from the virus in 2023.
